Budget camera for a Nikon AFX-II on a Labophot?

[Ilikeplants]

Hi all,

I just obtained an AFX-II trinocular that I am trying to convert. Does anyone have a suggestion for a VERY budget camera for this build? I am kind of leaning toward a Nikon J1 or Coolpix 5000 if nobody convinces me otherwise. I know it would be more or less squandering the larger FOV, but the current funding situation says otherwise --and I gotta show the SO some pretty pictures before I can justify buying a more expensive one.

The AFX seems to have a large FOV projection (is that the right word?) on top. Did this use a medium-frame camera or a standard ff/35mm? Is the AFX at all useful or should I just take it off and use the tube?

I plan to use this for all sorts of stuff. (plant sections, pond water, soil microbes). Of course, a computer connection and video recording would be useful options, too.


Thank you,
Ilikeplants

[Scarodactyl]

Post some pics of what you have please. The afx is just an adapter but beneath it should be a photo eyepiece.
What is the budget?

[Phill Brown]

Panasonic Lumix G3 works well enough, it's only 1080 video.
Metal body.
Canon 50D has live view, solid metal.
Doesn't easily do clean video out.
NDPL2 is relatively cheap but I only have experience of type F trinocular.
Both cameras are easy to find at bargain basement prices for what they are.
Worth a look if you don't like plastic cameras.

[Chas]

If you can afford it... see if you can get a body with a fully articulated rear LCD screen (eos 600D type thing) - if you are using liveview to frame the photos it can make things so much easier (actually possible rather than near-impossible).

[Ilikeplants]

Hi all,

Thank you all for your suggestions!

I think it is a T photo port, and not an F, sadly, as it has the pull bar for changing the viewing between the eyepieces and the photo port. It also has a lens in the tube. I think there are two small screws on the side of the photo port to remove it?
I will need eyepieces and a camera. For the camera, I am looking at under $100 for now.

Let me know if any additional information will be of help.

Thank you,
Ilikeplants

[Scarodactyl]

See the big thumbscrew below the afx? Loosen it, slide the afx up and see if there is a photo eyepiece in there.

[Ilikeplants]

It looked like there was a lens there at first, but I looked closer and it does not seem as though there is a lens/photo eyepiece in the tube. There is one further down, but that is much closer to the base.

[Phill Brown]

It's possible the one in the bottom is only a filter.
If I remember correctly,
I had to turn the outer tube down to just below the hole for the thumbscrew to get full frame with NDPL2 in the tube.
The outer tube is only held on with the 3 little grub screws.

[blekenbleu]

It looked like there was a lens there at first, but I looked closer and it does not seem as though there is a lens/photo eyepiece in the tube. There is one further down, but that is much closer to the base.

That lens close to base in "T" and "UW" trinocular heads converts finite rays to near infinity around the prism:

.. then pos. lens at bottom of removable "chimney" converts back to finite for (missing) photo relay lens,
as discussed elsewhere and here: http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 25&t=33471

[Scarodactyl]

You can replace that lens in advantageous ways as qell if you want to go more custom, but it isn't really necessary.

[Ilikeplants]

Thank you for the diagram! It looks like mine may be missing the CF PL lens, is that right?

The link is a lot of information! May be a little too technical for me, but I'll give it my best shot. I am very much a beginner in this field as you all may have already determined.

Edit: So, the structure inside the tube could just screw off after I take the tube off, right?

[Scarodactyl]

Without the photo eyepiece the easiest setup is to just put a mirrorless camera right on top. I don't know if a used mirrorless aps-c or a micro 4/3 camera would be within budget though.

[Ilikeplants]

So I decided to look at a sample through the trinocular. I couldn't get a good image from the top without an eyepiece (a 23mm fits well in the holder, and the afx eyepiece can set on top). I couldn't get a clear image through the afx eyepiece when it was on the trinocular either, so I am assuming I would need one in the tube in order to get an image?

I am looking at probably either a Nikon J1 (or subsequent model J3?) or an Olympus PEN E-PL1 (4/3 mirrorless I think) for now, unless there are better options for the price.

Does the 23mm diameter in the tube mean that the FOV isn't as wide as well?

[jfiresto]

I have used the E-PL1, E-PL3, E-PL7 and E-PL8 on at least, lower magnification stereo microscopes. I think you will find the tiltable screens on the E-PL3 onward to be well worth having. None of these can or are really meant to output live video for demos. You can at least wirelessly tether the PL7/8 with a smart phone or tablet and get a live view with (IIRC) a similar resolution to the camera LCD screen.

I could better advise you regarding these and some other Olympus/Panasonic MFT models if I had a better idea of your requirements, including cost and the geographical market(s) where you might buy the camera.