A different camera. Different colours.

[The QCC]

The camera a 5MP clone of the Amscope MD500.
The subject is Xylitol, is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener.

I bought the camera on AliExpress for $70.00CDN to use on my AJ Optiks polarizing microscope as a stop gap measure until I decided what DSLR I would purchase.

This not an in depth review, just a few observations.
The price and specifications were good for a 5MP camera with an Aptina MT9P001 sensor.
The first surprise was the actual physical size and appearance. It is tiny and did not match the photos on the AliExpress web site.
The next surprise was during installation of the included software. For some reason it could not install the Visual C++ runtime. As a result the software failed to detect the camera.
All was not lost, the camera is a Windows driverless USB type and almost any Windows video software can access the camera. For the first photos I used Minisee from ScopeTek and switched to MiCam which is a basic microscope capture programme.
The next surprise was the size and colour of the images. Bright, saturated, bold, brassy and larger than expected.
Xylitol, AJ Optiks, 5MP, 5x obj.

Xylitol_AGX_7_5x.jpg (98.68 KiB) Viewed 5934 times

Xylitol, AJ Optiks, 5MP, 5x obj.

Xylitol_LM5X_4x_006.jpg (99.32 KiB) Viewed 5934 times

The camera does not have a relay lens so the size of the image is centre cropped and appears larger than the normal 2.5x camera adapter.
But the colours were startling. I moved the specimen and the camera to the Labomed to compare the output to the Canon 5D MkII.
Photo 3 is from the 5MP camera and photo 4 is from the Canon.
Generic 5MP, 4x obj.

Xylitol_LGX_4x_0001C1.jpg (99.39 KiB) Viewed 5934 times

Canon 5D MkII 21MP, 4x obj.

Xylitol_LM5X_4x_003C2.jpg (98.78 KiB) Viewed 5934 times

The apparent difference in size results from the cropping. When the 5MP image is overlaid on the 21MP image the difference is marginal.
The 5MP image overlaid on the 21MP image

Xylitol_LM5X_4x_003_C1_2.jpg (96.91 KiB) Viewed 5934 times

The generic 5MP camera in inexpensive, works (eventually) with proper software and makes for a nice entry level microscope camera.

[gekko]

I have always liked saturated colors, so those from your new camera look wonderful to my eyes (or is it whatever goes for "my brain"?). The image from the Canon appears somewhat sharper, but that may be due to other factors.

[The QCC]

I too like saturated colours. For my purposes they make stunning prints.
Yes, the Canon 5D image is sharper. Due I believe, to the difference in price. As in 35 times more expensive.
Plus the sensor is four times larger, the pixels are larger, the format is RAW and the DSP is better.
But.....

I really like the images from the 5MP camera.
Sometimes size is not better.

[gekko]

I really like the images from the 5MP camera.

I quite agree. I wonder, if you sharpen the image from the 5 MP camera, wouldn't it become at least as sharp as that from the Canon (unless, of course, you also sharpen the Canon image )?

[The QCC]

if you sharpen the image from the 5 MP camera,

Unfortunately, the images are already sharpened using Lightroom's masking technique.
The camera is just a bit soft.

[JimT]

First off the new 5MP camera has much less noise and dirt than your previous camera so big improvement on that point. Nevertheless it can never compete with the Canon 5d as to resolution.
I wonder if the included software could render sharper images and I would contact the seller for a download to try it.
I enjoy your polarized images.

[gekko]

I just noticed you changed your avatar. I had assumed that the old avatar was your source for polarized light-- so where do you get your polarized light from now? [sorry-- my kids, when they were small, always used to say, "I hate your jokes, dad"]

[The QCC]

My new source of polarized light comes direct from the North Pole.

On good days I can see Plane light forever, but on bad days things get crossed up.