Is it possible to attach a video camera to a microscope?

[leor333]

Hello, and greetings from israel!

First of all, let me thank you for this site, forums and of course for all the amazing videos on youtube. really, there is nothing else like this on the web, and I am so happy for this community. I am reading and watching you a lot in the past few months, and learning so much. your enthusiasm and joy inspires me to learn more about the world and appreciate its micro beauty.

So,
I have the AmScope T490B-DK Trinocular microscope (the Photo port is 23mm size), and i already have a sony hdr cx580v video camera at home.
Is it possible to attach this kind of camera to the microscope port? different companies told me they don't deal with sony cameras.

You can see the size of my optics lens in page 5:
http://static.highspeedbackbone.net/pdf ... 0Sheet.pdf

Thank you all for sharing and helping.

Regards, Leor

[MichaelG.]

Welcome, Leor

I can see no great problem with using your camera on the microscope ... some folks get very good images with cell-phones.

I would use an eyepiece in the photo-port and adjust the camera lens to give best coverage.
... Lash-up something first [maybe put the camera on a tripod] and try some experiments.

MichaelG

[75RR]

Something like this should work well with your video camera

[leor333]

Hello,

Thank you for the informative response, your setup looks very inventive and professional! this should be added to main article:
http://www.microbehunter.com/connecting ... icroscope/

Anyway, I would still like to buy some kind of 'screwed in' adapter so my camera will stay in place and doesn't move.

Also, I read i need a 'Reduction Lens Adapter' to get a full image. do you know which one? most of them say "C-Mount".

Regards,
Leor

[Hobbyst46]

Welcome, leor333 from Israel as well !
While I never tried such camera connection - my Sony Handyman is an earlier model than yours - I can suggest some tips.
Since the camera lens is not exchangeable, your option of connecting it to the microscope is afocal. That is, above the eyepiece of the microscope. And a small distance between the camera lens and eyepiece (I refer to the eyepiece in the photo tube of course).

For a rigid connection, please see this article by David Walker:
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/ind ... focal.html
I followed suit to connect a camera (a mirrorless, not a video camera). Can provide details if of interest.

The problem with the Sony video camera, I think, is the very small size of the sensor - 1/3.9". One needs a fixed focal length, but the camera's lens is a zoom. I suppose the microscope eyepiece is a 10X. So, with the Sony camera, I would set the focal length to the shortest value possible - 26 or 33mm - and try first a floating setup, as suggested by 75RR and MichaelG above, to see how much of the FOV is caught by the camera. You need to achieve parfocality between the camera image and the bino eyepiece view. Also, set the camera focus to infinity (manually) since when it is above the microscope, all focusing is done via the microscope only. If the floating setup works, it might be worthwhile to invest in a rigid connection.
Good luck!

[MicroBob]

Hi Leor,
welcome to the forum!
We use a video camera to transmit the image of a Zeiss Universal to a flat screen TV. The optical adapter is original Zeiss and not just an eyepiece. It's lens is much bigger in diameter. We recently changed the TV and the camera and had no problems with this change. When the camera is powered up it is in wide angle mode and the microscope image is a small burnt out circle in the middle. When zooming in the whole screen is filled with the image. So this works fine. When we bought the new camcorder we found that there was just one model with a smaller, older (37mm???) filter thread, a JVC model. The other camcorders have an internal gimbal to even out movements which leads to a bigger objective diameter.
To transmit fast moving images like plancton a camcorder with HDMI interface is still perfect. For still images the choice is much bigger, smartphone, DSLM cameras, eyepiece cameras.
The combination high eyepoint eyepiece and camcorder in problematic in theory but might work very well in practical use. With a basic keyhole eyepiece this won't work. The eye relief of the eyepiece is where an image is formed above the eyepiece. When camcorder objective and eyepiece are comparible you just need a mechanical coupling. It either has to be quite precise or adjustable.

Bob

[leor333]

Hello MicroBob and Hobbyst46,
Thanks for your Replies.
I still have al lot to learn, but now i know from where to start. you also gave me some good ideas for making a personal setup (the pictures helped a lot).

Thank you for this community!