MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Hello.
I am looking for a microscope + digital camera system for hobby use.
I have Sony nex-5n camera. And am thinking about using it.
As I understood, there is an adapter ring for Olympus BH2 -> Sony Nex.
My question: is there other microscopes, that can be equipped for use with this camera? If my question is too wide/generic to answer, maybe there is a resource, where i can learn about those opto-mechanical ways and compatibility?

Thank you.
Regards.

Hi,
try a forum search for "afocal". This will give you a lot of good posts to read. The NEX 5n is good when used in silent mode.

Bob

I think the APS-C size is good for direct imaging as well. You shouldn't need either a reduction lens like you might for a smaller sensor, nor a projection lens employed for 35mm formats. You might encounter slight vignetting, but you will probably still have significantly over-sampled the cropped area.

I'm wondering why you see that as an afocal camera, Bob. It does not have a fixed lens. I use a next generation version of it, also with an E mount and couple the bayonet on a d.i.y. adapter to the trinocular photo tube.
I've used the same arrangement on a binocular with a coupler that clamps on the eyepiece tube.
I can capture the entire f.o.v.. Vignetting isn't a problem because the camera is on a helicoid and can be moved relative to the photo relay lens or eyepiece.

Hi Phil,
Nikopol mentioned an Olympus BH-2 which uses 160mm optics with compensation eyepieces. While there is an NFK 1,67??? projective it is rare and very expensive and the APS-C sensor doesn't cover the whole intermediate image. One could use a normal compensation eyepiece (perhaps in lifted position) to project on the sensor or use afocal adaptation with eyepiece and camera objective then. "afocal" is just an easy search text for threads on camera adaptation.

Bob

I am trying to understand what I need on example of Bresser brand.
Trinocular microscope, 23mm photo adapter, T2 ring for Sony camera.
Looks like this setup will cost around 650-900 euros. Without dark field or phase contrast. Is that how it is or there is cheaper of better ways?

Many people new to microscopy and wanting to make photomicrographs confuse mechanical adaption of a camera with optical adaption or rather they blend the two together as though they are one and the same. Physically adapting any camera to any microscope is possibe but when it comes to adapting the optics in order to see on the sensor what you see through the eyepieces is another thing.

Finding the correct photo relay lens is the first step. If you are satisfied with a cropped image, then that makes the job easier. Most modern cheap microscopes have been optimized for use with digital proprietary cameras or other digital video cameras. These usually provide a cropped image and many relay lenses can be employed to provide a cropped image, which limits the peripheral distortion and malcorrections in the capture.

If you want to capture the maximum f.o.v. to your sensor, then you have to find a photo relay lens that can do that with your system. Then you build the physical adaptor around that optical platform. It will take some experimenting or perhaps Bresser can help but I think there is someone on the forum that has travelled that route. You are not the first person to take this path.

Getting a full f.o.v. to an APS -C sensor is quite easy but as Microbob pointed out , finding the right eyepiece/photo relay lens might take some effort. You may have to retain a camera lens after all and go afocal.

I am trying to find a good match microscope (+ adapter and lens) for my camera.
Locally I have some options to buy used olympus/nikon/zeiss microscopes. But they all are only binocular. Finding a trinocular microscope will not be easy. So I am thinking about something like Bresser as well.
It would be very helpful to know, that certain setup works fine...

Thank you.

Found a big trinocular scope for sale here for 1000$. But it is huge. And optics inside is quite complex. Not sure if i will be able to test it properly...
Its Carl Zeiss Jena NU2
Will it be hard to find parts necessary to combine it with Sony Nex5N?

Where are you located and where are you looking for microscopes?

I am from Ukraine. Selection of microscopes with trinocular head is not big. So I was exited to find this big microscope.
But its size and lack of information on this device pushes me away from it. Will keep looking for something more compact and modern, I guess.

apochronaut wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 16, 2020 4:33 pm

It does not have a fixed lens. I use a next generation version of it, also with an E mount and couple the bayonet on a d.i.y. adapter to the trinocular photo tube.
I've used the same arrangement on a binocular with a coupler that clamps on the eyepiece tube.
I can capture the entire f.o.v..

Entire f.o.v. - sounds tempting. You do not use any eyepieces for that? Is absence of an eyepiece correction a problem?
I struggle to find practical examples of such setups. May I ask you which bayonets worked for Sony APS-C camera?
Thinking of buying Olympus BH. But it misses trinocular head, will have to buy separately.

Thank you.

I also own a nex-5n and have tried the afocal mode via a 40mm konica hexanon pancake with olympus lenses and direct projection with nikon ones, works well.

These first tests have been done on the binocular head which is far from ideal and I get a soft blue spot in the middle with both methods.

I am waiting for the trinocular head to arrive, hope to run proper tests by the end of next week.

This camera will work with any microscope really, just need to adapt it.

Seta wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 19, 2021 8:07 pm

I also own a nex-5n and have tried the afocal mode via a 40mm konica hexanon pancake with olympus lenses and direct projection with nikon ones, works well.

These first tests have been done on the binocular head which is far from ideal and I get a soft blue spot in the middle with both methods.

I am waiting for the trinocular head to arrive, hope to run proper tests by the end of next week.

This camera will work with any microscope really, just need to adapt it.

Hey Seta! Any news on this? Could you maybe post a list of the equipment you used to connect your Sony camera to your microscope (and maybe even links to where you bought them)?

Also, I have an A6000 and an a7ii. Any thoughts on which is best suited for photomicroscopy (APS-C vs. FF)?

VTW wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 17, 2021 1:38 pm

Hey Seta! Any news on this? Could you maybe post a list of the equipment you used to connect your Sony camera to your microscope (and maybe even links to where you bought them)?
Also, I have an A6000 and an a7ii. Any thoughts on which is best suited for photomicroscopy (APS-C vs. FF)?

First you need to know to which microscope you want to adapt them, my provisional set up can be seen here. Tube length now is off by 13mm or so, waiting for more adapters.
APS-C vs FF? I have worked with both and both work well, in my case for direct projection better APS-C or M4/3; with projection eyepiece FF will work well too.

For a BH or BH2 you can get a cheap NFK 2.5X and will work well with the A7; for APS-C you would need NFK 1.67X, rare and expenssive