Afocal multipurpose setup with ball head

WalterD · Post by **WalterD** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 8:36 am

As previously announced here's a brief description of my afocal setup. Goal was
-to be able to make pictures through an Ortholux 2\
-Images created should be free from any unsharpness due to vibration
-to be able to cover as large as possible part of the image created by the objective.
-the setup up should not be expensive

After endless research I came across Pau's article (http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=15607) , in which he describes a successful afocal setup. This inspired and convinced me, and after acouple of primitive, VERY amateuristic test-setups, I came to below installation.
It consists of
1) an arm mounted on the ceiling, availalble in the shop as attachment for beamers.
2) a simple ballhead
3) a small cage in which the dslr can be mounted
4) an aluminium backplate for the cage; on the backplate the quick release plate of the ballhead is alligned
5) a piece of square profile aluminium to mount under the beamer support as connection for the ball head. Maybe not strictly necessary but it allows you to inspect that surface with a bubble level and provides a nice flat base for the ball head.

Installation is not that difficult, important is proper allignement of the ballhead with the center of the lens of the camera. Another key issue is the fact that the beamer support can be lowered in any position, so the distance between the dslr lens and the eyepiece (a LeitzPeriplan 6.3x 30mm) can be chosen without restriction.
The big advantage of this setup is that the ballhead will allow you to rotate the camera lens and enable you to get the right composition within the picture.
Other advantages are
-The setup can be used for other microscopes as well, provided the have a photo eyepiece
-High quality images without spherical or chromatic abberation, without vignetting.
-No footprint on the desk.
-The setup could even be used for microscopes that do not have a trinocular head, as the ball head can be tilted in the same angle as the tilted microscope body tube. In that case for allignment a simple angle meter or a smartphone with a similar measuring app (available nowadays!) could be utilized.
-Besides a good photo eyepiece not other (exotic) relay lenses or designated adaptors are necessary.

As both the cage and the beamer support were seriously discounted, the whole project remained affordable.
Feel free to visit my recent posts to see the resulting pictures.

Note : the pictured bubble level on the ballhead is not giving the right indication. I sacrificed one Periplan eyepiece for the camera.

Pau · Post by **Pau** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:15 am

Walter, a very nice implementation! The vertical hanging post is clever idea (although not much people would like to see it at home

). I will link it in my afocal post.

So you if I have it right your relay magnification is 6.3x40x1.25x1.25/250 =1.58, ideal for APSC with this kind of microscopes.

I guess few secondary points that could improve the setup:
- Some hood to avoid external light entering into the camera lens or illuminating the photoeyepiece. A short lens hood and a black cardboard cylinder surrounding the eyepiece and protruding a bit without touching the camera could do the work.
- A tripod head with independent horizontal and vertical axis will be easier to use to get the camera horizontal and to rotate it. I initially used a ballhead in my setup (also used as macro camera holder) but I'm happier with a monopod head
- Teflon sliders (sold to move furniture at hardware stores) are very useful to easily positioning the microscope under the camera.

(and I'm very glad that you found useful my post

)

WalterD · Post by **WalterD** » Sat Dec 17, 2016 1:04 am

Thanks Pau, good to hear that.

elf · Post by **elf** » Sat Dec 17, 2016 1:15 am

Is vibration an issue with the long post?

WalterD · Post by **WalterD** » Thu Dec 22, 2016 10:38 am

Hi Elf

(sorry for my late response)
No, vibration is not an issue. Indeed you might think it could be as the distance between the ceiling and the camera is not that short. However, pictures do not show any trace of vibration blur. This was actually one of the major reasons to choose for this setup.

By the way, the adjustment wheel for the telescopic extension is not visible in the picture, but part of the setup though. All and all it is a very rigid construction