Frog's Blood

Bill D · Post by **Bill D** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:48 pm

I tried something different. Instead of using my Rebel XT, I shot this with my Olympus C725. The Olympus is a P&S not a DSLR. It does not have a mirror, so that takes mirror slap out of the equation. I mounted it on my Bogen 3028 tripod, which easily holds the small Olympus rock steady. I set the telephoto at full zoom, full magnafication. I used the PDF Charles recommended to set the diaphram on the microscope's illuminater. I shot the exposure in manual, f2.8 for 1/8 second. This picture is vastly better than the one I took a week and a half ago of the same slide, but, is still soft. I need to experiment with the diaphram size. I guess my question is, as I try to improve my microscope images, should I use my Canon Rebel XT, or will it be easier to refine my technique using my Olympus C725?

Bill D · Post by **Bill D** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:50 pm

I should have added above, I used a 10x eyepiece and a 43x objective.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:22 pm

Not a bad image there Bill but I would not use the cameras zoom at all, that does make the image soft and if possible, set the camera focus to infinity. If you have not noticed already, go to my previous post "Mite as Well Make a Post," to view my set up on pg. 2 This would work with your microscope as well and later on you could refine the whole thing by adding a beam splitter to the microscope tube, giving you another eyepiece and a way to semi-permently mount your camera as I have mine on the Axiostar. The whole system would be light enough not to cause the microscope tube to drift any at all I would think. I have a similar set up on my Meiji stereomicroscope also, which has a beam splitter, and there is no drift in it what so ever after focusing

Bill D · Post by **Bill D** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:32 pm

Ken- Actually it was seeing that photo of your setup that inspired me to try my Olympus! I zoomed out to enlarge the image area. The Olympus is autofocus only!!! I will retry with the lens zoomed wide. Will the autofocus present a fatal error for using it this way? I had not thought of adding a aftermarket beam splitter. I'll look around for one. Thank you so much, your advice is so helpfull.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:36 pm

The Oly should work in the normal mode of operation with the zoom feature not used and the Auto focus will engage normally. I have used the Auto focus feature on my Sony in the past and have gotten very good results. I just like the infinity better because it stays put and allows the microscope to be the main focusing instrument.