Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

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SunshineLW
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Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#1 Post by SunshineLW » Tue Mar 13, 2018 11:16 am

Thank you to those of you who have advised me in the recent purchase of my first compound microscope. Here is a preliminary image taken using the "Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera" inserted directly into the Olympus BH-2 trinocular head (without the use of additional camera accessories; i.e., no phototube and no photo eyepiece). This image was taken through an Olympus 100x SPlanApo objective and consists of a stack of 6 exposures. The subject is the posterior end of a Loa-Loa sp. microfilaria and a neutrophil with a background of red blood cells.

I am extremely satisfied with the resolution of this image. I will continue to experiment with this setup, but the quality of this image is very close (or possibly superior) to the $50,000 Olympus BX-50 setup I was using in my research laboratory. With loads of extra trouble and money, I expect that I could improve resolution by using a DSLR camera setup (instead of the solo Amscope camera); however, the convenience and quality of the Amscope camera are definitely worth the price.

Here is a link to a higher resolution copy of the Loa-Loa nematode: https://flic.kr/p/FvEaPp

Let me know what y'all think.

UPDATED: Follow the flickr links below to see images of a DIV = 0.01mm stage micrometer. I have photographed the the stage micrometer using all of my objectives and two different condensers.
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Amscope 18MP to Olympus BH-2.jpg
Amscope 18MP to Olympus BH-2.jpg (84.23 KiB) Viewed 15484 times
2b Loa-Loa 2 2.jpg
2b Loa-Loa 2 2.jpg (436.03 KiB) Viewed 15484 times
Last edited by SunshineLW on Sat Apr 14, 2018 6:31 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#2 Post by MichaelG. » Tue Mar 13, 2018 11:45 am

That's a remarkably good start, Lance !!

Presumably the image field is significantly smaller than the visual field
[ please correct me if I am wrong ]

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#3 Post by SunshineLW » Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:03 pm

MichaelG. wrote:Presumably the image field is significantly smaller than the visual field
Hey Michael! Thanks for the comment.

You are CORRECT! Thank you for mentioning this because it is something I desperately crave to correct. Currently, the Amscope camera is attached to the Amscope FMA050 fixed microscope adapter, which I believe is a 0.5x reduction lens used to accommodate for camera sensor size and, thereby, increase image field of view.

Instead of trying to increase the field of view, I may be better off by purchasing a 60x oil objective, and sticking with my current camera setup.

Amscope produces a 0.35X C-mount Camera Adapter for Olympus Microscopes. Do you think a 0.35X reduction will add a suffficiently-wider field of view compared to the current 0.5X reduction lens (i.e., Amscope FMA050 fixed microscope adapter)? Or is this not worth the price/ trouble?

Will attaching the camera to a U-PMTVC and imaging through an NFK 2.5 correct this issue? I have an NFK 3.3, but the majority of setups I've seen on the web use the NFK 2.5. I'm reluctant to try this because using an NFK lens in this case seems silly. In the interest of increasing field of view, it seems like magnifying is last thing I'd want to do.

Any suggestions?
Last edited by SunshineLW on Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:24 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#4 Post by Crater Eddie » Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:12 pm

Using either setup the image field will be smaller than your visual field, sorry. But I think that most camera setups crop the image to some extent, its just something that most of us learn to live with.
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Last edited by Crater Eddie on Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Olympus BH-2 / BHTU
LOMO BIOLAM L-2-2
LOMO POLAM L-213 / BIOLAM L-211 hybrid
LOMO Multiscope (Biolam)
Cameras: Canon T3i, Olympus E-P1 MFT, Amscope 3mp USB

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#5 Post by SunshineLW » Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:14 pm

Crater Eddie wrote:...its just something that most of us learn to live with.
Do you think it could be corrected using this amscope reduction lens?: http://www.amscope.com/0-35x-c-mount-ca ... copes.html

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#6 Post by Crater Eddie » Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:29 pm

I don't know, have never played with one of those.
That is a darned good image though. You have a great scope there, and your camera seems to be doing a fine job. You have to admit that the USB cameras are very convenient, and once you get the hang of the software it is very powerful.
Keep the images coming!
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Last edited by Crater Eddie on Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#7 Post by SunshineLW » Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:36 pm

Crater Eddie wrote:You have a great scope there, and your camera seems to be doing a fine job.
Thanks a lot for the kind words and encouragement. I'll definitely keep this thread up-to-date with any tweaks/ modifications in the setup.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#8 Post by zzffnn » Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:01 pm

SunshineLW,

Are you able to adjust length of your BH2's trinocular tube (does it currently have length adjustment mechanism built in)? I am not familiar with your scope system.

If yes, you may be able to use a visual compensating 10x eyepiece (WHK10L?) with camera lens (around 60mm full frame equivalent) + a DSLR/mirrorless, and get camera image almost matching visual view field.

That approach will produce better image as well. But it may not be worth your effort, if all you want to image is stained slides.

Your AmScope 18mp USB camera is good enough for stained slides. For most stained slides (which have native high contrast and do not move like live subjects), I would even say that your DIC, 100w light source and apo objectives are overkill as well. Plan achromat objectives are good enough for stained slides; I did comparison with stained slides before and actually prefer my achromat objective's lower numeric aperture (NA, which means deeper imaging depth) over my apo objective's high NA.

If you image transparent live subjects (such as pond protists), then camera flash (of DSLR/mirrorless), DIC (which adds contrast) and excellent color/optical correction and high NA (of your apo objectives) will help a lot.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#9 Post by zzffnn » Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:08 pm

I have edited my previous comment for better clarity.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#10 Post by zzffnn » Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:16 pm

Some of his articles without illustrations are difficult to understand for beginners, but Charles Krebs wrote extensively on how to mount camera on microscope:

http://www.krebsmicro.com

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#11 Post by SunshineLW » Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:21 pm

zzffnn wrote:If yes, you may be able to use a visual compensating 10x eyepiece (WHK10L?) with camera lens (around 60mm full frame equivalent) + a DSLR/mirrorless, and get camera image almost matching visual view field.
I plan on imaging very few unstained specimens, so this does seem like a lot of work. The majority of specimens in veterinary medicine (ex., skin scrapes, tissue aspirates, blood smears) are all stained in Diff-Quik (Romanowsky-type stain). I may be better off just sticking with the camera setup that I have and purchasing a 60x oil objective.
zzffnn wrote:For most stained slides (which have native high contrast and do not move like live subjects), I would even say that your DIC, 100w light source and apo objectives are overkill as well.
I do plan to image parasitologic fecal floatations (i.e., unstained nematode ova and larvae). Many ova have a relatively high contrast, but larvae do not. I am imaging primarily stained specimens at the moment, so your comments makes me very happy!

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#12 Post by zzffnn » Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:29 pm

This forum thread teaches afocal imaging and is easier to understand:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... microscope

What objective magnification does your smallest transparent subject demand? If it is less than 40x objective magnification (or NA 0.65), then again, you (can use DIY oblique or darkfield illumination) don't need DIC. DIC really shines at 40x obj. mag. and above, but is an overkill for anything less.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#13 Post by SunshineLW » Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:41 pm

Thank you for your help zzffnn. I do not plan to build a DIC scope until I have more time to dedicate to learning the details. I desire PlanApo objectives because I took thousands of images using Plan objectives and the color aberrations haunt me in my dreams.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#14 Post by einman » Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:42 pm

Awesome scope and pics. I should have given them a higher offer :(

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#15 Post by Hobbyst46 » Tue Mar 13, 2018 4:31 pm

Even with a BX51 and a DP70+ dedicated Olympus camera, you need an optic adapter, otherwise the recorded images are much smaller than the field of view.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#16 Post by MichaelG. » Tue Mar 13, 2018 5:56 pm

SunshineLW wrote:
MichaelG. wrote:Presumably the image field is significantly smaller than the visual field
Hey Michael! Thanks for the comment.

You are CORRECT! Thank you for mentioning this because it is something I desperately crave to correct. Currently, the Amscope camera is attached to the Amscope FMA050 fixed microscope adapter, which I believe is a 0.5x reduction lens used to accommodate for camera sensor size and, thereby, increase image field of view.

Instead of trying to increase the field of view, I may be better off by purchasing a 60x oil objective, and sticking with my current camera setup.

Amscope produces a 0.35X C-mount Camera Adapter for Olympus Microscopes. Do you think a 0.35X reduction will add a suffficiently-wider field of view compared to the current 0.5X reduction lens (i.e., Amscope FMA050 fixed microscope adapter)? Or is this not worth the price/ trouble?
If the 60x oil objective is affordable, and as optically good as your 100x, then yes; I would be inclined to stick with your current camera setup ... It's obviously effective and convenient.

Changing to the O.35x adapter would obviously increase the field proportionally, but I have no idea how the quality compares with the 0.5x that you are using. ... and frankly, I'm inclined to think "if it aint broke, dont fix it". ... The very pleasant surprise is that the existing camera setup seems to perform extraordinarily well; which means that it must match the Olympus objective nicely.

MichaelG.
.
P.S. That's a superb set of objctives you have there !!

Edit: I just checked ebay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Olympus-SPla ... 1551852459
... which may focus the mind.
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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#17 Post by MichaelG. » Tue Mar 13, 2018 6:27 pm

SunshineLW wrote:Thank you to those of you who have advised me in the recent purchase of my first compound microscope. Here is a preliminary image taken using the "Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera" [ ... ]
Here is a link to a higher resolution copy of the Loa-Loa nematode: https://flic.kr/p/255jzqo
I note that the 'higher resolution copy' is 2400x1800 pixels, which is not the resolution of the camera.

It would be very interesting to see some crops from the centre and corner of a full resolution single image of something boring, like a stage micrometer. Your stacked image is superb, but perhaps not ideal for [dare I say 'objectively' ?] assessing the performance.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#18 Post by SunshineLW » Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:07 pm

einman wrote:Awesome scope and pics. I should have given them a higher offer :(
I saw your setup and it puts mine to shame! Don't even play! lol, but thanks for the comment.

Also, I believe the SPlanApo 40x is shot. I have cleaned the exterior, distal lens and I am unable to bring it into focus. Also, when attempting to put the lens in Kohler (after first making my best attempt to bring the sample into blurred "focus"), the field diaphragm never appears as a crisp, focused hexagon. Instead, it appears as an angled/ slanted skid-mark of distorted light summating with a faint remnant of the field diaphragm.

I can easily achieve Kohler with every other objective, all of which are crystal clear, but the 40 is not cooperating. I've tried multiple times on multiple specimens, and I'm convinced it's a dud. This is the risk associated with buying a scope off ebay from a source that can tell you literally nothing about the product. That being said, things could have turned out SO MUCH WORSE, so I'm very grateful that this high-risk purchase wasn't a complete failure.

Given that information, you should feel great about not entering a higher offer!
Last edited by SunshineLW on Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#19 Post by SunshineLW » Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:17 pm

MichaelG. wrote:If the 60x oil objective is affordable, and as optically good as your 100x, then yes; I would be inclined to stick with your current camera setup ... It's obviously effective and convenient.
Sweet! Thank you for validating my assumption. I'm playing a guessing game right now, so any approval/ criticism/ advice is extremely helpful.
MichaelG. wrote:Changing to the 0.35x adapter would obviously increase the field proportionally, but I have no idea how the quality compares with the 0.5x that you are using. ... and frankly, I'm inclined to think "if it aint broke, dont fix it".
Maybe, when I have more time/ money, or if I get excessively frustrated with the small field of view, I'll try the 0.35x adapter and share my results with the forum. Especially if I can find one lightly used and on sale!

Thanks again!

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#20 Post by SunshineLW » Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:50 pm

MichaelG. wrote:[\I note that the 'higher resolution copy' is 2400x1800 pixels, which is not the resolution of the camera.

It would be very interesting to see some crops from the centre and corner of a full resolution single image of something boring, like a stage micrometer. Your stacked image is superb, but perhaps not ideal for [dare I say 'objectively' ?] assessing the performance.

MichaelG.
NICE EYE!

Correct, the true maximum resolution of the camera is 4912x3684 pixels. Just for you, I have re-stacked the original images and added the maximum resolution image to flickr: https://flic.kr/p/FvEaPp

I would like to take the images that you suggest in order to provide an "objective" assessment of performance. I am also currently in the market for a new calibration slide (if that is what you mean by "stage micrometer"). Should I purchase this from the manufactures of the camera (Amscope), or will any quality slide work? If so, any suggestions? I prefer working in micrometers.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#21 Post by MichaelG. » Wed Mar 14, 2018 1:48 pm

SunshineLW wrote:
Correct, the true maximum resolution of the camera is 4912x3684 pixels. Just for you, I have re-stacked the original images and added the maximum resolution image to flickr: https://flic.kr/p/FvEaPp

I would like to take the images that you suggest in order to provide an "objective" assessment of performance. I am also currently in the market for a new calibration slide (if that is what you mean by "stage micrometer"). Should I purchase this from the manufactures of the camera (Amscope), or will any quality slide work? If so, any suggestions? I prefer working in micrometers.
Thanks for doing that ... I will have a good look this evening (U.K. time)

Yes 'stage micrometer' = 'calibration slide'
Yes, any good quality one will do the job

Years ago they were very expensive, but modern manufacturing seems to have done us a big favour.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#22 Post by SunshineLW » Sat Apr 14, 2018 1:44 pm

MichaelG. wrote:
SunshineLW wrote:It would be very interesting to see some crops from the centre and corner of a full resolution single image of something boring, like a stage micrometer. Your stacked image is superb, but perhaps not ideal for [dare I say 'objectively' ?] assessing the performance.
Yo Michael,

I got those images you wanted (1 DIV = 0.01mm Stage Micrometer):

1. Olympus SPlan FL 2x/0.08 160/-; Olympus Achromat 0.9 Condenser; AmScope MU1803 18MP USB3.0: https://flic.kr/p/23oXNMq

2. Olympus SPlan Apo 10x/0.40 160/0.17; Olympus Achromat 0.9 Condenser; AmScope MU1803 18MP USB3.0: https://flic.kr/p/269NJ46

3. Olympus SPlan Apo 20x/0.70 160/0.17; Olympus Achromat 0.9 Condenser; AmScope MU1803 18MP USB3.0: https://flic.kr/p/23oXNHY

4. Olympus SPlan Apo 60x/1.40oil 160/-; Olympus U-ACC 1.4 Condenser; AmScope MU1803 18MP USB3.0: https://flic.kr/p/269NHWT

5. Olympus SPlan Apo 100x/1.40oil 160/0.17; Olympus U-ACC 1.4 Condenser; AmScope MU1803 18MP USB3.0: https://flic.kr/p/269NHQR

6. Olympus SPlan Apo 60x/1.40oil 160/-; Olympus Achromat 0.9 Condenser; AmScope MU1803 18MP USB3.0: https://flic.kr/p/J23aYQ

7. Olympus SPlan Apo 100x/1.40oil 160/0.17; Olympus Achromat 0.9 Condenser; AmScope MU1803 18MP USB3.0:
https://flic.kr/p/23oXPau

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#23 Post by Hobbyst46 » Sat Apr 14, 2018 6:05 pm

I looked at the images you posted on Flickr.
Congratulations! In my opinion, you have excellent optics, with very slight slightly non-uniform (across the field of view) chromatic aberrations. You will enjoy it I'm sure.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#24 Post by MichaelG. » Sat Apr 14, 2018 6:38 pm

SunshineLW wrote: Yo Michael,

I got those images you wanted (1 DIV = 0.01mm Stage Micrometer):
Thanks for doing those ... A nice tidy set of reference images.
I honestly don't think you would achieve significantly better without going to enormous effort and expense ... If this was my set-up, I would be very pleased.

Yes, there is chromatic aberration visible in the outer thirds of most of these images; but it is not excessive, and it would probably not be noticed on most most 'natural' subjects.

You could perhaps try adjusting the effective tube-length by a few millimetres; but that will probably just introduce curvature of field.

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#25 Post by 75RR » Sun Apr 15, 2018 5:45 am

Those are nice. Very sharp.
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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#26 Post by fero » Wed Nov 10, 2021 8:26 pm

Really sharp, have you tried comparison to standard SPlans or DPlans?

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Re: Amscope 18 Megapixel (18MP) USB3.0 Digital Camera to Olympus BH-2

#27 Post by FossilRaist » Tue Jan 04, 2022 11:54 pm

I just purchased an AmScope microscope that comes with this camera. This is my first microscope camera setup.

The camera is where I'm having my most questions and headaches from. The images I see on the old laptop I use are great. The issue I'm having is calibration. That's the thing I can't find the answer to anywhere. I thought I had it calibrated then I realized I was being stupid because the ocular lenses do not come into play with the camera. So the magnification I had calibrated at 180X might not be 180X on the camera. The camera is confusing me to no end in this way. I contacted AmScope and was told the camera has it's own magnification but not much more useful than that. The attachment for the camera has a .5X. But if I'm correct in that thinking it would act like a Barlow lens of .5X and halve my magnification. So instead of 180X I'd see 90X with the camera correct?

At the time of the first calibration I was using 20X ocular, at 4.5 with the objective, and using a 2X Barlow. But I can't count the ocular. So this is what I need help understanding.

I'm a camera idiot, please help me.

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