Bdelloid Rotifer

discomorphella · Post by **discomorphella** » Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:28 pm

After various and sundry bits of equipment modification (some of which is still embarrassingly crude) I finally have flash integrated onto both scopes. Here is a rotifer from a local pond, taken using the BX-60, D300 and SB-800 flash unit. The flash is operated in remote mode (since the flash gun is sitting at the far end of the lamp house, remote mode is more convenient than a cord). These shots are all taken through a UPlanApo 40X/0.85 objective, UCA mag changer, homebrew Variozoom and 0.32X projection lens combo and the trusty D300. Flash synch at 1/320, with Mirror Up mode; I haven't run a good controlled experiment yet to see if Mup mode is really required, but I figured it couldn't hurt. I apologize for the lousy background, I was so happy to have flash working reliably that I forgot to take a background image.
As always, please correct my taxonomic gaffs, although I am pretty sure this beastie belongs in Bdelloidea.

David

RogelioMoreno · Post by **RogelioMoreno** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 4:33 am

David,

Very nice work!

There are noise reducer software in the market, I use DeNoise. You can use the photoshop "Healing Spot" tool to remove the black dot caused by dust on the sensor.

Rogelio

discomorphella · Post by **discomorphella** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:16 am

Thanks Rogelio,

I usually use the Calculator Plus plugin in ImageJ to perform a background image division. This corrects for illumination nonuniformity, dust, and if you collect the background image correctly, some color temperature anomalies too. I just forgot to collect the background image....
It does make a large difference in the final image quality, no question.

David

Mitch640 · Post by **Mitch640** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 9:20 am

The actual rotifer part is a great take of the animal. Very detailed. The background looks to be some of the worst sensor dust I have ever seen. A good wet clean will fix that.

discomorphella · Post by **discomorphella** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 9:41 am

Hi Mitch--

Most of that is not dust on the sensor, its dust in the illumination train, the part that is in a conjugate plane to the slide. My flash Koehler adapter is, well, open to the air at this point, since it mostly consisted of me milling an opening in the lamphouse, and dust has snuck in, so yes, its a bit filthy. I was being lazy and just dividing all the dust image background out, but I forgot to take a background image and now I really have to clean it...

David

Mitch640 · Post by **Mitch640** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 9:54 am

I have found that microscopes are terribly leaky and prone to dust migration. Not at all like a good birding lens where most of them are sealed against moisture. One day, hopefully, the microscope builders will get smart to the dangers of blow through ventilation. LOL