MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Do you guys use the term "first light" to describe the first images or observations through a newly acquired scope?

Anyway, managed to get something suitable as a subject for a microscope - i messed around with a moth at first, and it was far too big for the setup i have, although with no decent pond in the area i'm resorting to an old watering can left unattended for a couple months full of rainwater - seems to be popular with midges as there are a lot of larvae.

It was one of these that i chose to photograph - gotta practise on something and this guy was the first thing i spotted that would stay still long enough

A mosaic of two frames at higher magnification.
Basic focus stacking in photoshop using about 6 images for each stack. Sketchy healing brush for the debris and artifacts.


Thanks for looking, any tips or critiques welcome.

Cheers

Good start to darkfield.
What objectives did you use and what program did you stitch with?

Thank you i believe it was the 6.3x objective for the wider shots, and the 10x objective for the closer in shots (stitched into a 2-frame mosaic).


I found an eyepiece that was a spectacle version, 12.5x - it seems to give a bigger image for afocal much less vignetting and a longer distance away from the eyepiece - handy.

I used photoshop for stitching. and focus stacking, healing brush.

I think i turned off the inbuilt lamp and added LED from overhead, not sure if an actual darkfield condenser would be better, but i'm looking out for one.

Those are very good for a "first light"... Thanks for sharing..

BillT

Very nice images, Jay.

What camera did you use? If you used your monochrome camera, did you use 3 color filters to get color?

At such low magnification, a darkfield condenser won't improve much. You can see improvement at or above 40x NA 0.65 objective. Below that, you can do DIY transmission darkfield with a mask under condenser or overhead LED like you did.

Thank you Bill and zzffnn


I did try bright field for the larva but the details kinda blurred into a brown mess...

i'm also getting a bright spot of lens flare when using bright field - could be my 50mm lens, or perhaps user error with lighting/positioning of the DSLR - eyepiece ?

zzffnn wrote:Very nice images, Jay.

What camera did you use? If you used your monochrome camera, did you use 3 color filters to get color?

At such low magnification, a darkfield condenser won't improve much. You can see improvement at or above 40x NA 0.65 objective. Below that, you can do DIY transmission darkfield with a mask under condenser or overhead LED like you did.

Hi, thanks - i used my standard 1000D canon. and an industar 50mm pancakey lens.

Havent found the right lens/attachment for my CCD yet - i've tried without and just having the sensor at the eyepiece, but huge curvature and edge artifacts without the lens

Have to say a big thanks to you guys on the forum. Would still be wondering which end to look in without the advice and useful links and info

Not a perfect image to start with, but i'm happy with it.

Do you guys use the term "first light?

Yes, we ex-astronomers do (did) and those are fantastic images that anyone of us would be proud of.

Well done and looking forward to more.

...just having the sensor at the eyepiece, but huge curvature and edge artifacts without the lens

I use to do eye piece projection; extension tube, a fabricated cap with a hole drilled in it to fit over the eyepiece, lots of duck tape, and a tripod. Took a while to set up but results were better than afocal. Think eyepiece projection astro images.

Don't know what your scope is but can it be upgraded to a trinoc for the camera?

Hi

The scope is a leitz sm lux from ebay. I think a trinocular head is available for it but not sure how easy it is to find one.
Not sure if I have used the best method of camera attachment for my setup.
feel free to suggest alternatives or corrections.

Edit - also my camera is separate on a tripod - with a 50mm lens.

Thanks

Wonderful shots:-)

Those are very good images of what appears to me to be mosquito larva.. These are a big problem and where I live due to the Zika outbreak..

BillT

Many thanks Ian and Bill

There were two kinds of larvae - the larger one with plenty of spikey bits and a double tail - pictured here. Then there was what I found labelled as a Midge larva which was more worm or caterpillar like with hardly any spikes. I don't know if they are the same creature in different stages - I noticed midges around this area but nothing bigger like a full grown mosquito. I could be wrong and the two are both living in the same watering can.
Really must read up about it and make a proper ID

Hmm looks like it's two different larva, a midge and a mosquito - saw an image of one feeding on the other..

Bonjour.
Très belles images.
Cordialement seb

vasselle wrote:Bonjour.
Très belles images.
Cordialement seb

Thank You Seb

Hoping to do more very soon. Currently away on personal matters so have no access to my stuff. Although the possibility of finding a pond for collecting a sample whilst I'm away had occurred to me....