Photo tube adapter

[david_b]

This is the photo tube mount on a Motic BA310. It appears to be the same as Olympus BX.
What is this type of mount called?
I'm looking to mount a LabCam so need an adapter that will accept a 30mm eyepiece tube but not sure what to search for?

IMG_2860.jpg (37.46 KiB) Viewed 10174 times

[MichaelG.]

I’m not familiar with either Motic or Olympus version, David ... but this looks a useful place to start your quest:
https://www.lmscope.com/en/olympus_BX_serie_en.html

MichaelG.

[Zuul]

Motic sells t-mount photo tubes for your microscope. The adapter accepts a photo eyepiece designed to project the image to a camera sensor. That is likely the same 30mm size as the normal eyepieces. You should confirm with your dealer. Documentation isn’t great, but if it is like other photo tubes you may be able to remove the section between the eyepiece and the camera mount giving you the access you need. Again, it would be best to confirm with your dealer.

https://www.microscopeworld.com/p-756-m ... apter.aspx

[david_b]

Motic sells t-mount photo tubes for your microscope. The adapter accepts a photo eyepiece designed to project the image to a camera sensor. That is likely the same 30mm size as the normal eyepieces. You should confirm with your dealer. Documentation isn’t great, but if it is like other photo tubes you may be able to remove the section between the eyepiece and the camera mount giving you the access you need. Again, it would be best to confirm with your dealer.

https://www.microscopeworld.com/p-756-m ... apter.aspx

Thanks, I already have that tube and photo eyepiece but they are much smaller diameter than the normal eyepieces.
I'm wanting to replace the photo tube and eyepiece with a LabCam attached to the trinocular port.
My dealer tells me that gettng a reply from Motic Europe is likely to take a considerable time due to staff shortages.

[david_b]

I’m not familiar with either Motic or Olympus version, David ... but this looks a useful place to start your quest:
https://www.lmscope.com/en/olympus_BX_serie_en.html

MichaelG.

Thanks, LM's solution is 169 euros which is more than I want to spend on an adapter with no optics...

[MichaelG.]

Please forgive my ignorance, David ... but I don’t understand this statement on the LabCam web-page:

Precision: Attaches in 10 seconds to your iPhone and microscope by simply inserting into c-mount or eye-piece slot.

How to they contrive to ‘insert’ the lens into a c-mount, when the male c-thread is only 1” diameter ?

MichaelG.

[Zuul]

Motic sells t-mount photo tubes for your microscope. The adapter accepts a photo eyepiece designed to project the image to a camera sensor. That is likely the same 30mm size as the normal eyepieces. You should confirm with your dealer. Documentation isn’t great, but if it is like other photo tubes you may be able to remove the section between the eyepiece and the camera mount giving you the access you need. Again, it would be best to confirm with your dealer.

https://www.microscopeworld.com/p-756-m ... apter.aspx

Thanks, I already have that tube and photo eyepiece but they are much smaller diameter than the normal eyepieces.
I'm wanting to replace the photo tube and eyepiece with a LabCam attached to the trinocular port.
My dealer tells me that gettng a reply from Motic Europe is likely to take a considerable time due to staff shortages.

Labcam says, "Your LabCam purchase already includes the 30mm and 23.2mm adapters". Is the photo eyepiece not 23.2? Other sizes would be unusual.

[david_b]

Please forgive my ignorance, David ... but I don’t understand this statement on the LabCam web-page:

Precision: Attaches in 10 seconds to your iPhone and microscope by simply inserting into c-mount or eye-piece slot.

How to they contrive to ‘insert’ the lens into a c-mount, when the male c-thread is only 1” diameter ?

MichaelG.

I did email Labcam for advice before posting here.
This is their reply:

Hi David,
According to the Motic Manual, page 11, this should be a C-mount. If that is correct, then you should be able to get a C-mount to 30mm adapter from
https://www.amazon.com/AmScope-AD-C23-A ... 310&sr=8-2

This doesn't give me much confidence.

[david_b]

Labcam says, "Your LabCam purchase already includes the 30mm and 23.2mm adapters". Is the photo eyepiece not 23.2? Other sizes would be unusual.

Ah, I see what you mean. The Motic tube is indeed 23.2mm dia but is 9cm in length. Would inserting the LabCam in this tube result in a correct size image?

[MichaelG.]

This doesn't give me much confidence.

The text on Amscope's own product page is a little more reassuring:
https://www.amscope.com/adapter-convert ... -port.html

It appears that there is, as one might hope, a c-female thread in the adapter
... cunningly hidden in the photograph

MichaelG.

[Zuul]

He does not have a c-mount adapter. The one he has is designed for connection of a interchangeable lens camera.

[david_b]

This doesn't give me much confidence.

The text on Amscope's own product page is a little more reassuring:
https://www.amscope.com/adapter-convert ... -port.html

It appears that there is, as one might hope, a c-female thread in the adapter
... cunningly hidden in the photograph

MichaelG.

I'm confused!
The female part is shown in the original post. The male part that fits into it is shown below. One slots into the other and is secured by an allen screw.
There are no threads involved.
Is this a C-mount?

IMG_2887.jpg (41.06 KiB) Viewed 10087 times

[BramHuntingNematodes]

no a c-mount is a camera mount standard that necessarily includes threads

[MichaelG.]

I'm confused!
The female part is shown in the original post. The male part that fits into it is shown below. One slots into the other and is secured by an allen screw.
There are no threads involved.
Is this a C-mount?

IMG_2887.jpg

In a word ... No

C-mount is the screw thread that’s used on cine and video cameras etc. and is the de facto standard for microscope cameras.

Picture to follow

MichaelG.

.

https://www.ikegami.com/cb/products/pdf ... smount.pdf
http://www.industrial-camera.com/c-mount-lens.htm

[david_b]

By the way, the statement in the 1st post about Olympus BX having the same fitting is wrong. Please disregard!

[Zuul]

I'm confused!
The female part is shown in the original post. The male part that fits into it is shown below. One slots into the other and is secured by an allen screw.
There are no threads involved.
Is this a C-mount?

IMG_2887.jpg

In a word ... No

C-mount is the screw thread that’s used on cine and video cameras etc. and is the de facto standard for microscope cameras.

Picture to follow

MichaelG.

.

https://www.ikegami.com/cb/products/pdf ... smount.pdf

Let me repeat. He does NOT have a c-mount adapter. Further discussion of c-mount is only confusing the issue.

[MichaelG.]

Let me repeat. He does NOT have a c-mount adapter. Further discussion of c-mount is only confusing the issue.

.
Please don’t shout
I was busy discussing the matter with David, and hadn’t even seen your pontification until you repeated it

... Over to you to give all necessary guidance

MichaelG.
[ yes, I’m having a bad day ]

[Zuul]

Labcam says, "Your LabCam purchase already includes the 30mm and 23.2mm adapters". Is the photo eyepiece not 23.2? Other sizes would be unusual.

Ah, I see what you mean. The Motic tube is indeed 23.2mm dia but is 9cm in length. Would inserting the LabCam in this tube result in a correct size image?

If Motic designed their camera adapter in the same way that most other manufacturer's do, then yes, inserting the LabCam there should work. You have direct access to the location where the photo eyepiece sits, correct? Because if it is deep down inside a tube, the LabCam won't be able to rest in the correct location.

An "easy" way to check is to take an eyepiece and hold it the same height over the trinocular port that the adapter does. If the image is sharp (or nearly so ... it will be hard to hand hold) then you should be good to go. This would be much simpler if the ocular eyepieces weren't a larger diameter than the photo eyepiece, but you work with what you have.

[Zuul]

Let me repeat. He does NOT have a c-mount adapter. Further discussion of c-mount is only confusing the issue.

.
Please don’t shout
I was busy discussing the matter with David, and hadn’t even seen your pontification until you repeated it

... Over to you to give all necessary guidance

MichaelG.
[ yes, I’m having a bad day ]

I apologize.

My goal is only to prevent confusing him. He had already confirmed that the adapter in his possession was the type that accepts photo eyepieces, like the one I linked.

I hope your day gets better. (sincerely)

[david_b]

If Motic designed their camera adapter in the same way that most other manufacturer's do, then yes, inserting the LabCam there should work. You have direct access to the location where the photo eyepiece sits, correct? Because if it is deep down inside a tube, the LabCam won't be able to rest in the correct location.

An "easy" way to check is to take an eyepiece and hold it the same height over the trinocular port that the adapter does. If the image is sharp (or nearly so ... it will be hard to hand hold) then you should be good to go. This would be much simpler if the ocular eyepieces weren't a larger diameter than the photo eyepiece, but you work with what you have.

Not sure I understand the bit about direct access - here are photos showing
The bottom half of the tube with eyepiece
As above with eyepiece inserted
Both halves of the tube attached to camera
Complete asssembly attached to scope

IMG_2888.jpg (82.84 KiB) Viewed 10048 times

IMG_2889.jpg (46.06 KiB) Viewed 10048 times

IMG_2890.jpg (58.56 KiB) Viewed 10048 times

IMG_2891.jpg (42.87 KiB) Viewed 10048 times

[david_b]

And yes, the image though a suspended eyepiece is sharp at approx. the same distance.

You should work for Labcam!

Thank you!

[Zuul]

Not sure I understand the bit about direct access - here are photos showing
The bottom half of the tube with eyepiece
As above with eyepiece inserted
Both halves of the tube attached to camera
Complete asssembly attached to scope

From the information I could find, I wasn't sure if the adapter came apart where the eyepiece goes. I figured it probably did, but didn't want to assume anything. It does, so I think you are good to go!

Just make sure LabCam is going to supply the 23.3mm adapter. You don't want any surprises.

[MichaelG.]

Looks like a good result

I will be interested to see photos from the LabCam

MichaelG.

[david_b]

Looks like a good result

I will be interested to see photos from the LabCam

MichaelG.

This is my fallback in case the problem with the photo eyepiece described in the other thread cannot be resolved by Motic (no reply yet to dealer's enquiry).
However, LabCam expensive and I am unimpressed with their sales advice. I've seen both good and bad reviews.
I have a phone adapter Celestron NEXYZ which works very well but I can't use the binocular eyepieces while the phone is mounted. Ideally I'd like to mount a third 30mm eyepiece in the trinocular tube and mount the phone to that but can't see a way of doing so.

[mrsonchus]

Hi, I wonder if this item would take you from the photoport (in your 1st posted image) to a c-mount to 'start-off' camera access? As alreadt said, your isn't an Olympus BX type port but a plain (i.e. without dovetail 'socket') socket that may take the linked-to adapter....

[david_b]

Hi, I wonder if this item would take you from the photoport (in your 1st posted image) to a c-mount to 'start-off' camera access? As alreadt said, your isn't an Olympus BX type port but a plain (i.e. without dovetail 'socket') socket that may take the linked-to adapter....

The Motic photo port does accept an Olympus dovetail mount, as attached photo, but of course doing so mounts the tube upside down, hence my confusion. The other end of the U-SPT is too large to accept a 30mm eyepiece

IMG_2895.jpg (32.46 KiB) Viewed 9969 times

edit: Also the photo port is 38mm max diameter so I don't think that eBay item will fit.

IMG_2896.jpg (69.55 KiB) Viewed 9967 times

[mrsonchus]

? The Olympus dovetail I refer to is the one at the bottom of the U-SPT - I use on with a (for infinity in my case) PE2.5x in the top. The item to which I linked has no dovetail, just a straight connector that looks like it will go into your photoport directly - leaving the c-mount available... The other (top) dovetail of the U-SPT is for connection of the tube see this post.

I also have the complete version (which I also use with the BX50) for a c-mount camera (in my case a 5mp Toupcam), here's an image,

WS_oly to cmount CMOS camera tubes.jpeg (139.13 KiB) Viewed 9960 times

This is the assembly, no projection-eyepiece, which is replaced by the U-PMTVC.

s-l1600 (1).jpeg (139.49 KiB) Viewed 9960 times

The C-mount is atop for connecting the Toupcam

s-l1600.jpeg (114.99 KiB) Viewed 9960 times

The DSLR version,

olympus phototube with canon DSLR.jpeg (148.65 KiB) Viewed 9960 times

[david_b]

Thanks John yes I understand but the dovetail on the top of the U-spt is 37mm and fits perfectly into th eMotic photo port (37.5mm approx).
The eBay item states 42mm so I don't think it will fit.

[mrsonchus]

Ah.. too small drat!

[Zuul]

This is my fallback in case the problem with the photo eyepiece described in the other thread cannot be resolved by Motic (no reply yet to dealer's enquiry).
However, LabCam expensive and I am unimpressed with their sales advice. I've seen both good and bad reviews.
I have a phone adapter Celestron NEXYZ which works very well but I can't use the binocular eyepieces while the phone is mounted. Ideally I'd like to mount a third 30mm eyepiece in the trinocular tube and mount the phone to that but can't see a way of doing so.

Surely Motic makes a standard (ocular) 23.3mm eyepiece that could be used with the Celestron. Have you asked about that? If they don’t, an Amscope or other modern Chinese made eyepiece is likely to give acceptable results. (No worse than the generic optics LabCam provides.)