Trying to keep a long story short

[rabitt]

For my 9th birthday (1948) my father took me to the Bowery in NY city (pawnshop row) from our home in Mountain View NJ. He purchased a small microscope in a very nice wood case, I believe manufactured in Japan with 100, 200 & 300X, very good quality. During the next 5+ years I spent many hours with that scope and trips to the old swimming hole collecting many samples of micro critters, algae etc. to view & draw. My reference books at the time Raymond Yates "Fun with your microscope" & A. G. Gilbert "Exploring the world with the microscope". I still have the books & sketch book but gave the scope to the grandsons.
At this time with the old body slowing down a bit I thought about my old hobby from my youth & started looking into student type microscopes on AMAZON, also scope cameras. I purchased the AMscope M200B-MS 40 to 800X with two additional eye pieces 16X and 25X for a range of 40X to 1000X. after a few weeks I realized should have purchased the LED model and quickly converted it with very good results.
My next purchase was an OMAX 5 MP camera, as it turns out I believe
it is a good camera for the money but find the ToupView software is poorly written, it does explain the many functions of the camera not how to use them effectively. Anyone out there have these cameras who can give some feedback.
So I find myself back to growing cultures, checking out pond water and enjoying all the info on the internet. One of the first critters we found in our backyard was a Water Bear, my wife fell in love with the little guy and I had to purchase the Sandstone sculpture of one on the internet for her. kind of a different way to the lady's heart.

[lorez]

Welcome to the group, rabitt.

Your tale seems to be the same as many of us in this group.

lorez

[zzffnn]

Welcome to the forum!

[mrsonchus]

Hi rabitt and a warm welcome to you.
You'll find this forum a very friendly and industrious place full of knowledgeable and kind folk.
Great to have to on-board.

[JimT]

Welcome and good find with the water bear. I have not come across one yet so you are ahead of me.

JimT

[gekko]

Welcome to the forum, Rabitt. I enjoyed reading your introduction.

[apatientspider]

For my 9th birthday (1948) my father took me to the Bowery in NY city (pawnshop row) from our home in Mountain View NJ. He purchased a small microscope in a very nice wood case, I believe manufactured in Japan with 100, 200 & 300X, very good quality.

Ah! Japanese optics! Back when they were still relatively inexpensive and few people knew how really good they could be.

Welcome to the forum, rabitt! You'll enjoy yourself here, I think.

Regards,
Jim

[rabitt]

I would like to thank everyone for their replies to my post. As a new member
I feel this site will be a great learning experience with the help of it's members.

My basic goal is to ID & photograph/video as many of the micro critters in my
area of the Ozarks in Southern MO.

[einman]

Welcome! I am not as frequent a poster as the rest of the crowd but still enjoy the forum. Everyone here, for the most part, are extremely amiable and enthusiastic. Enjoy!

[charlie g]

Welcome, rabitt! Yes,yes...childhood microscopy awakens from dormancy..after err..decades! Just like a water bear awakens! I sure would love to see an image of that water-bear statue you gave your spouse.


http://tardigradehunters.weebly.com/about-isth.html charlie guevara, finger lakes/US

[rabitt]

For anyone interested in purchasing the small water bear like the one I gave my wife
see the shapeways site listed below. I believe the price is around $20.00 plus shipping.
Good selection of color & materials but cost can increase.


http://www.shapeways.com/product/SLS5DK ... water-bear