Hello, everybody
I will try to keep this short and to the point.
I have an AmScope stereo trinocular, and an Olympus BHC trinocular. I have an AmScope MU900 dedicated microscopy camera (which uses a removable 0.5x FMA050 reducing lens). I have two Nikon DSLR cameras, 24 MP each: one is D5500 (DX) and the other one is D600 (FX).
The challenge is to put all of this, and surely more parts that I would need to buy, together - in a meaningful way so that I can take, well, good pictures.
If the rigs differ substantially, then the stereo comes first on my wish list.
I have done lots of "research" (readings, watchings) on this, but somehow all this is still very confusing. There are all the "converters", "adapters" and T's and C's and so on.
I need your help. I need to be shown in the right direction without all the fillers. I need to understand what is needed to capture an image on a DSLR with the best quality as a goal: best quality (no intervening glass, or matching OEM glass), and perhaps the second best quality (some intervening glass, maybe not OEM). In other words, I am hoping for specifics, not generalities.
I am looking forward to your guidance, and I thank you in advance.
Best regards.
Nikon DSLR mounting to trinocular photo port
Re: Nikon DSLR mounting to trinocular photo port
With most of the AmScope stereo trinocular heads I've seen, you should be able to drop in your Amscope .5x lens and camera, maybe adjust it slightly to get it parfocal, and get an image. It won't be spectacular or sized so what you see is what you get to the camera, but it should come together pretty quickly. FWIW, stereo microscopes aren't especially good for photography, and the AmScope .5x and cameras aren't upper echelon either - but this should work for documentation. As discussed elsewhere on this forum, using a cell phone camera and a third eyepiece is another option, as would be other projection methods.
The typical CH/BH era trinocular head has a narrow tube that takes an eyepiece or projection lens. Your best image-size match will come by using a 2.5x CH-era Olympus projection lens and your full-frame Nikon camera. You'll want different ones, in my recollection, for short-barrel and long-barrel objectives.
You need to perch your camera some distance above the projection lens while sealing the sensor from dust. Alan Wood shows how OEM Olympus gear does this, but you can likely do either a DIY version or buy something equivalent from an eBay seller. Afocal projection from an Olympus 10x eyepiece to one of your Nikon cameras with a lens is another option but with more glass in the way.
https://www.alanwood.net/olympus/digita ... scope.html
Nikon made a microscope adapter with an F-mount that sometimes shows up for little money ($50-70 or so) on eBay. If you're handy, it's pretty easy to adapt this to your Olympus trinocular tube. You'll need the 2.5x Olympus photo relay lens, remove the little lens in the adapter if so equipped, and experiment and possibly add some length to the tube to focus the image on your Nikon sensor.
The typical CH/BH era trinocular head has a narrow tube that takes an eyepiece or projection lens. Your best image-size match will come by using a 2.5x CH-era Olympus projection lens and your full-frame Nikon camera. You'll want different ones, in my recollection, for short-barrel and long-barrel objectives.
You need to perch your camera some distance above the projection lens while sealing the sensor from dust. Alan Wood shows how OEM Olympus gear does this, but you can likely do either a DIY version or buy something equivalent from an eBay seller. Afocal projection from an Olympus 10x eyepiece to one of your Nikon cameras with a lens is another option but with more glass in the way.
https://www.alanwood.net/olympus/digita ... scope.html
Nikon made a microscope adapter with an F-mount that sometimes shows up for little money ($50-70 or so) on eBay. If you're handy, it's pretty easy to adapt this to your Olympus trinocular tube. You'll need the 2.5x Olympus photo relay lens, remove the little lens in the adapter if so equipped, and experiment and possibly add some length to the tube to focus the image on your Nikon sensor.
Re: Nikon DSLR mounting to trinocular photo port
Does Nikon D5500 or D600 have electronic front curtain shutter? If not, then shutter vibration may affect image quality at objectives more powerful than 10x NA 0.25.
Re: Nikon DSLR mounting to trinocular photo port
Good question. I'm pretty sure the D600 has Live View, which should eliminate some shutter shake.
Re: Nikon DSLR mounting to trinocular photo port
Thank you for your replies.
I have been dabbling with various options for some time now, and here are a few of my thoughts.
The mobile phone option is what I tried initially, and for an occasional hand-held shot it's alright. Beyond that, I found it inadequate for my needs and wishes.
Then I moved on to the dedicated MU900 camera and its 0.5x lens, and the results weren't too bad once I got all the adjustments right. But less than optimal still, and I have the Nikon cameras which should theoretically enable me to take much better still and moving images.
Having done conventional photography for a long time, I thought to upgrade my microscope picture taking game once again.
For the time being, the full Olympus/Nikon setup is out of my budget. But I do have the FK 2.5x photo eyepiece and I have also just purchased a cheap camera mount/adaptor. I expect I will need to also get/make some tubes, and mount the camera on a focusing rack above the trinocular port. I shall start tinkering with these soon.
I am also (re)reading the excellent alanwood info.
Camera shake is not a major worry right now, though I expect it perhaps will be, some day, after I get everything else right...
I wish to thank you again for your inputs.
Insofar as this working out as hoped, I will return here with updates.
I have been dabbling with various options for some time now, and here are a few of my thoughts.
The mobile phone option is what I tried initially, and for an occasional hand-held shot it's alright. Beyond that, I found it inadequate for my needs and wishes.
Then I moved on to the dedicated MU900 camera and its 0.5x lens, and the results weren't too bad once I got all the adjustments right. But less than optimal still, and I have the Nikon cameras which should theoretically enable me to take much better still and moving images.
Having done conventional photography for a long time, I thought to upgrade my microscope picture taking game once again.
For the time being, the full Olympus/Nikon setup is out of my budget. But I do have the FK 2.5x photo eyepiece and I have also just purchased a cheap camera mount/adaptor. I expect I will need to also get/make some tubes, and mount the camera on a focusing rack above the trinocular port. I shall start tinkering with these soon.
I am also (re)reading the excellent alanwood info.
Camera shake is not a major worry right now, though I expect it perhaps will be, some day, after I get everything else right...
I wish to thank you again for your inputs.
Insofar as this working out as hoped, I will return here with updates.
Re: Nikon DSLR mounting to trinocular photo port
I bought an AmScope 2x eyepiece tube to Nikon AiS mount adapter to put my Nikon D200 on my Leitz Ortholux. It works, but I would not call it great. There is no live view, so focusing is done on the ground glass, which is pretty hard to do well. The D200 has a mirror up lock feature which reduces shake, but I'm hard-pressed to see the difference. I usually use the self-timer so at least I have my hands off the camera when the shutter trips. With my DIY LED replacement bulb, expoures are about 1/6 s with a 25x Phaco objective, 1/2 s with a 40x. The D200 does not do video.
What Nikon camera would be better for this? (Live view, video, ?)
What Nikon camera would be better for this? (Live view, video, ?)
Re: Nikon DSLR mounting to trinocular photo port
Hello, everybody
I do not have significant updates. I am still gathering and processing the info I gather from here and there. Right about now, for instance, I am trying and failing to build a good helicoid.
I have the AmScoope MU900 camera (9 megapixels) and I suppose it is a great tool for certain applications and purposes, but it is not what I want for/from my images. Anyway I look at it, DSLR is the way to go. For me. YMMV.
I have access to several Nikons: D70S, D200, D300, D5300/5500, D7200, D610 to name a few. I expect that once I get the setup right (for DX and FX, each their own), I will be able to take some comparison shots and see where that goes. I will be back with more as I proceed along the way.
Cheers.
I do not have significant updates. I am still gathering and processing the info I gather from here and there. Right about now, for instance, I am trying and failing to build a good helicoid.
I have the AmScoope MU900 camera (9 megapixels) and I suppose it is a great tool for certain applications and purposes, but it is not what I want for/from my images. Anyway I look at it, DSLR is the way to go. For me. YMMV.
I have access to several Nikons: D70S, D200, D300, D5300/5500, D7200, D610 to name a few. I expect that once I get the setup right (for DX and FX, each their own), I will be able to take some comparison shots and see where that goes. I will be back with more as I proceed along the way.
Cheers.
Re: Nikon DSLR mounting to trinocular photo port
I second zzffnn's suggestion about using a camera with electronic front curtain shutter. It makes, in my opinion, a big difference not only photographing through a microscope, but also in direct photography with extensions and specialized optics, such as Luminars. There is a crispness of the images to be stacked that is unobtainable with the vibrations provoked by the movement of the first curtain.