Thanks for letting me join.

What is your microscopy history? What are your interests? What equipment do you use?
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neal Shields
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2022 8:02 pm

Thanks for letting me join.

#1 Post by neal Shields » Sat Jun 04, 2022 8:30 pm

I have always been interested in microscopes. About 20 years ago, I got a little money in one place and purchased a Zeiss Ultraphot. As I collect cameras, it had the double purpose of being a 4x5 camera and is said to be the first auto exposure camera system.

About 10 years ago I had a detached retina and as a result also had cataract surgery in the damaged eye. I now realize that I may have lost interest in microscopy as a hobby because of my cataracts, that I was otherwise unaware of. Now with my "new" eye, microscopy is a joy. With my "bad" eye (good for everything else" I can't see much of anything through the microscope.

In getting back into microscopy I have found a new joy in the fact that it is SO much easier to find out what you are looking at because of Youtube channels like: Microbehunter, Journey to the Microcosmos and iBiology.

Recently I got a deal on a Olympus microscope with Phase and DIC and am astounded at the difference between that and my Zeiss. (The Zeiss has an Optovar magnification changer that the Olympus doesn't have and I miss it) For wet mounts oil can be a pain and with the Zeiss I can use a 40X objective with the Optovar set to 2X and the 12.5 eyepieces and get dry 1000X. Not like a 100X objective with oil but nice to have.

I have a question which may need to be a separate post. The Olympus came with a camera mount which was made for "video" cameras. It has a built in lens between the eyepiece and the camera. If I take the adapter off the microscope and attach it to my SLR the SLR is focused at about 10" not infinity as many on the internet say it should be. However I can't tell any difference in resolution when photographing diatoms with the SLR and the dedicated microscope camera that came with the system. Comments appreciated. I use the SLR for video as the camera that came with the microscope does really poor video. Obviously the flange to sensor distance is "wrong" but if it doesn't make any difference I can't see spending more money. (Mechanically, my Nikon Microscope adapter doesn't play well with Olympus flanges)

Note: I have an SLR adapter on the Zeiss and if I take the adaptor off of it, the camera is focused on infinity.

nikomurphy
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2022 11:50 am

Re: Thanks for letting me join.

#2 Post by nikomurphy » Wed Jun 08, 2022 11:54 am

NICE TO MEET YOU
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blekenbleu
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Re: Thanks for letting me join.

#3 Post by blekenbleu » Wed Jun 08, 2022 4:51 pm

neal Shields wrote:
Sat Jun 04, 2022 8:30 pm
If I take the adapter off the microscope and attach it to my SLR the SLR is focused at about 10" not infinity as many on the internet say it should be. However I can't tell any difference in resolution when photographing diatoms with the SLR and the dedicated microscope camera that came with the system. Comments appreciated.
Many details missing from your description would help explain differences between focusing at 10" vs infinity,
but 10" suggests a so-called afocal arrangement, which works very well for many of us.
Note: I have an SLR adapter on the Zeiss and if I take the adaptor off of it, the camera is focused on infinity.
That may be using an infinity objective and no ocular..?
Lots of camera and microscope permutations are presented and discussed here:
viewforum.php?f=9
Metaphot, Optiphot 1, 66; AO 10, 120, EPIStar, Cycloptic

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