Another Stackshot/Zerene Stacker based Image Stacking Device

[tonygt19]

This is a device that has been slowly evolving in my lab for some time after I became frustrated with trying to adapt our Automontage system to our needs. I call it a Macropod because the final prototype (not shown here) is integrated in to a commercial "ground tripod" made by Reallyrightstuff. Not shown on the specimen stage is the rotor which we normally use for stereo 3D and 360 rotations. Nor is the modified styrofoam cup we normally use as a diffuser. If you look closely you can see that the twin macro flash heads normally mounted on the lens are now mounted on either side of the stackshot platform pointing up. These will bounce their flash off the inside of a styrofoam cup modified and mounted on the lens to create a global illumination like seen on a bright cloudy day. Like many of the devices shown in this forum it uses Stackshot for linear advance and Zerene Stacker for image stacking and processing. Unlike many devices it uses the stackshot chassis and stepper motor for specimen advance while the camera, a Canon 5D MkII DSLR is fixed in position. The project has not been formally funded since although my lab is focused on species identification of disease vectors, it is a molecular biology lab and I normally identify by DNA analysis. But the failure of technicians in the field to accurately identify true vectors from all the mosquitoes and ticks out there prompted me to pursue an image based vector identification system as well. This device is designed to pack up in a backpack with a laptop not shown here. We are presenting a poster on this at the Entomological Society of America (ESA) annual meeting in San Diego, on Dec 11-15 of this year.

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[ChrisLilley]

Nor is the modified styrofoam cup we normally use as a diffuser. If you look closely you can see that the twin macro flash heads normally mounted on the lens are now mounted on either side of the stackshot platform pointing up. These will bounce their flash off the inside of a styrofoam cup modified and mounted on the lens to create a global illumination like seen on a bright cloudy day. Like many of the devices shown in this forum it uses Stackshot for linear advance and Zerene Stacker for image stacking and processing. Unlike many devices it uses the stackshot chassis and stepper motor for specimen advance while the camera, a Canon 5D MkII DSLR is fixed in position.

So, the subject moves relative to the light sources, but the size of the diffuser means that overall lighting stays constant. This rig seems to answer the question I asked here about lighting with subject-mover setups.

[tonygt19]

Well, the subject and the light sources (the twin flash heads) are both attached to the stackshot's moving platform. So technically they move together. Right now we are still using the old styrofoam coffee cup trick shown in this post < http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... highlight= > by Graham46, an intern in my lab. Since most of our subjects are ticks or mosquitoes or smaller, they end up near enough to the end of the 65mm Macro lens to be well covered by the length of the cup. You might notice in that older configuration the flashes are attached to the rail and so don't move with the subject. Since both the cup and flash head lengths are much longer than the length of the subject, moving the subject through it's stack doesn't seem to vary light intensity in either the pre or post stackshot set ups. A large dragonfly would present some real problems though.
Thanks for your comments!

[ChrisLilley]

Well, the subject and the light sources (the twin flash heads) are both attached to the stackshot's moving platform. So technically they move together.

Oh, I see. I couldn't really make that out from the photo above. Thanks for the clarification.

Right now we are still using the old styrofoam coffee cup trick shown in this post < http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... highlight= > by Graham46, an intern in my lab.

Thanks too for the link to the earlier thread with more details on the lighting setup.

You might notice in that older configuration the flashes are attached to the rail and so don't move with the subject. Since both the cup and flash head lengths are much longer than the length of the subject, moving the subject through it's stack doesn't seem to vary light intensity in either the pre or post stackshot set ups. A large dragonfly would present some real problems though.

Interesting. Yes, its all about relative sizes of the subject and the light source, I suppose.

[tonygt19]

Chris,
I probably should have included these images at first to show where the flash heads actually mount. With everything colored black it is hard to make out individual parts. In keeping with our minimalist ways, the flash heads are simply mounted with velcro to the sides of the stackshot's moving platform. This keeps them in tight with the subject so it is easy to make a high collar around the subject from our incredibly useful styrofoam cups to act as a light baffle. This blocks any direct light from the flash hitting the subject. So all unblocked light goes up into the styrofoam "dome" positioned above and over the sides of the subject. A lieberkuhn reflector fashioned from (what else?) the bottom of a styrofoam cup completes the reflective surfaces to give a soft front , top and sides even illumination. We also occasionally drink coffee from these cups.

[ChrisLilley]

Thanks, those photos make the setup much clearer for me. I also see that you re-used the stackshot camera mounting plate. Its nice to see that it has an actual use

Wow those flash heads are tiny (I'm much less familiar with Canon gear than Nikon gear).