More diatoms

pwnell · Post by **pwnell** » Fri Nov 02, 2012 3:52 pm

All taken with UPlanFL N 40x/0.75 except the DIC image which was UPlanSApo 40x/0.95. All images had an additional 2x magnification from the magnification changer, and are cropped slightly.

I purchased these diatoms from Klaus Kemp in the UK. I am sure many of you know his excellent work.

Bright field

Dark field

Phase contrast

DIC

Cactusdave · Post by **Cactusdave** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 7:41 am

Some nice images there. The resolution is excellent, especially in the DIC picture.

Pau · Post by **Pau** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 1:35 pm

Waldo, nice quality images.

Cactusdave wrote:Some nice images there. The resolution is excellent, especially in the DIC picture.

Dave, in the posted pictures I don't see more resolution but a more pleasing look (very subjective) of the DIC one over the others, just the Phase one has a bit less resolution (as expected because the phase rings are smaller than the maximun objective aperture, lowering the actual NA). Look at the finer dots of Stauroneis

pwnell · Post by **pwnell** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 10:37 pm

Here is the best I could do with my UPlanSApo 60x/1.35 objective * 1.6 magnification changer and some cropping of the aspect ratio, DIC and oil, 46 images stacked using Zerene Stacker in DMap mode:

Cactusdave · Post by **Cactusdave** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 1:40 am

You are right Pau. There isn't more 'actual' resolution in the DIC image compared with the darkfield image. The DIC effect gives (to me at least) a better visual perception of detail.

Waldo, that last image with the Planapo lens is very nice indeed. To stack images at this magnification requires a very steady hand on the fine focus (unless of course you are lucky enough to have motorised fine focus

)and it is easy to get stacking artifacts, especially halos.