Meteorite Macrophotography

Have questions about the equipment used for macro- or micro- photography? Post those questions in this forum.

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Vish_007
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Meteorite Macrophotography

Post by Vish_007 »

Very intersting images of meteorite thin sections under polarized light and special macro rig !!

https://www.dpreview.com/interviews/435 ... -interview

Enjoy,
Vishnu

Scarodactyl
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Post by Scarodactyl »

These are gorgeous, but given the nature of petrographic thin sections I am not sure if there's any advantage to this kind of rig over a normal polarized microscope? Mitutoyo objectives (we can't see the logo under the gaffer tape but I doubt he bought a seiwa or something) are great for 3D objects imaged in reflected light, but in this case the sample is already perfectly flat with transmitted lighting so a long working distance is unnecessary.

Smokedaddy
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Post by Smokedaddy »

No doubt, beautiful images. I've been using my Optiphot POL scope to image meteorite thin sections.

https://squattingdog.smugmug.com/Meteor ... hin-slice/

-JW:

abednego1995
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Post by abednego1995 »

I wonder why there's a rodenstock lens under the mitsutoyo... or is it just the iris?

Chris S.
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Post by Chris S. »

abednego1995 wrote:I wonder why there's a rodenstock lens under the mitsutoyo... or is it just the iris?
I've been trying to figure this out, too. And if it is an iris, why put it in that location? Could it be a repurposed bit that he's using to hold a polarizer?

--Chris S.

Vish_007
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Post by Vish_007 »

Smokedaddy wrote:No doubt, beautiful images. I've been using my Optiphot POL scope to image meteorite thin sections.

https://squattingdog.smugmug.com/Meteor ... hin-slice/

-JW:
Please elaborate on how thin sections of meteorite obtained ... Thanks
Vishnu

Scarodactyl
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Post by Scarodactyl »

There are lots of them on eBay. It's also relatively easy to get samples of some stony meteorites (like Northwest African Unclassified meteorites) and have them sectioned yourself.

Smokedaddy
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Post by Smokedaddy »

Vish_007 wrote:Please elaborate on how thin sections of meteorite obtained ... Thanks
There are many sources for thin sections. BTW, quality ones are quite expensive. Making them isn't a simple process. There is a member here on the forum that makes them too. I've purchased from these sources. You can also simply do a google search. Naturally eBay is another source.

http://www.petroslides.com

Meteorlab.com

http://www.excaliburmineral.com/meteoritesections.htm

https://topmeteorite.com/collections/thin-sections

https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=7488

-JW:

Macro_Cosmos
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Post by Macro_Cosmos »

The iris is probably holding the polariser. The Minolta 5400 lens has grovings, using an iris allows one to convert it into normal threaded mounts easily.

Here's the method using a Nikon scanner lens:
Image

Image

Image

Interestingly, he's likely using the ITL200 as a tube lens. I like his setup, similar to mine, it's based on thorlabs parts. The results are stunning too, one day I'll try it out as well.

Chris S.
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Post by Chris S. »

Smokedaddy wrote:There are many sources for thin sections. BTW, quality ones are quite expensive. . . .
JW, thanks a heck of a lot for introducing me to a group of expensive things I'd like to buy but shouldn't. Rock that came from the moon? From Mars? Egad--what would be like to have such samples in one's hand and under one's microscope?

--Chris S.

abednego1995
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Post by abednego1995 »

Macro_Cosmos wrote:The iris is probably holding the polariser. The Minolta 5400 lens has grovings, using an iris allows one to convert it into normal threaded mounts easily.
Reminds me of those iris flange mounts for vintage barrel lenses in large format photography. But not sure about it being a sound idea. He's using a Mitutoyo MPA 10x, rated at NA0.28. I doubt it would be tolerant of 1-2mm of polarizer being in front of it at that NA.

Cheers,
John

Smokedaddy
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Post by Smokedaddy »

Chris S. wrote:
Smokedaddy wrote:There are many sources for thin sections. BTW, quality ones are quite expensive. . . .
JW, thanks a heck of a lot for introducing me to a group of expensive things I'd like to buy but shouldn't. Rock that came from the moon? From Mars? Egad--what would be like to have such samples in one's hand and under one's microscope?

--Chris S.
Hey Chris,

I've purchased some very interesting 'mineral' thin sections from Rob Gill at Geosec inexpensively.

https://geosecslides.blogspot.com/

I have several uncut meteorites too and they can get pretty expensive real quick. This guy is local to me;

https://aerolite.org/shop/iron-meteorites/

-JW:

Macro_Cosmos
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Post by Macro_Cosmos »

abednego1995 wrote:
Macro_Cosmos wrote:The iris is probably holding the polariser. The Minolta 5400 lens has grovings, using an iris allows one to convert it into normal threaded mounts easily.
Reminds me of those iris flange mounts for vintage barrel lenses in large format photography. But not sure about it being a sound idea. He's using a Mitutoyo MPA 10x, rated at NA0.28. I doubt it would be tolerant of 1-2mm of polarizer being in front of it at that NA.

Cheers,
John
Yeah, the best way to demystify this would be to ask the photographer himself. I would not recommend holding such lenses with the cheap aperture mechanisms on the market, the lens falls out very easily. If one can get lockable apertures, that's better. The one I show is a cheap low quality part, and that's indeed not the way I mount such lenses.

Example: https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage9. ... up_id=1479

Vish_007
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Location: Birmingham, Alabama - USA

Post by Vish_007 »

Smokedaddy wrote:
Vish_007 wrote:Please elaborate on how thin sections of meteorite obtained ... Thanks
There are many sources for thin sections. BTW, quality ones are quite expensive. Making them isn't a simple process. There is a member here on the forum that makes them too. I've purchased from these sources. You can also simply do a google search. Naturally eBay is another source.

-JW:
Thank you and appreciate for posting links to meteorite thin sections, waiting to get good ones for imaging and chance to photograph....
Vishnu

Choronzon
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Post by Choronzon »

A fairly ridiculous contraption when he could get twice the resolution from a polarizing microscope. It negates the whole point of using a full frame pixel shifting camera whose full frame isn't even covered by the low NA objective. Lets see a single shot instead of a large stitch meant to wow with excessive contrast.
I am not young enough to know everything.

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