Photo opportunity.

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Phill Brown
Posts: 603
Joined: Mon May 24, 2021 1:19 pm
Location: Devon UK.

Photo opportunity.

#1 Post by Phill Brown » Fri May 06, 2022 1:33 pm

Water beetle that landed upside down on the car.
Hoping it's demise not be meaningless more than anything.
No stacking, 50 year old microscope.
0.6mp phone camera through the eyepiece.
4x objective,7x eyepiece.
IMG_20220506_133101540~2.jpg
IMG_20220506_133101540~2.jpg (65.76 KiB) Viewed 2574 times
Note: removing the hair from the back lens of the eyepiece is overdue.
Air blower went AWOL for a few hours this morning.

dtsh
Posts: 977
Joined: Wed May 01, 2019 6:06 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Photo opportunity.

#2 Post by dtsh » Fri May 06, 2022 3:14 pm

Nice, the features and textures on some of the arthropods can be intriguing. The neatest thing I've found thus far have been Cuckoo Wasps (Chrysididae)

Phill Brown
Posts: 603
Joined: Mon May 24, 2021 1:19 pm
Location: Devon UK.

Re: Photo opportunity.

#3 Post by Phill Brown » Fri May 06, 2022 8:59 pm

Thanks,feel free to add any images.
My phone doesn't have any performance anxiety, I haven't told it it's days are about done due to it not seeing what is right there infront of it.
All in the kit for this was less than £250,including the phone with it's second battery and the last cracked screen before being paired with a Nokia brick in the historic stationary drawer of doom.
F.o,v at the focal plane is about 2.7mm, forgot the 1.5x in the binocular head.

Chas
Posts: 422
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2021 3:11 pm

Re: Photo opportunity.

#4 Post by Chas » Sat May 07, 2022 12:24 pm

Phil was that taken through the Watson Microsystem 70 ?
I have an older Watson x10 objective that says 'Paramet' so I think it is a metallic objective.
I have just given it a go on a very coloured beetle ..it is quite nice.
As the objective is direct-projecting into the DSLR and it is a stacked image it should be less hazy than 0.6 mp phone pic taken through an eyepiece.
...and it is :-)

Beetle watson x10 640.jpg
Beetle watson x10 640.jpg (84.01 KiB) Viewed 2471 times
This was a bit of 'fusion' ... The objective was on the nose of a horseshoe CTS stand

Chas
Posts: 422
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2021 3:11 pm

Re: Photo opportunity.

#5 Post by Chas » Sat May 07, 2022 3:08 pm

Here it is the same beetle with a ~ 4x objective.
Direct-projection on this stand gives slightly wider field of view than a Watson10x eyepiece:
Beetle Beck 4 lens 1024 wide.jpg
Beetle Beck 4 lens 1024 wide.jpg (78.86 KiB) Viewed 2456 times


I have been trying-out gluing things onto the end of a 'mounted-needle' and then squishing the mounted needle handle into a glob of Plasticine that is on microscope the stage.
The idea was to be able to rotate things, at least around one axis, eg twist the needle's handle to look at the beetles face.
It seems to work ok ...[apart from having the needle in the photographs!].

Phill Brown
Posts: 603
Joined: Mon May 24, 2021 1:19 pm
Location: Devon UK.

Re: Photo opportunity.

#6 Post by Phill Brown » Sat May 07, 2022 11:47 pm

Excellent results, thanks for adding.
I used the 4x .13 para on the latest Watson.
The head is 1.5 with 7x eyepiece.
DSLR project is getting there,Canon 5OD.
The fine focus is marked in metric which should make stacking possible.
My computer had been switched off for years,it's a step at a time.
I only touched the beetle onto a dot of bluetac on a slide with tweezers and it stayed there.
The case has a label that reads
First plum base, no idea.
The power supply has been hard wired with a 15v30w running around 7.5v.
R&D at Watson may have been similar to other get what you're given and be grateful departments.

Phill Brown
Posts: 603
Joined: Mon May 24, 2021 1:19 pm
Location: Devon UK.

Re: Photo opportunity.

#7 Post by Phill Brown » Mon May 09, 2022 10:39 am

IMG-20220509-WA0002.jpg
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IMG-20220509-WA0005.jpg
IMG-20220509-WA0005.jpg (118.74 KiB) Viewed 2327 times
The Watson Microsystem 70, Kohler base,ongoing project from the research department, Also a Jenalux 20 that didn't work.
Rotatable stage is such a work of art.
I have a Hilux 12v 100w project ongoing which may or may not work out.
Just getting up to 2022 with windows 7 for now.
Same beetle under Watson stereo,triple turret nose.
Near as 1mm squares on low mag 1.25x with 7x eyepiece view.
2 USB LEDs on a solar battery pack is plenty and very economical.
There are some Watson stereo on ebay at the moment,properly made with movable stage,
I have 2 (+1 that got destroyed in transit).
Still persisting with my old phone but getting there with micro 4/3 and
APS-C.
It would all be quicker if I stopped getting/buying broken things.
Worth it for the little gems along the way.
"Fusion" tech for sure.

Phill Brown
Posts: 603
Joined: Mon May 24, 2021 1:19 pm
Location: Devon UK.

Re: Photo opportunity.

#8 Post by Phill Brown » Mon May 09, 2022 10:03 pm

IMG-20220509-WA0017.jpg
IMG-20220509-WA0017.jpg (99.54 KiB) Viewed 2296 times

The 15x WF eyepiece of unknown make is not ideal but the image is what it is.
I can't add scale bars yet but F.O.V is 1.2mm.
Photo bombed by the late beetle.
The strew slide of diatoms from Columbo Ceylon is the first slide I saw in DF, DG as it often was then.
IMG-20220509-WA0015.jpg
IMG-20220509-WA0015.jpg (58.61 KiB) Viewed 2296 times
Dark side of the moon tribute.
Progress is slow.
Using 10x Watson Para .28.
Moto 6 phone,hand held but not so shabby. Original is much more live Floyd.
IMG-20220509-WA0018.jpg
IMG-20220509-WA0018.jpg (76.1 KiB) Viewed 2292 times

Chas
Posts: 422
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2021 3:11 pm

Re: Photo opportunity.

#9 Post by Chas » Wed May 11, 2022 7:03 pm

Phill, that rotating stage looks very useful .. if it was possible to hang some translucent material on one side of the microscope frame then a beetle/insect on a slide could be rotated on your stage to get the best lighting direction ?

-I have struggled, in the past, with cut-up tennis table balls placed next to the objective to get diffused light (it seems to improve how any insect looks/photographs) but have recently switched to hanging sheets of tracing paper etc in a very ad-hoc way around the horseshoe stand microscope I use. With the System 70 this could be done in a very neat manner (??).
[Dont get me wrong; cut up ping-pong balls do give a a very good /beneficial diffuse light).

[You have just made me listen to Dark side of the Moon ;-) ]
Last edited by Chas on Wed May 11, 2022 7:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Phill Brown
Posts: 603
Joined: Mon May 24, 2021 1:19 pm
Location: Devon UK.

Re: Photo opportunity.

#10 Post by Phill Brown » Wed May 11, 2022 7:32 pm

IMG-20220511-WA0001.jpg
IMG-20220511-WA0001.jpg (137.65 KiB) Viewed 2239 times
Thanks so much for the information.
The stage is such a treat.
It glides and has the most perfect resistance to movement.
The head is also rotatable on all microsystem.
The binocular is best for viewing with 1.5x, they are cheap as chips but the bulbs are obsolete.
I have the Jena cold light for any 2 directions,I have considered fitting diffusers to the tips but it hasn't made it to the top of page 1.
I made a mini rotatable stage on a slide,like you do. The groove is for the tip of tweezers to lift the coverslip.
Knurled to make it easier to turn.
It's only a gravity fit like a lid with no thread.
Attachments
IMG-20220511-WA0002.jpg
IMG-20220511-WA0002.jpg (75.29 KiB) Viewed 2239 times

Chas
Posts: 422
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2021 3:11 pm

Re: Photo opportunity.

#11 Post by Chas » Sat May 14, 2022 7:11 pm

That slide looks very nice ! :-)
Cf:
Table tennis ball as diffuser.jpg
Table tennis ball as diffuser.jpg (40.62 KiB) Viewed 2188 times
The lights themselves are not diffused...the table tennis ball does it all.

The orginal version? : http://www.photomacrography1.net/forum/ ... cts+beware
Last edited by Chas on Sun May 15, 2022 8:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

Chas
Posts: 422
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2021 3:11 pm

Re: Photo opportunity.

#12 Post by Chas » Sun May 15, 2022 7:57 am

Some photos without the ball (on the left) and with it (on the right) :
diffused comparison small.jpg
diffused comparison small.jpg (71.85 KiB) Viewed 2150 times
Last edited by Chas on Sun May 15, 2022 8:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

Phill Brown
Posts: 603
Joined: Mon May 24, 2021 1:19 pm
Location: Devon UK.

Re: Photo opportunity.

#13 Post by Phill Brown » Sun May 15, 2022 8:04 am

Chas wrote:
Sat May 14, 2022 7:11 pm
That slide looks very nice ! :-)
Cf:
Table tennis ball as diffuser.jpg

The lights themselves are not diffused...the table tennis ball does it all.
[/quote
Excellent, Bit of a tidy round the edges and a shiny box for the production model🙂
Dare to dream I say.
Dial is dropped in,would be fidget spinner bearing conversion to light from beneath.
x1.25 through the Watson stereo x5 eyepiece. It will do x100 no problem. 16mm coverslip with dust and all sorts.
I have a Brunnel UK table that could get the treatment,available but shipping would not be good.
Everyday is a winding road....
Your beetle image is great,I must try harder,I sort of enjoy the challenge of holding the phone with manual settings for all but focus. I had to walk away from computers a few years back,but It's working ok.
I get taken to school every day also.
I would put the last ¼" of the pin in the pliers bend to 90°.
Fix it in line with the light path.
Should be distant background?
0.2 copper or microwire strand an tweezers? matt black paint maybe.
Concave slide sandwich could put anything inbetween.
Epoxy or hot melt would be better that hi tech tac.
I should try before making the suggestion.
Keep up the top work.
Attachments
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IMG-20220515-WA0005.jpg
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IMG-20220515-WA0004.jpg
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Phill Brown
Posts: 603
Joined: Mon May 24, 2021 1:19 pm
Location: Devon UK.

Re: Photo opportunity.

#14 Post by Phill Brown » Sun May 15, 2022 9:47 am

Phill Brown wrote:
Sun May 15, 2022 8:04 am
Chas wrote:
Sat May 14, 2022 7:11 pm
That slide looks very nice ! :-)
Cf:
Table tennis ball as diffuser.jpg

The lights themselves are not diffused...the table tennis ball does it all.
[/quote
Excellent, Bit of a tidy round the edges and a shiny box for the production model🙂
Dare to dream I say.
Dial is dropped in,would be fidget spinner bearing conversion to light from beneath.
x1.25 through the Watson stereo x5 eyepiece. It will do x100 no problem. 16mm coverslip with dust and all sorts.
I have a Brunnel UK table that could get the treatment,available but shipping would not be good.
Everyday is a winding road....
Your beetle image is great,I must try harder,I sort of enjoy the challenge of holding the phone with manual settings for all but focus. I had to walk away from computers a few years back,but It's working ok.
I get taken to school every day also.
I would put the last ¼" of the pin in the pliers bend to 90°.
Fix it in line with the light path.
Should be distant background?
0.2 copper or microwire strand an tweezers? matt black paint maybe.
Concave slide sandwich could put anything inbetween.
Epoxy or hot melt would be better that hi tech tac.
I should try before making the suggestion.
Keep up the top work.

Chas
Posts: 422
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2021 3:11 pm

Re: Photo opportunity.

#15 Post by Chas » Sun May 15, 2022 9:34 pm

Maybe something along the lines of this old Beck accessory ? :
beck specimen revolver.jpg
beck specimen revolver.jpg (31.53 KiB) Viewed 2098 times
Windows 7 was a very good operating system :-)

BTW; When you are 'logged in' you can edit an old post by clicking on the pencil-shaped icon that appears up at the top right (and even delete them with the X shaped icon!).

Phill Brown
Posts: 603
Joined: Mon May 24, 2021 1:19 pm
Location: Devon UK.

Re: Photo opportunity.

#16 Post by Phill Brown » Mon May 16, 2022 11:59 am

Chas wrote:
Sun May 15, 2022 9:34 pm
Maybe something along the lines of this old Beck accessory ? :
beck specimen revolver.jpg

Windows 7 was a very good operating system :-)

BTW; When you are 'logged in' you can edit an old post by clicking on the pencil-shaped icon that appears up at the top right (and even delete them with the X shaped icon!).
Re purposing a hand made fusee pocket watch chain. They could have used silk. Inspired by the new high tech safety bicycle.
Watch and Clockmakers can't throw anything away, they keep fine swarf...you never know when it will be needed,and it does.
It's hard on the eyes but worse on the knees.
Windows 7 pro is my current O/S, I remember it well.
Thinking about it, if one had after dinner guests it would be the only thing to twiddle for them do drive a polarised slide themselves without breaking it, after all they where likely more smashed than I would ever remember also.

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