Paramecium and Polarized Effect

[JimT]

This is mostly for Wmodavis. Bill, just so you can see the effect of polarized lighting. It doesn't enhance contrast but shows birefringence in this paramecium.

Both with 20X obj. First one oblique lighting. Second one polarized.





JimT

[gekko]

May we enjoy it too? Both are very nice, but the polarized light one is very beautiful indeed, and it has a 3D effect to boot: was this oblique + polarized or was it the colors that gave me that impression? Perfect exposure.

[zzffnn]

Very nice find and beautiful colors, Jim!

[JimT]

zzffnn and Gekko, yes. Please enjoy them also. Oblique and then oblique plus polarized. Mostly posted for the newbie but Gekko, are you sure movie 3D glasses are circular polarizers? I would have guessed liniear.

This guy was nice enough to slow down and pose

[gekko]

Gekko, are you sure movie 3D glasses are circular polarizers? I would have guessed liniear.

Linear polarizers, when crossed, give a black background. Here is an example of a small diatom using linear polarizers: http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/micri ... w.jpg.html The color comes from overlaying the bottom polarizer with a quarter wave plate, making the polarizer into a circular polarizer. But I may be wrong about your plastic polarizers being strictly circular polarizers, since the retarderdation is likely to be other than a quarter wave (could be random). I don't know enough to say. So all I can say is that it is not linear. I hope someone will explain it better.

Added after consulting Wikipedia: Yes, your filters obtained from 3D glasses are circular polarizers. Apparently with linear polarized 3D glasses, tilting one's head does not maintain the 3D effect, whereas with circularly polarized glasses tilting one's head is not a problem:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarized_3D_system

[vasselle]

Bonjour
Très belle image en polarisation.
Cordialement seb

[wmodavis]

JimT - thanks for that. Good contrasting views. Thanks also for thinking of me.