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 | | From: | Dan Brown | | Subject: | Microscope for digital photography | | Date: | Mon, 06 Dec 2004 14:47:26 GMT |
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 | My question is the inverse of the one posed by Mr. Marable: I am looking
for a microscope to use with a Canon Eos 20D for digital photography. Any
recommendations? Primary use will be for "pond water" but I will photograph
some opaque objects as well (i.e.. butterfly wings). I would like optics
compatible with top quality camera lens. Any help or suggestions would be
appreciated.
Thank you.
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| | From: | GTO | | Subject: | Re: Microscope for digital photography | | Date: | Tue, 07 Dec 2004 02:45:21 GMT |
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| First, Kevin is right. Try to get a scope from Nikon, Zeiss, Olympus, or
Leica (former Leitz and others). If pond life is your main interest, you
also might follow his recommendation to purchase a phase contrast setup.
Once you start shopping for the right scope, you will soon realize that the
price for the 20D is rather insignificant compared to the price of a good
scope. Even a decent used scope with phase can easily cost you close to
$2000. (I assume you do not want to try your luck on eBay.)
One note regarding DSLRs, which are not easy to operate on a scope: Consumer
grade digital cameras offer mostly better quality images in the hands of
less experienced users. This is due to vibration induction from the shutter
and mirror slap of a DSLR. Although the 20D has a mirror lockup feature (if
I remember correctly?), the shutter will still induce unwanted vibrations,
which you need to handle. Of course, you need to use your remote to release
the shutter. Otherwise, every $100 digicam will produce better images than
an 8MP CMOS sensor with a 1.6x cropping factor.
Cost for the adapter? Not cheap if you want to do it right. A couple of
hundred dollars for a decent relay lens and the connector for an ISO 38mm
port. Shopping on eBay and knowing exactly what you need can save quite a
bundle. One last thought: Try to figure out the difference between
compensating and non-compensating oculars (and relay lenses). It is
imperative that you get this one right; otherwise the great performance of
an expensive image sensor is wasted.
BTW, top microscope lenses are better corrected than even expensive lenses
used on SLR and DSLRs. (Leitz made some exceptionally well corrected camera
lenses.) Canon and Nikon camera lenses are fine, but cannot compare to
apochromatic lenses on good microscopes regarding correction for image
flatness, chromatic and spherical aberration.
Gregor
"Dan Brown" wrote in message
news:2i_sd.15441$8S5.1731814@twister.southeast.rr.com...
> My question is the inverse of the one posed by Mr. Marable: I am looking
> for a microscope to use with a Canon Eos 20D for digital photography. Any
> recommendations? Primary use will be for "pond water" but I will
> photograph
> some opaque objects as well (i.e.. butterfly wings). I would like optics
> compatible with top quality camera lens. Any help or suggestions would be
> appreciated.
>
> Thank you.
>
>
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| | From: | Kevin Cunningham | | Subject: | Re: Microscope for digital photography | | Date: | Mon, 06 Dec 2004 23:16:46 GMT |
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"Dan Brown" wrote in message
news:2i_sd.15441$8S5.1731814@twister.southeast.rr.com...
> My question is the inverse of the one posed by Mr. Marable: I am looking
> for a microscope to use with a Canon Eos 20D for digital photography. Any
> recommendations? Primary use will be for "pond water" but I will
> photograph
> some opaque objects as well (i.e.. butterfly wings). I would like optics
> compatible with top quality camera lens. Any help or suggestions would be
> appreciated.
>
> Thank you.
>
Cool question. Try a used phase contrast 'scope from any or the big four
makers, Nikon, Leica, Olympus or Zeiss. For what you asked about phase
would be great, more contrast and easy to use.
Kevin Cunningham
SMS
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