Best and most viable camera for videos

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mich123
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Best and most viable camera for videos

#1 Post by mich123 » Tue May 19, 2020 3:43 pm

Hi,
I bought a swift 350T. I would like to take videos of the tiny wonderful world around us.

I don't know what to do. The "olynpus om column" is kinda impossible to assemble.

I spent my last week watching video and thinking but I don't know what to do.

1) buying a eos 250/750 (400/500 euro) + an AMSCOPE adapter (150€ circa)
2) buying a swift cam 18mp (400€)

The saddest thing is that I cannot find a swiftcam 18 video sample online, so - in case - is a blind buy.

What do you suggest?

Thanks.
How to combine my microscopy hobbie and my history & philosophy degree?
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PeteM
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Re: Best and most viable camera for videos

#2 Post by PeteM » Tue May 19, 2020 4:34 pm

If you have a cell phone with a good camera, perhaps get a good adapter to hold it and start with that. Low cost. Often better pictures than most other solutions under $300 or so. If you go the Canon route, be sure it has a no-mirror vibration mode. Don't know the Swift dedicated microscope camera (surely made by someone else) but they often have very small pixel sizes and prove a bit unsatisfying in use. Also be sure to get a fast connection or on-board storage if you want to take movies.

Does your Swift have Plan objectives?

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mich123
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Re: Best and most viable camera for videos

#3 Post by mich123 » Tue May 19, 2020 6:09 pm

I tried with a smartphone adapter but it very low quality: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZNG6HBmT4SAtXUHb8

These are Swiftcamera' specifications: https://shop.swiftoptical.com/swiftcam- ... copes.html
How to combine my microscopy hobbie and my history & philosophy degree?
My tiny YouTube response (in Italian) to this question: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMoAP7 ... Mqp0i-6ZQA

Hobbyst46
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Re: Best and most viable camera for videos

#4 Post by Hobbyst46 » Tue May 19, 2020 6:32 pm

mich123 wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 6:09 pm
These are Swiftcamera' specifications: https://shop.swiftoptical.com/swiftcam- ... copes.html
That is a ~400 USD camera with a small sensor. I would inquire Swift for the diameter of the field of view that it covers with its reducing length. The 18 MB might be important or not so important. Also, I would ask whether it corrects any aberrations that are left by the microscope objective. If field coverage is good and corrections are included (or not needed), it might be a better setup than with a DSLR.

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Re: Best and most viable camera for videos

#5 Post by mich123 » Tue May 19, 2020 6:59 pm

Hobbyst46 wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 6:32 pm
mich123 wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 6:09 pm
These are Swiftcamera' specifications: https://shop.swiftoptical.com/swiftcam- ... copes.html
That is a ~400 USD camera with a small sensor. I would inquire Swift for the diameter of the field of view that it covers with its reducing length. The 18 MB might be important or not so important. Also, I would ask whether it corrects any aberrations that are left by the microscope objective. If field coverage is good and corrections are included (or not needed), it might be a better setup than with a DSLR.
the amazon link report that "Reduction lens ensures that the camera displays an accurate field of view to the microscope's magnifications".

the usb (even if 3) scares me about the framerate.

I guess I won't be able to capture any video at 30FPS and there are no samples on the internet.

Edit.

The 1/2.3″ has a diagonal of 7.66; w 6.17 H 4.56 for a Sensor Area (in square mm) of 28.07
The APS-C sensor (any Canon EF-S) has a diagonal of 26.70, w 22.20 h14.80 for a Sensor area of 329. So, if understand the thing correctly, buying a SLR with just a
23.2mm adapter ocular without lens is the same because 329:10=32,9 and 32,9 (digital magnified video in post production) is > of 28.07.

Image
How to combine my microscopy hobbie and my history & philosophy degree?
My tiny YouTube response (in Italian) to this question: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMoAP7 ... Mqp0i-6ZQA

Hobbyst46
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Re: Best and most viable camera for videos

#6 Post by Hobbyst46 » Tue May 19, 2020 9:26 pm

mich123 wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 6:59 pm
Hobbyst46 wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 6:32 pm
mich123 wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 6:09 pm
These are Swiftcamera' specifications: https://shop.swiftoptical.com/swiftcam- ... copes.html
That is a ~400 USD camera with a small sensor. I would inquire Swift for the diameter of the field of view that it covers with its reducing length. The 18 MB might be important or not so important. Also, I would ask whether it corrects any aberrations that are left by the microscope objective. If field coverage is good and corrections are included (or not needed), it might be a better setup than with a DSLR.
...The 1/2.3″ has a diagonal of 7.66; w 6.17 H 4.56 for a Sensor Area (in square mm) of 28.07
The APS-C sensor (any Canon EF-S) has a diagonal of 26.70, w 22.20 h14.80 for a Sensor area of 329. So, if understand the thing correctly, buying a SLR with just a
23.2mm adapter ocular without lens is the same because 329:10=32,9 and 32,9 (digital magnified video in post production) is > of 28.07...
Sorry, just to clarify: when comparing the Swift camera to a DSLR, my mind was not on the (justified) sensor area calculation or digital resolution, but on optimal installation of the camera on the microscope by the manufacturer of both. Folks here have more than once presented issues with camera-to-microscope adapters, with or without relay optics; parfocality issues, sharpness, non-uniform brightness...

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Re: Best and most viable camera for videos

#7 Post by MichaelG. » Tue May 19, 2020 10:34 pm

mich123 wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 6:59 pm

the usb (even if 3) scares me about the framerate.

I guess I won't be able to capture any video at 30FPS and there are no samples on the internet.
Most unlikely to get 30FPS at 18MP, even on the fastest available USB3 bus
... unless it is so compressed as to be near useless

We need to find a detailed specification for that camera before you can decide.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: Just found these basic specs on the Amazon page
... presumably copied from Swift’s page [*]

Specifications:

Megapixels: 18
CMOS sensor size: 1/2.3"
Frames per second: 32.2fps at 1228x922, 18.1fps at 245x1842, 5.6fps at 4912x3684
Responsivity: 0.62V/lux-sec
Dynamic range: 65.8dB
SNRmax: 36.3dB

[*] Note: 245x1842 is obviously a typo

.

Edit: No promises, but it looks like the Swift is the same as this OMAX
https://www.amazon.co.uk/OMAX-Digital-M ... B016YJOK3I
Too many 'projects'

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Re: Best and most viable camera for videos

#8 Post by mich123 » Wed May 20, 2020 5:10 am

Sure, they are the same! I found a camera with a chinese brand similar (and on paper kinda better) to the sfiwtcam-omax setup.

That is a really neat item: https://www.banggood.com/HAYEAR-16MP-10 ... rehouse=CZ

I am just scared of a bad hardware implementation (i already bought a cheap chinese PC with a lot of keyboard problems).
How to combine my microscopy hobbie and my history & philosophy degree?
My tiny YouTube response (in Italian) to this question: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMoAP7 ... Mqp0i-6ZQA

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Re: Best and most viable camera for videos

#9 Post by mich123 » Wed May 20, 2020 6:19 am

I just bought this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju8rgeJr3bI

And now I have to buy a SLR. Let's see.
How to combine my microscopy hobbie and my history & philosophy degree?
My tiny YouTube response (in Italian) to this question: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMoAP7 ... Mqp0i-6ZQA

willscranton
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Re: Best and most viable camera for videos

#10 Post by willscranton » Fri May 22, 2020 1:40 am

Gents:
I bought an OMAX 5 MP/ USB-3 camera for my 160 mm Zeiss phase-contrast system. Cost under $250. The OMAX installed easily and the "lite" software functions well in UBUNTU ; pics and movies at ~900K/frame. Various make-pretty controls ... but no analytics.

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mich123
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Re: Best and most viable camera for videos

#11 Post by mich123 » Fri May 22, 2020 6:07 am

Do you have any public video sample?
How to combine my microscopy hobbie and my history & philosophy degree?
My tiny YouTube response (in Italian) to this question: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMoAP7 ... Mqp0i-6ZQA

Gabe
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Re: Best and most viable camera for videos

#12 Post by Gabe » Sun May 31, 2020 8:11 pm

Hi gang. I also am new at microphotography and have wanted to take up this hobby for years. Having recently retired I now have the time. I feel like I am in a good position because I can buy a good set up right off the bat ( if there is such a thing). I am kind of a perfectionist and I want to buy a system that will work well and do just about anything I want to do (again, if that is even possible). Money is really not an issue if I can get something that covers most (all?) of the bases. I’m not talking thousands, but a thousand or a little more would work. So here goes with the big question:
If you were just starting out, knowing what you now know after years of experience and experimentation with photomicrography, which camera would you purchase? Your dream set up and possibly your second best choice.
I think 4k video would be a nice option, ideal sensor size would answer a big question. And of course the mirrorless thing. Or is a 20 year old Canon EOS5 still as good as anything out there?
Thanks gang. I realize this can be a complex question and don’t wish to light up the switchboard, but your input and advice would be most appreciated. Gabe

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Re: Best and most viable camera for videos

#13 Post by Gabe » Sun May 31, 2020 8:20 pm

Forgot to mention. I am working with an American Optical Microstar Series 10 trinocular scope with plan achro lenses and a phase contast condenser. I also have aa extra condenser that has a filter slot and hopefully a system to utilize just about any filter out there (although I am still in the experimental stages and don’t know this absolutely for sure at this point. That is the game plan.
I do have an aluminum parfocal tube for the trinoc but dont know if that is the best method for microphotography. May only be good for the eyepiece cameras which supposedly have disadvantages?

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