Campanella umbellaria

[Charles Krebs]

This large colonial peritrich ciliate is always fun to photograph with electronic flash when actively feeding. The rows of cilia make 4.5 turns around the peristomial disc, but when in motion the cilia are little more than a blur with normal observation. The motion stopping ability of short duration flash shows the "metachronal" motion of the cilia, but also gives a sense of chaotic activity.

[zzffnn]

Stunning photo! Thank you for sharing.

[carlos.uruguay]

Excellent! as usual

[vasselle]

Bonjour
Magnifique
Cordialement seb

[WalterD]

Amazing detail! I myself 'd like to learn how to use flash combined with dic as well, sure there has been a thread..

[Pau]

...sure there has been a thread..

Here I tried to link relevant kinds of setups:
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... highlight=

[WalterD]

Thanks Pau, a lot of options to explore.
Thanks again Charles for sharing!

[Charles Krebs]

Amazing detail! I myself 'd like to learn how to use flash combined with dic as well, sure there has been a thread..

Pau sent you a relevant thread. A lot will depend upon the construction of the lighting system on your microscope. I've used several methods with different scopes and all worked OK. One involved a bifurcated FO light pipe with one end of the "Y" in an illuminator and the other up against the face of a speedlight. Another was using a beam splitter at 45 degrees with the flash off to the side.

Once I started using the Olympus BHS I got a second external lamphouse and fitted it with a flash-tube right at the location formerly occupied by the bulb. I've used this for many years now.

[Pau]

Charles, so now I see that you use the lamphouse mirror, where is the LED lamp for continuous illumination?

[WalterD]

Hi Charles,

Thanks for this interesting additional information. My dic scope is a "new" Leitz Ortholux with the halogen lamp attached on the back side. Utilizing a 45 degree beam splitter to project an extenal flash on, meantime keeping the original lighting intact for reference may be a good solution indeed.
For moving planktonic microfauna objects this will add a new dimension to my hobby (and allow me to make pictures without stacking for a change).

Something else:
CONGRATULATIONS with your 12th place in this years small world photomicrography contest!
Another extraordinary photograph that will be a source of inspiration for me and -without doubt- many others.

[Charles Krebs]

Charles, so now I see that you use the lamphouse mirror, where is the LED lamp for continuous illumination?

Uh-oh! I can see how the picture I just posted above could lead to confusion. In that image the LED used for continuous illumination was removed in order to see the flash tube more clearly. The BHS lamphouse does not have a reflector. What looks very much like a reflector in that picture is actually the large collector lens. The small pictures below shows a K2 LED mounted directly behind the flash tube. Sorry for the confusion.






After I did a rather comprehensive job of mounting the flash tube I was anxious to try it out and so I quickly cobbled together the LED as you see it in these pictures. It worked well. This LED was intended to be a very quick, temporary arrangement, but I used it for over 10 years without a problem . Recently it has been replaced with a far more powerful LED (~15W) with a 97 CRI. (I don't have any pictures of this more recent LED)

[Charles Krebs]

For moving planktonic microfauna objects this will add a new dimension to my hobby (and allow me to make pictures without stacking for a change).

I think you will be surprised how many new opportunuties this allows. It's not that necessary with brightfield or even darkfield where you can often get a very high shutter speed. But DIC soaks up so much light that even a live diatom cruising around, or a leisurely amoeba can end up as a blurry picture without flash (unless you are willing to crank up the ISO to extreme levels).

[Pau]

Oops! I misunderstood the images. Zeiss halogen lamps have a concave mirror and I remembered well the LED in your setup

In fact I'm now reworking my Lego setup and I'm tempted to copy yours, so about safety:
- Do you know if the bare tube is UV emission shielded?
- I see the wires contacts too exposed, for me it would be too dangerous although after 10 years you're used to avoid the danger!

[Charles Krebs]

Oops! I misunderstood the images. Zeiss halogen lamps have a concave mirror and I remembered well the LED in your setup

In fact I'm now reworking my Lego setup and I'm tempted to copy yours, so about safety:
- Do you know if the bare tube is UV emission shielded?
- I see the wires contacts too exposed, for me it would be too dangerous although after 10 years you're used to avoid the danger!

The tube is from a Vivitar 283. In those the front flash panel has a rather strong yellowish tint, so I suppose that is where any UV filtering takes place instead of the tube. (Unlike some "studio" flash, I really would not think that it is common for camera speed-lights to have UV filtered tubes). It would be quite easy to insert UV filtration somewhere in the lighting path if desired.

I agree, the exposed wires are not a great idea! It is a simple matter to make a protective cover... which I have done. My microscope is at the end of a long workbench that is up against the wall (essentially in a corner). Absolutely no one else uses it, or uses the room it is in. Even when the cover is removed (as in these pictures), anything "hot" is well out of reach unless I make an effort to do so.

[micro_pix]

Thanks for posting photos of your set up Charles, I’m going to try and create a flash set up for my BHS.

Do you use a heatsink with your new more powerful led?

David.