First photos

Starting out in microscopy? Post images and ask questions relating to the microscope and get answers from our more advanced users on the subject.

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dConvert
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:55 am
Location: North Essex, UK

First photos

Post by dConvert »

Hi
I'm very much a beginner at using microscopes & as I've just joined the forum, I thought I'd upload a few of my favorite microscope shots, for some advise on improving them/my technique.

The first two are from my LCD microscope, just playing around with objects from the kitchen.

Splenda:
Image

Queen Nefertiti ?
Image

This one was done using the stereo-microscope in the lab at work, photographed using my DSLR on a modified T2 mount. Multiple images have been stitched together using Microsoft ICE (Panorama software)

MassSpec Circuitboard:
Image

Suggestions please!
Mike

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

Mike, welcome aboard!

Quick comments...

The Splenda looks pretty good, but the Queen Nefertiti looks badly flared around image center. I can't tell for sure what sort of illumination you're using. The flare pattern is typical of bright light coming from behind the specimen, but I guess this could also be front-lit against a white background. If you're interested in seeing detail within the black blob, it will help to use a darker background to minimize stray light bouncing around inside the optics.

The circuitboard looks a lot better, no surprise given the use of higher class equipment.

I'm intrigued to see that you're using stitching software. That's an effective method of getting a wider field, though most people find it simpler to use lower power optics to do that job.

Something that you cannot get with optics, however, is more depth of field while also retaining high resolution. (The reason is fundamental physics. Diffraction gets in the way.)

For more depth of field, you'll be wanting to use "focus stacking" software that inputs multiple images focused at different depths and pieces them together to make a single image that's focused everywhere. See for example HERE.

What "LCD microscope" are you using?

--Rik

ChrisLilley
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Location: Nice, France (I'm British)

Post by ChrisLilley »

From the exif data in the splenda photo:

Camera Maker: SUNPLUS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Camera Model: SPCA536
Image Date: 2011-01-03 17:54:20 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 7.5mm
Aperture: f/2.0
Exposure Time: 0.056 s (1/18 )
ISO equiv: 100
Exposure Bias: +6.40 EV
Metering Mode: Center Weight
Exposure: program (Auto)
Light Source: Fluorescent
Flash Fired: No
Orientation: Normal
Color Space: sRGB
GPS Coordinate: undefined, undefined
Caption: PLUS0018.JPG
Comment: ÿªZH@Fÿ»sFÿÿÿÿÿÌÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÝÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ<pJŒØX


The Sunplus SPCA536 appears to be a webcam which is also integrated into other equipment such as personal music players or in this case a microscope.

dConvert
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:55 am
Location: North Essex, UK

Post by dConvert »

rjlittlefield wrote:Mike, welcome aboard!

Quick comments...

The Splenda looks pretty good, but the Queen Nefertiti looks badly flared around image center. I can't tell for sure what sort of illumination you're using. The flare pattern is typical of bright light coming from behind the specimen, but I guess this could also be front-lit against a white background. If you're interested in seeing detail within the black blob, it will help to use a darker background to minimize stray light bouncing around inside the optics.

The circuitboard looks a lot better, no surprise given the use of higher class equipment.

I'm intrigued to see that you're using stitching software. That's an effective method of getting a wider field, though most people find it simpler to use lower power optics to do that job.

Something that you cannot get with optics, however, is more depth of field while also retaining high resolution. (The reason is fundamental physics. Diffraction gets in the way.)

For more depth of field, you'll be wanting to use "focus stacking" software that inputs multiple images focused at different depths and pieces them together to make a single image that's focused everywhere. See for example HERE.

What "LCD microscope" are you using?

--Rik
Thanks Rik, both for the welcome & for moving my post to it's proper spot!

The only options for lighting (as far as I know) with the LCD microscope ( a Bresser - made by Meade) are transmitted & top lighting (both by LED) The built in camera doesn't have a flash connections of any sort. I have occasionally tried an LED torch to help out the top lighting (it's almost completely useless with the medium & high power objectives)
I did use top lighting for several of the shots of ground pepper but it quite changed the effect on the silhouette and removed any resemblance to a statue. Flare is almost certainly due to transmitted light in this case, and actually looks less here than in the original which was rather low contrast.
From what I've seen darkfield & DIC? lighting would be useful options to have available for this, but I guess they're more than a simple DIY mod...

With the works microscope I used the lowest power available (10x for direct viewing) but the mounting for the camera - SLR body (no lens) directly coupled to one of the eyepieces gives significantly more magnification (I'd guess not far off 30x in total). Stitching has removed this extra unwanted magnification & brought the image into the gap between my macro range & the microscope at home.

I have dabbled in stacking (using combine ZM) with both the microscope & macro images, getting significant improvements - particularly with the side view of a scorpions claws (one shot for each claw) making proper use of it is going to need a bit more care however. I'll have to give Zerene Stacker a go I'll heard good things about it...

Currently neither of my microscope options has any aperture control. I might try using a T2-filter mount to add a SLR lens into the works mounting later, but I suspect the added torque might cause problems on the F-mount (it's a binocular system with the eyepieces sloping at nearly 45°)

Mike
Mike

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

dConvert wrote:Currently neither of my microscope options has any aperture control. I might try using a T2-filter mount to add a SLR lens into the works mounting later
Adding a stopped-down SLR lens usually just vignettes rather than increasing DOF. It can work properly if the exit pupil of the eyepiece lines up perfectly with the entrance pupil of the SLR lens, but that's pretty rare. In any case, at magnifications where you'd be using a scope, stopping down will destroy sharpness before it adds enough DOF to cover most 3D subjects.

Given a microscope with a conventional condenser, darkfield can often be added as a DIY mod at lower powers such as 10X objective. That's done by adding a "darkfield stop" to block central light so the condenser ends up putting out a hollow cone of light. But if your scope looks like the one HERE then I think the cone is too narrow for that trick to work.

DIC is definitely not DIY. It's a very sophisticated technique involving special optics.

--Rik

dConvert
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:55 am
Location: North Essex, UK

Post by dConvert »

rjlittlefield wrote:
dConvert wrote:Currently neither of my microscope options has any aperture control. I might try using a T2-filter mount to add a SLR lens into the works mounting later
Adding a stopped-down SLR lens usually just vignettes rather than increasing DOF. It can work properly if the exit pupil of the eyepiece lines up perfectly with the entrance pupil of the SLR lens, but that's pretty rare. In any case, at magnifications where you'd be using a scope, stopping down will destroy sharpness before it adds enough DOF to cover most 3D subjects.

Given a microscope with a conventional condenser, darkfield can often be added as a DIY mod at lower powers such as 10X objective. That's done by adding a "darkfield stop" to block central light so the condenser ends up putting out a hollow cone of light. But if your scope looks like the one HERE then I think the cone is too narrow for that trick to work.

DIC is definitely not DIY. It's a very sophisticated technique involving special optics.

--Rik
I shan't bother with the SLR lens option then.

The dark field stop will be worth a try though that is indeed my toy microscope - at least it has a reasonable chance of working on the one at work. Typically of the subjects I've got to hand I suspect the higher magnifications are most likely to benefit from darkfield lighting (My diatoms slide being fairly useless with transmitted or top lighting) lower magnifications might be more useful when I get round to preparing my own slides. Ive seen some excellent results from darkfield lighting in macro work too - Another thing to add to the projects list!
Mike

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