
This first image is a stitch of 72 pictures taken using a Zeiss Neofluar X6.3 objective on my Nikon Diaphot with polarised light and a retarder. Total magnification at camera about X15.75. A larger version is here http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=f53 ... ab58642de3 I found imaging the whole larva satisfactorily a challenge, but at least with some permanent mounts, it’s one I can return to. I found that a ‘head’ or ‘head and shoulders’ portrait was more satisfactory as slightly higher magnification could be used successfully, it was easier to get even illumination across the specimen, and stacking was a practicable addition to the mix.

This image is a stack and stitch of 91 images taken using a Zeiss X20 UD achromat objective. This objective was designed by Zeiss for use with their Federov universal stage and has a long working distance and is strain free. Used with an extender on the Diaphot to allow it to reach focus, the effective measured magnification is closer to X15, so with the X2.5 factor from the microscope this gives a total magnification of about X37.5. A larger 50MP version is here http://photosynth.net/edit.aspx?cid=919 ... 320f346bbe and shows plenty of detail when zoomed into. Lighting was polarised light plus a home made retarder made from two layers of Sellotape on a clean glass slide.

This version was made using a Nikon X10 Plan DIC objective with polarised light and a quartz wedge. It is a stitch of 31 images with Microsoft ICE. A larger version is here http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=94e ... 7623f12308
I made these pictures some months ago, but recently returned to the slide using a Wild Fluotar X10 0.45 objective. This high NA objective is of outstanding quality and gives excellent images on the Nikon Diaphot. It is a short objective and requires an extender to reach focus. I also removed the upper fixed polarising filter from the Diaphot and replaced it with a home made rotatable filter so that partial polarisation could be achieved.

This image was stitched from 43 pictures using partially crossed polars. Total magnification at camera about X25. A larger 40MP version is here. http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=ccf ... 3ae07bd76c

The final image used the same Wild objective and is a stitch of 33 images using partially crossed polars and a ¼ wave retarder. A 44MP version is here http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=51b ... e8024632a7