Search found 3200 matches

by zzffnn
Tue Feb 02, 2016 12:53 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Diatomée
Replies: 9
Views: 2681

Re: Diatomée

Very beautiful, especially the first photo! Thank you, Seb.
by zzffnn
Mon Feb 01, 2016 11:44 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Chrysanthemum Stem Section
Replies: 5
Views: 6277

Re: Chrysanthemum Stem Section

Beautiful images!
Those were cut with a hand microtome? Wow!
by zzffnn
Mon Feb 01, 2016 8:27 pm
Forum: Digital processing
Topic: Blue color cast in darkfield images
Replies: 12
Views: 11479

Re: Blue color cast in darkfield images

Definitely try camera's auto WB first. I use that most of the time, sometimes it is off slightly, but most of the times it is fine. I only use LED though. The following is what a nearly transparent ciliate looks like (though the coleps could be slightly green - I did not look at it under brightfield...
by zzffnn
Mon Feb 01, 2016 7:38 pm
Forum: Digital processing
Topic: Blue color cast in darkfield images
Replies: 12
Views: 11479

Re: Blue color cast in darkfield images

Sorry, I don't have experience on that. You may need to isolate/replace one factor at a time, take a photo and compare. For example, remove all polarizers, if you could, take a photo. If your analyzer cannot be removed from scope head, then replace that head with a plain head from Nikon model S ($40...
by zzffnn
Mon Feb 01, 2016 7:18 pm
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: 60X objective
Replies: 37
Views: 16789

Re: 60X objective

Just in case some people mistakenly considered me a brand snob:

I am still using two Chinese scopes, one of which is an Amscope. So I have nothing against AmScope or any brand. I believe other factors, such as microscopist's knowledge and sample preparation, are as important as quality optics.
by zzffnn
Mon Feb 01, 2016 6:56 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique
Replies: 19
Views: 8289

Re: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique

Charlie, Please do open a thread and I will follow you there. If you can kindly do so, please also share with us print out of that objective. I have Russian friends who can translate it. Like I said, I would be glad if I was wrong. I am having difficulties in making my brightfield WI versions to wor...
by zzffnn
Mon Feb 01, 2016 1:31 pm
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: 60X objective
Replies: 37
Views: 16789

Re: 60X objective

I open up the diaphragm and use the 100x dry sometimes. Uther than that I don't use it much because it rests so close to the specimen. Paul, Thinking on the bright side, if you are used to image quality obtained ^ that way, then your future AmScope dry 60x objective (when used dry) will make you VE...
by zzffnn
Mon Feb 01, 2016 4:38 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique
Replies: 19
Views: 8289

Re: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique

Charlie G, Since eiman is interested in getting his 70x NA 1.23 WI to work in darkfield, I am guessing this discussion may also be of interest to him. If not, we can continue in private message. I think those Cyrillic letters "фA" on your 70x NA 1.23 means "dark phase" (or positive phase contrast, a...
by zzffnn
Sun Jan 31, 2016 10:54 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Is This Fun Or What?
Replies: 8
Views: 3248

Re: Is This Fun Or What?

While I can imagine how Kurt has been laughing and dancing in the past few days with his Zeiss DIC, I am still surprised that his happiness even infected his pet protists :mrgreen:
by zzffnn
Sun Jan 31, 2016 8:51 pm
Forum: Collecting microscopes and slides
Topic: Wild Heerbrugg M20 EB
Replies: 24
Views: 12994

Re: Wild Heerbrugg M20 EB

Beautiful scopes. I enjoy your posts, Charles. Thank you for sharing.
by zzffnn
Sun Jan 31, 2016 8:24 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique
Replies: 19
Views: 8289

Re: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique

Thank you, Phil. Sorry for my confusing wording. I actually only encouraged eiman to try LOMO darkfield and oblique separately, not in combination. I did realize, through my previous experiments, that such combination would not work. LOMO did offer a funnel stop for their 90x NA 1.25, if that matter...
by zzffnn
Sun Jan 31, 2016 5:44 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique
Replies: 19
Views: 8289

Re: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique

eiman, So how do you scan a sample with such high magnification water immersion objectives? You can use 30x with K7x or even a none-compensating 5x eyepiece to get 150-210x. However, that still sounds a bit much for scanning, isn't it? If you have tons of patience and time, that may work though. Or ...
by zzffnn
Sun Jan 31, 2016 5:41 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique
Replies: 19
Views: 8289

Re: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique

Charlie, I use fresh bottled water for those water immersion objectives. I am using LOMO water immersion objectives on my Nikon Labophot 2. I raised up the stage and condenser 12mm to focus on LOMOs, as there is no optical compromise for the objective that way. LOMO did not offer factory darkfield s...
by zzffnn
Sun Jan 31, 2016 2:36 pm
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: 60X objective
Replies: 37
Views: 16789

Re: 60X objective

One method to using oil is to set up a nose piece equipped with only oil objectives. Three of my Leitz stands have removable turrets. The turret slides in and out in seconds. I have several of them. They go for less than $50 if you are patient on E-bay. I have one equipped with low mag objectives. ...
by zzffnn
Sun Jan 31, 2016 2:29 pm
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: 60X objective
Replies: 37
Views: 16789

Re: 60X objective

No flame war necessary. I still have a dry 60x NA 0.85 and use it for quick visual scanning sometimes. Dry 60x will get you decent image. Excellent images even, if your subjects don't move, are cut razor thin and stained like John B's. Objective will have more heavy lifting to do with fast-moving lo...
by zzffnn
Sun Jan 31, 2016 3:29 am
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Workmanship of a single celled creature
Replies: 19
Views: 5107

Re: Workmanship of a single celled creature

Dale,
Ameobas would be killed by SEM's sample preparation process (chemical fixation/freezing, dehydration and metal-coating).
by zzffnn
Sun Jan 31, 2016 1:50 am
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Chaetogaster Stem to Stern
Replies: 17
Views: 4837

Re: Chaetogaster Stem to Stern

I like that the 20x video has more even lighting without blown-out highlights. Well done!
by zzffnn
Sun Jan 31, 2016 1:40 am
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: 60X objective
Replies: 37
Views: 16789

Re: 60X objective

Paul, You will be VERY disappointed with image quality from dry 60x or oil 100x objective immersed/dipped into water. But you don't have to trust me, spend your money and you will find out. I suggest two solutions: 1) just get a dry 60x and use it dry. Image quality may not be top notch but cost is ...
by zzffnn
Sat Jan 30, 2016 10:04 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Workmanship of a single celled creature
Replies: 19
Views: 5107

Re: Workmanship of a single celled creature

It is amazing indeed. I am wondering why each species build a specific structure? Could it be that they have different building mechanisms that only function certain ways (and such mechanisms are genetically coded in species-specific manner)? I know one or two guys who bought a SEM just for ameobas....
by zzffnn
Sat Jan 30, 2016 2:22 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Pic and Vid sizes?
Replies: 7
Views: 2593

Re: Pic and Vid sizes?

I go by pixel count. High end limit is 1024 on either side. No low end limit. Windows Paint (free software) can resize pixel counts of your photos. If you save as jpeg within 1024 pixel count using Paint, your photo size should be fine. Edit: maximum photo size is 512 KB. Your video will be uploaded...
by zzffnn
Sat Jan 30, 2016 1:36 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique
Replies: 19
Views: 8289

Re: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique

Yes, you got it, Charlie. Many amateur microscopists use that as golden standard of resolution for protists.
by zzffnn
Sat Jan 30, 2016 1:32 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Colepidae video as darkfield test subject
Replies: 8
Views: 2829

Re: Colepidae video as darkfield test subject

Thank you, Seb. I should mention that visual view of the original video showed more dust / oil particles and cleaning streaks. But my camera (at iso 200, F/2.8, 30, -2) could not capture those, which is a good thing :mrgreen: I was also surprised that I did not have to turn up output of my light sou...
by zzffnn
Sat Jan 30, 2016 12:29 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique
Replies: 19
Views: 8289

Re: Bausch & Lomb modified for Water Immersion/Oblique

eiman, I am highly interested in hearing your impressions on performance of LOMO water immersion objectives in darkfield and oblique. If you have a Klaus Kemp test diatom slide, you don't have to post photos, you can simply tell me whether or not your rig can resolve dots/lines on XYZ diatoms (espec...
by zzffnn
Fri Jan 29, 2016 9:31 pm
Forum: Digital processing
Topic: Desmid image: DIC background correction
Replies: 13
Views: 10879

Re: Desmid image: DIC background correction

^ In that case, you probably don't need to replace the polarizer, unless yours has been burned severely. A replacement may not provide better quality (dedicated microscope polarizers/analyzers are said to be the best for your application). Did you replace your Nikon polarizer with a camera polarizer...
by zzffnn
Fri Jan 29, 2016 8:50 pm
Forum: Digital processing
Topic: Desmid image: DIC background correction
Replies: 13
Views: 10879

Re: Desmid image: DIC background correction

My apologies. Now I remember that you mentioned it before in another thread. I did hesitate a bit, before I mentioned custom white balance, as it is obvious for an experienced photographer/microscopist like you. Did your polarizer/analyzer combo come from a microscope manufacturer such as Nikon? If ...
by zzffnn
Fri Jan 29, 2016 5:02 pm
Forum: Digital processing
Topic: Desmid image: DIC background correction
Replies: 13
Views: 10879

Re: Desmid image: DIC background correction

gekko,
Have you tried using custom white balance or kevin temperature option of your camera? You can adjust DIC first with a subject, then move to a blank part of your slide and tell camera "use this as white or grey".
by zzffnn
Fri Jan 29, 2016 1:05 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Copepod Oblique and Portrait
Replies: 12
Views: 3297

Re: Copepod Oblique and Portrait

And here is a shot of the raw stacking software output. Note the left side of the copepod and the halation found throughout. That was the best choice the others were much worse. Rod, That artifact (as shown in your latest raw stacking output) was likely caused by oblique light (image/light shifted ...
by zzffnn
Thu Jan 28, 2016 11:45 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Copepod Oblique and Portrait
Replies: 12
Views: 3297

Re: Copepod Oblique and Portrait

Very nice photos! I am guessing some out-of-focus areas in darkfield still have significant contrast (compared to background), which confuses stacking software. As to exactly why and how to deal with such, you may have to ask at photomacrography. net. They discussed it before (there are ways around ...
by zzffnn
Thu Jan 28, 2016 7:34 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Zeiss WL - DIC At Last!
Replies: 25
Views: 14569

Re: Zeiss WL - DIC At Last!

Kurt, To reduce the yellowish light color, you can use: 1) a blue filter. Land, Sea and Sky in Houston (near Richmond & Kirby) sold me one for $8. It works very well (as cool as LED). There should be online ones as well. Just put it over field lens under condenser. You don't want to burn out your po...
by zzffnn
Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:32 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Zeiss WL - DIC At Last!
Replies: 25
Views: 14569

Re: Zeiss WL - DIC At Last!

Pharmacist here. I order you buy that AO 20 and send it MY way. Problem solved :mrgreen: I won't mind that Nikon E600 either.