MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Hobby, These are showing nice detail and some very nice forms as well. Keep experimenting and sharing the results. Regarding my images, it has been a while, but the strew pic was a quick resize and post image from my cell phone just to demonstrate the view of one of my first strews, I don't remember...

Rod, My apologies. I did not mean to call you out. I meant to say that Hobbyst46 should not expect his phase-NOA61 photos to be as dot-resolving as your brightfield-Pleurax photo, as many factors are different. Apparently, he already knew that and had a slightly different purpose (which was initial...

Rod, Hobbyst46 was using phase contrast (for initial rough screening?), which won't produce the same resolution as brightfield or oblique (effective NA of phase contrast is typically half of objective NA - in other words, you will only get about NA 0.38 from a phase NA 0.75 objective). His Canon M1...

Hi Hobby. Interesting post, thanks for sharing your experience. As i look at the images, i am struck by the lack of details in the frustules. It seem like you should be seeing more. Perhaps you are, and if so, disregard my comments. For comparison, here is an afocal shot thru a 10x objective of a pl...

Well, I’m committed to the new socket now I can get a new lamp at the grocery store if I need one. Of course, I offered the info in case someone else might benefit. You came up with a nice work around and have it up and running and that is the main thing. My comment was not meant to diminish that. ...

Nice work getting it up and running again. They are a cool looking device. If you search for "BMY 100w bulb" you should be able to find a replacement for the original bulb much cheaper than $40. Here's one: https://www.amazon.com/Ushio-BC6069-1000065-INC120V-100W-Projector/dp/B000YL1PEA Have fun wit...

Literally everything I know about collecting, cleaning and mounting diatoms is contained in this thread, that was the entire purpose of posting it. I don't know what else I can tell you, and I certainly don't know anything about the viability of a business involving the selling of diatoms in China. ...

Diatoms are often used to test resolution.

The 8 form test plate on this page is a good one.

http://www.diatoms.co.uk/pg.htm

There are a few people out there who offer cleaned diatoms for sale at what i would call modest prices for the effort involved.

I guess it is possible, but I would say that it is not a get rich quick scheme by any means.

Having no experience with the UV mountant, I certainly defer to those who do. If outflow around the edge of the slip could cause problems, the micro binder clips that I used for curing Pluerax on the hot plate could be used to hold the slides above whatever surface one might employ. Whatever the det...

[quote="MichaelBrock" Now that I'm "wasting" my work day (a disadvantage of working at home) staring at these slides I'm finding that 1) I really need to tune/clean my microscope 2) I need to figure out the camera controls to improve the image quality, and 3) diatoms are fascinating! (the blue "thre...

Looks like a 15 series scope. Take a look at this, page 15: https://user.xmission.com/~psneeley/Personal/AO15and35Cat.zip Lighting options are varied, mirror reflected, simple ac illuminators, and even Kohler capable using the more advanced illuminators like the 735 or 370. Page 18 of the above refe...

How are you attaching the camera to the trinoc port?

How are you focusing?

Ouch. Shipping from diatoms.nl is $30 for a 20ml bottle of Pleurax and they charge an additional $10 in tax. International shipping in and out of the US has gotten ridiculous. I'm not certain I can justify that for a $22 bottle of Pleurax. So I'm off to look into the alternatives, probably back to ...

Striking series.

The oblique with polarization makes for a great effect. Good stuff.

Rod

Excellent!

Really interesting subject, fascinating details, really nice oblique effect.

Beautiful work Seb.

Rod

Here is a discussion we had a while back about a similar situation :

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3349

As you're probably aware, I love broken diatoms. In recent samples it's like getting a bit of a dissection thrown in that give clues as to how the thing is constructed. Fossil sample is totally different, makes you wonder what all they went through in the past million years or two. That centric mak...

KurtM wrote:Very nice indeed. I really enjoyed the longer string of images, and especially like the first two in the second set.

Thanks Kurt.

That centric you liked caught my eye too. Seems to be very delicate, and shows some damage. It is the only one like it I found in 6 slides.

Hobbyst46 wrote:Great photos.
I tried stacking phase images, and the results were OK, but aesthetically not as impressive as DIC image stacks.

Thanks Hobby.

Not much can compete with DIC! ;^)

Radazz wrote:Very nice phase. Pretty.

Thanks Radazz, count on phase for some extra pizazz.

Thanks 75. Phase can help dig out some details at times, and is fun for a change of pace. Not in anyway stackable images though, so you have to make a "call" about the focus point, which opens the door to multiple options for each form. Kind of a nice exercise on occasion. Thanks for responding Rod

More

Hadn't fired up the Phase Contrast machine for a while, so threw the switch tonight. AO 20, 100x Dark Phase, Phase Condenser, Canon 70D, Single frames. St Laurent La Vernede 0004 Final.jpg St Laurent La Vernede 9964 Final.jpg St Laurent La Vernede 9967 Final.jpg St Laurent La Vernede 9988 Final.jpg ...

Crazy Good 75!

Great depth, super color, sharp as a tack and that crazy ruby eye.

Not exactly an easy subject either, especially for an extended shoot.

Well done sir.

Rod

Thank you guys.

This sample, like many marine samples I have had, is very centric heavy, but there a few other interesting forms sprinkled in if you watch for them.

Thanks for responding.

Rod

More from my current batch of slides. AO Series 4 Apostar, 90x Apo, Oblique Mask, Canon 70D, Stacks using Zerene Stacker PMax process. Background cleaned up on all. St Laurent La Vernede 9919-26 ZS PMax Finalx.jpg St Laurent La Vernede 9894-01 ZS PMax Finalx.jpg St Laurent La Vernede 9946-56 ZS PMax...

No worries, I understand.

I have never used glycerol, but have heard of its usefulness with subjects like these. I have used the pinning technique to so good effect, but it can cause some undesirable side effects....especially from the subject's point of view.

Thanks

Rod

Charles wrote:Beautiful Rod!

Thank you Charles!

The cloned horse will have an ice age mentality anyway.....be a complete luddite, not understanding or rejecting modern ideas, such as machine hulled oats, innovations such as bridles, shoes , blankets let alone be capable of dancing like the R.C.M.P. horses can .....and can you imagine it trying t...