MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

I've been seeing this a lot lately, I'm using a 100x objective trying to focus in on something, and I turn that knob a long way, but the image does not change at all on the screen, until I've turned it far more than I should have, and then the image snaps into focus far beyond where I wanted. I'd hate to think my new microscope is broken already, but I'm thinking it also might be the less than stellar ToupLite software doing this. ToupLite has been pretty terrible in other ways so it's possible.

Has anyone else run into this with their focus knob?

Lilly

If this "snaps into focus" is detected through the viewing eyepieces, the focusing mechanism is defective. But this is unlikely IMO.

If you see it only on the camera monitor, it may be related to the camera or software.

Another possibility: the specimen slide is slightly lifted off the stage, perhaps not fixed properly stage clips. Then the slide might abruptly sink down.

Another possibility is that the objective spring action is not smooth, even that the objective touches the coverslip from time to time, so focusing is not smooth.

I would check the latter options before blaming the focusing mechanism.

The obvious check: What do you see, visually, through the eyepiece ?

If it's the same effect, then the problem is with the microscope.
If not ... then it's probably the software.

How does the screen image behave if you pan the stage ?
... Is it 'real time' or does it lag ?

MichaelG.
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Edit: I've just seen that Hobbyst46 is thinking on similar lines.

Hobbyst46 wrote:Lilly

If this "snaps into focus" is detected through the viewing eyepieces, the focusing mechanism is defective. But this is unlikely IMO.

If you see it only on the camera monitor, it may be related to the camera or software.

Another possibility: the specimen slide is slightly lifted off the stage, perhaps not fixed properly stage clips. Then the slide might abruptly sink down.

Another possibility is that the objective spring action is not smooth, even that the objective touches the coverslip from time to time, so focusing is not smooth.

I would check the latter options before blaming the focusing mechanism.

I believe you are right, and my gut instinct is to attribute this to ToupLite. It's been pretty terrible software in other ways, and I'm not inclined to believe that a new OMAX M82ES is already malfunctioning.

MichaelG. wrote:The obvious check: What do you see, visually, through the eyepiece ?

If it's the same effect, then the problem is with the microscope.
If not ... then it's probably the software.

How does the screen image behave if you pan the stage ?
... Is it 'real time' or does it lag ?

MichaelG.
.
Edit: I've just seen that Hobbyst46 is thinking on similar lines.

Well in the past there has been quite serious lag while panning slides with ToupLite. I've not looked through the eyepiece as yet when this focus problem occurs, but I certainly will the next time it does. In my experience ToupLite is just really bad software and I don't see it's maker correcting that. At this point I'm looking at buying a Windows box just to have decent microscope camera software.

Lilly Begonia wrote: ... in the past there has been quite serious lag while panning slides with ToupLite.

My guess is that both problems are mainly attributable to the USB_3 vs USB_2 speed issue that we have already discussed.
ToupLite may be making things worse though ... It does seem very much 'the poor relation'

A test of the camera with ToupView on a USB_3 Windows machine seems the best next-step.

MichaelG.
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Here's a good summary of the speed comparisons:
https://www.avadirect.com/blog/usb-3-1- ... ifference/

MichaelG. wrote:

Lilly Begonia wrote: ... in the past there has been quite serious lag while panning slides with ToupLite.

My guess is that both problems are mainly attributable to the USB_3 vs USB_2 speed issue that we have already discussed.
ToupLite may be making things worse though ... It does seem very much 'the poor relation'

A test of the camera with ToupView on a USB_3 Windows machine seems the best next-step.

MichaelG.

Yes, I know, and there seems no getting around that. Meh....

Well it's official, it's not the software, it's the scope itself. I was looking at a rotifer just now, and the focus issue happened again, so I looked through the eyepiece, and it was happening there too. I wrote Elizabeth at MicroscopeNet.com and told her of the problem asking what might be done about it. The focus should work smoothy at all times should it not? As you turn that knob the focus should be constantly changing. To me that's how it should work.

First it was the terrible ToupLite software, and now this. I'm thinking I'm probably going to have to send it back. Not happy at all.

Lilly Begonia wrote:Well it's official, it's not the software, it's the scope itself. I was looking at a rotifer just now, and the focus issue happened again, so I looked through the eyepiece, and it was happening there too. I wrote Elizabeth at MicroscopeNet.com and told her of the problem asking what might be done about it. The focus should work smoothy at all times should it not? As you turn that knob the focus should be constantly changing. To me that's how it should work.

Essential characteristic of a fine-focus mechanism, methinks !!

MichaelG.
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Edit: I'm not familiar with the 'scope you have, but I presume it's this one:
http://www.microscopenet.com/omax-40x20 ... -9100.html

MichaelG. wrote:

Lilly Begonia wrote:Well it's official, it's not the software, it's the scope itself. I was looking at a rotifer just now, and the focus issue happened again, so I looked through the eyepiece, and it was happening there too. I wrote Elizabeth at MicroscopeNet.com and told her of the problem asking what might be done about it. The focus should work smoothy at all times should it not? As you turn that knob the focus should be constantly changing. To me that's how it should work.

Essential characteristic of a fine-focus mechanism, methinks !!

MichaelG.
.
Edit: I'm not familiar with the 'scope you have, but I presume it's this one:
http://www.microscopenet.com/omax-40x20 ... -9100.html

Methinks the same Michael, and I've gotten a reply from Elizabeth about it, asking for my order number which I sent her. I shall be so aggrieved to part with my microscope to send it back for repair, it's become my main source of entertainment and an escape from the politically driven drivel put out by Hollywood. If I have to send it back I don't know what I'll do...

I agree with the above replies, try to check separately without the program .. many people wrote in previous topics that ToupLite is not a good software.