fish and peacock via diy epi lighting rig

[billben74]

Hello all,
Newish poster here.
My newest project was getting a diy epi lighting sorted which has let me look at a newly, though natural causes, dead fish and a peacock feather.

Any way here are my pics.
All done with plan achromatic lens. For the peacock I place a large sized cover slip and squished it down a little with some nuts and bolts.
My stage was quite busy.

For the fish it resting in a plastic petri dish no cover slip. I had it in a little water but, in the end, not very much as this cause it to move when I changed focus.
All were done with zerine stacker.

The whole fish eye was at x 40, though my photo relay lens works at x 2 (giving some empty magnificantion methinks) - I wouldn't mind a camera relay system that was x1 or even less to get more field of view but I bought a cheap thing china and it wasn't so good. At least my present one gives nice images. So x2 to my quoted mags if you please.

2016-02-07-22.11.04FishEyex40_2 ZS PMaxSmall1024.jpg (72.08 KiB) Viewed 5071 times

The next one is x100.

2016-02-07-22.30.52 ZSSolarEyeThreshold52 DMapSmall1024.jpg (86.54 KiB) Viewed 5071 times

The x200 is a bit of abstract art fun. The stacker is having improvise here a little. The colours were actually nicer but its not a bad representation of what I saw, except obvioulsy ony part of the image was ever in focus.

2016-02-07-22.41.39 ZSFishExex200BrightlyColoured PMaxCrop1024.jpg (59.09 KiB) Viewed 5071 times

The peakcock is x100 and x 200. (also stacked).

PeacockFeather2016-02-01-18.47.39 ZS PMaxx40_11StackSmall1024.jpg (116.31 KiB) Viewed 5071 times

PeacockFeather2016-02-01-18.47.39 ZS PMaxx40_11StackSmall1024.jpg (116.31 KiB) Viewed 5071 times

Comments etc most welcome,
billben

[75RR]

Those look interesting

My newest project was getting a diy epi lighting sorted ...

Details?

[apochronaut]

The first one might have been a little better if you had used a fish eye lens.

[gekko]

Did you try to image a fish scale using transmitted light?

[billben74]

I see what you mean apochronaut. It would make the image more like the subject; additionally you get a kind of self referential aspect: "fish eye through fish eye lens" and all. Nice idea.
I have no idea how you hook up a fish eye lens in compound microscope set up. Are there fish eye photo relay lenses?

75RR - The actual light I used for the peacock feather and the fish (I will try to find the name of the fish but need to visit the aquarium shop in question) was my one watt led bike light held by a goose neck like clamp thing I got from ali express.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Universa ... 98620.html

Is the same thing but I managed to get it for half this price although I like it so much I'm getting another at this price (12 pounds Sterling).

lightingclamp.jpg (74.81 KiB) Viewed 5029 times

I have since got a better flashlight. I got the one shown in this link

LedFlashlight.jpg (85.07 KiB) Viewed 5029 times

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/HOT-Wate ... 12171.html

although this particular supply has gone dead but similar products exist on ali express.

Its seems excellent. Its 3w LED switchable between two brightness settings with a focusing lens and the abilty to plug into mains supply or be battery operated by Lithium battery.
I only received it two days ago and have been busy on transmitted light projects so haven't given it a proper whirl.
The clamp thing holds it fine, although you do have to be very still when using the clamp thing as it is prone to vibration.

I will, in time end up with 2 flashlights and two clamps to allow lighting from both sides.
It will probably end up costing less than 30 pounds sterling which I think is fairly good value?
Anyway thanks to both,
billben

[billben74]

Sorry gekko.
I was busy contructing my reply and hadn't noticed yours.
I didn't try a scale but that would seem like a good idea.
I have the fish in FAA so perhaps i can in the future.
I plan (long term) to process the fish to slides.
I'm guessing thats months down the line but perhaps I'll try a scale.
If any dead turn up in the future (and actually they should as its my mum's fish, who lives near to me, and she has others...so I should be able to look at a pre-fixed scale.
Do you have any experience in this area? I'm guessing they might show birefringence?

So many great things to do with a microscope...

[rnabholz]

Interesting images and project. Keep the reports coming and thanks

Rod

[gekko]

Sorry gekko.
I was busy contructing my reply and hadn't noticed yours.
I didn't try a scale but that would seem like a good idea.
I have the fish in FAA so perhaps i can in the future.
I plan (long term) to process the fish to slides.
I'm guessing thats months down the line but perhaps I'll try a scale.
If any dead turn up in the future (and actually they should as its my mum's fish, who lives near to me, and she has others...so I should be able to look at a pre-fixed scale.
Do you have any experience in this area? I'm guessing they might show birefringence?
So many great things to do with a microscope...

No need to apologize! I was just thinking that it would be easier to get good transmitted light images than with reflected light. You might get better reflected light images if you try to diffuse the light. I have never made a permanent slide, but there are a number of forum members who know very well how to do that. If I may suggest that, as well as asking question here, where people are extremely helpful, you may also want to look at the main Microbe Hunter website, where Oliver Kim has provided excellent, lucid information on almost all aspects of this hobby.

[billben74]

Hi everyone.
Slight update. I have used the 3W flashlight and it is great. The setup with the clamp/holder works well enough.
Here is stacked image of a fly. Its my first attempt at a big stack, 161. Its not at all perfect and I agree that I could do with a diffuser of some sort but anyway this it what I've managed on £14 (the price of the flashlight + clamp holder)
If anything I've over illuminated.

2016-02-21-18.02.31 ZSTheFly retouched2RightWaySmaller.jpg (80.93 KiB) Viewed 4994 times

[billbillt]

Nice, clear detail to me.... I like it..
BillT

[charlie g]

Beautiful colors, biliben74. Your DIY epi setup works great.Are you doing this on a stereo scope...or a compound microscope setup? charl;ie guevara

[billben74]

Thanks guys.
Its a compound microscope using x4 plan objective.
Its a regular objective although with x4 I'm not sure cover slip issues are too great.

One thing I love about microscopes is the worlds within worlds thing. There are whole swathes of things to do with x4 objective, just as there are different sets of things to see with a x10 (e.g peacock feathers above).
And I just dived back into crystals recently... worlds within worlds...

[charlie g]

A plan 2X, and Plan 4X objective permits amazing range of microscopy, and manipulations of objects while observing.

Again, great colors, biliben74,thanks.charlie guevara

[billben74]

Hello. I'm just updating this post as I have upgraded my epi lighting rig.
Starting to feel I'm posting in the wrong section...

I was mildly miffed when my £4.98 clamp thing dissappeared from ali express but just went ahead and bought the more expensive £12.50 one as envisaged having two lighting sources which I had seen in purpose built devices.
It makes sense you're going to be able to light your subject better with less shadows etc.

Anyway I bought it

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Universa ... 98620.html

Its turned up and its a superior model. The other (red thing shown above) I think uses plastic connectors inside. It works but it not that stable.
This is a proper metal goose neck made from metal and nice and steady.
Here are some pics.

DSC00396metalgooseneck1.jpg (98.04 KiB) Viewed 4949 times

See its metal inside:

DSC00399metalballofgooseneck.jpg (87.14 KiB) Viewed 4949 times

Here it is doing service along with the inferior red thing holding soon to be vacuum jars in position.

DSC00401versatilegooseneck.jpg (82 KiB) Viewed 4949 times

It holds things really well you have a lot of control of exactly where to put things.

I'm guessing forum members would find this useful for lots of things.