Tips for better photos?

Do you have any microscopy questions, which you are afraid to ask? This is your place.
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konrad2137
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2019 7:17 pm

Tips for better photos?

#1 Post by konrad2137 » Tue Jan 29, 2019 4:18 pm

Hello everyone!

I'm new here but I have been microscoping and doing photos for a while. I've got Muller MTX-3000 with 40-2000x scale and camera Nikon D3300. I am doing photos in program digiCamControl, but I have't got much knowlage about microphotography and general photography as well. Could anyone give me tips for photo processing to do them in good quality like here on forum can be found? Some of them are more like 3D and I also heard somenthing about making one photo form several photos (i don't know more about it). So if anyone could help me it would be nice to me. ;)

Some of the photos I've done have even get to my previous school and I share them with you :D
Photos done without any stacking so I think they could be better.

Greenfly
Image

Diatoms
Image

Pine leave with some pine pollen grains
Image

Anabaena
Image

A root with a lateral root growing from it
Image

Penicillium (I think so...)
Image

billbillt
Posts: 2895
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 10:01 pm

Re: Tips for better photos?

#2 Post by billbillt » Tue Jan 29, 2019 4:25 pm

Hi and welcome to the forum!.. I can't give you any specific answer, but, you are off to a good start.. some of your photos are very good... Keep at it...

Regards,
BillT

konrad2137
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2019 7:17 pm

Re: Tips for better photos?

#3 Post by konrad2137 » Tue Jan 29, 2019 4:32 pm

Thanks for nice words! :D

billbillt
Posts: 2895
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 10:01 pm

Re: Tips for better photos?

#4 Post by billbillt » Tue Jan 29, 2019 4:57 pm

Hi again,

As an afterthought, don't let anyone discourage you endeavors in microscopy by telling you you microscope is not good enough.. Chinese made stands are actually quite good for the money, and work wonders for a hobby..

BillT

konrad2137
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2019 7:17 pm

Re: Tips for better photos?

#5 Post by konrad2137 » Tue Jan 29, 2019 6:06 pm

Ok, I'll remember.I think it's even not chinease, Muller is a german company.

billbillt
Posts: 2895
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 10:01 pm

Re: Tips for better photos?

#6 Post by billbillt » Tue Jan 29, 2019 7:34 pm

Hi again,

I am betting it is Chinese.. If it was German it would have cost 10-20 times as much... Look around on it.. you will probably find some indication of Chinese manufacture... Almost all of the microscopes made today are Chinese made, including Zeiss and Leitz...

Billt

MicroBob
Posts: 3154
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2016 9:11 am
Location: Northern Germany

Re: Tips for better photos?

#7 Post by MicroBob » Wed Jan 30, 2019 7:27 am

Hi Konrad,
welcome to the forum!
The most important thing about microphotographs is getting started and caring about the quality. So you are one a good way already.

Here a couple of tips from me:

- Good microphotography starts with good microscopy, don't expect perfect pictures before you have you micro techique perfectly together
- Show what you've got, don't think we wouldn't like your pictures because they are not as good as the best
- The good micro photoraphers show only their really good pictures, they omit the rest!
- Try to get a good image, image editing can't bring back what isn't there in the first place
- PICOLAY in a good free photo stacking software
- The best image quality is found just below the cover slip - use thin preparations
- The stronger objectives 40:1 and above are calculated to be used with a cover slip of 0,17mm and the object directly below it
- The white balance in your images can be improved in some images
- The exposure can be improved in some images
- As a last step after reducing the size to forum size do unsharp masking
- Good image editing software: Ifran view (simple tasks) GIMP (bigger tasks) both free
- Use 1024 px - format - be generous with us!

Keep on going - you are already on a good way!

Bob
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konrad2137
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2019 7:17 pm

Re: Tips for better photos?

#8 Post by konrad2137 » Wed Jan 30, 2019 9:13 am

Thanks a lot!
Use 1024 px - format - be generous with us!


I had a problem with those pictures, they were too big to post them as attachments... I used this page https://www.fotosik.pl/
Any protips how to do it better?

And what with cutting preparates? Now I use rasor blades to do it, is there a better way? I haven't got microtome.

MicroBob
Posts: 3154
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2016 9:11 am
Location: Northern Germany

Re: Tips for better photos?

#9 Post by MicroBob » Wed Jan 30, 2019 7:49 pm

Most forums with image hosting have limitations to the size and file size of the images per file and per post. When you upload a big image here you will be informed about the limitations. :lol: You might have to post just 4 images, start a reply and post the next 4 and so on.
Irfan View allows to resize at very good quality and you can set the jpg compression rate either in percent or set a value for the filesize. This is very practical.

For plant cuts a cylinder microtome is the best for the amateur. I posted a link to very good decriptions in german language in the thread where I offer the blade holders. You can use DeepL or goolge translator to have them translated. You won't find much better information elsewhere.
From easy to cut materials you can also get quite acceptable hand cuts. Easy to cut are objects that are not too small, hold together well and contain some harder fibres. A cherry twig is good, or a daisy flower stem. With a hand cut you usually get full cuts that are too thick or partial and wedged cuts where the thickness goes from too thick to just right to zero. If you would show us an image of the best area, no one would know that the rest was not as good.
With practice the cuts would improve.
For free hand cuts there are several usable knife types - I would try to buy a classic cutthroat razor on a flea market and sharpen it well. Don't take the first on you see, it has to have life left in the blade, no rust, no cracks, handle intact. In Germany they cost about 3€ old and used.

One problem with sectioning is always that you don't need one good cut - no, the previous cut has to be good too!

Do you live in Poland?

Bob

konrad2137
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2019 7:17 pm

Re: Tips for better photos?

#10 Post by konrad2137 » Thu Jan 31, 2019 8:42 am

Yes, I am from Poland, but german language isn't unfamiliar to me, when I was in germany 3 years ago on a school exchange I was able to communicate in german. Now I have probably forgotten a bit but I think page you mentioned wouldn't be fully incomprehensible to me ;)

MicroBob
Posts: 3154
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2016 9:11 am
Location: Northern Germany

Re: Tips for better photos?

#11 Post by MicroBob » Thu Jan 31, 2019 9:51 am

With PZO you had one of the famous microscope manufacturers in you country! They made some very ingenious designs and had a good mechanical production quality. I don't know whether they made a hand microtome though. In the DDR there was a hand microtome named OPTIMAT on the market. It has no clamp, but apart from that it is said to be good. They surface on ebay from time to time for about 40€. Just to show how it looks, too expensive: https://www.ebay.de/itm/Mikrotom-Optima ... SwCXhcIp3S

On ebay you can save a search like +(microtome, mikrotom) for under 100€ and see what pops up.

phacops
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2019 11:57 am

Re: Tips for better photos?

#12 Post by phacops » Thu Jan 31, 2019 12:30 pm

The old PZO is still cheaper and better than Chinese one. Watch that now this brand is in chinese hands so the new microscopes PZO is not the same as old one. Achromat PZO is equivalent (in quality) of chinese plan achromat but much cheaper.

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