Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

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Geode
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Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#1 Post by Geode » Sat Mar 06, 2021 1:38 am

Hello all,

I finally got my hands on the Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP c-mount camera.
It surprisingly arrived in record speed, was due to arrive on April 10th, but's here already!
It came in great shape, and was pretty much ready to plug and play.
https://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/0.h ... 2768110112

I am using an Accuscope 3025, with a Surface Book 2 (USB-3 ports).

See this link for videos at the lowest and highest resolution (labeled accordingly), all filmed at the highest quality and frame rate available with the "Record" function of the software it came with:
Bitrate = 25 Mbps
Quality = 100%
Framerate = x1 (seems to control the speed of the video) - although the sidebar (see attached) has another frame rate setting which I have set on "High" (no idea what exact frame rate this is).
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

My observations:
1. The focus is not the same as that viewed through the eye-pieces, despite using the correct 1x c-mount. It seems the camera is a bit too far (since moving it further away made the image even more blurry). I am not sure how to fix this without using a different c-mount that is shorter. Any advice?

2. Despite using a USB-3 port, the live view function is horribly slow (no matter what resolution I try to view in). The quality is acceptable, as you can see in the videos, but the frame rate for the live viewing is not usable for me. I need to be able to use the screen instead of the eyepieces and it's just not possible with such a low frame rate. The nematode in the first two videos was actually moving very slowly and I was quickly able to ID him through the eyepieces. But trying to decipher what his mouth looked like with a lag in movement and focus was very inefficient. I need to film fast-moving microbes. The way it looks it seems I can't with this.

3. I tried recording to see if that would be better in terms of frame rate, but I saw no improvement. The actual live view was slow to begin with.

4. The resolutions seem good (to me at least), however, not as crisp as I would have expected. And I see no major difference between the low and high resolution other than the massive difference in file size. I suppose photos are a different matter if viewed in detail.

Overall, I would like some advice. I've spent almost $500 on the camera and I can't seem to figure out how to live view in real-time speed. I suppose I should return this and look at alternatives?
Any thoughts?

UPDATE:
I've tested the scope again today and I found out a few things:
- If I open up my iris diaphragm and let more light in, the lower resolution of 1824x1216 live viewing is actually pretty smooth (go figure).
- The issue is, the more I increase my magnification then the slower the video gets (duh) because I technically have less light reaching the camera.
- The problem is, I mostly need the iris diaphragm closed to increase contrast and make bacterial counts. This isn't so much of an issue with still frames, but when it comes to IDing nematodes at 400 magnification, I need to open up the diaphragm to increase the frame rate, making the depth of field too narrow and forcing me to focus back and forth so often that the live view/video speed suffers. It's a catch 22.

See these updated videos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing
- In the first, I initially try following what looks like a cillate, but you can hardly see it speedily spiraling around. Opening up the diaphragm renders them invisible since the contrast goes away.
- In the second video I find a nematode. I start at 100x, with the diaphragm not closed all the way, the frame rate is actually pretty acceptable. But as soon I increase the magnification to 400x, the frame rate suffers tremendously. If I open up the diaphragm, again the depth of field makes it difficult to get a good shot, and also the contrast of the surroundings suffers.

Hmm... What to do now. Send this camera back and go back to the drawing board?
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Last edited by Geode on Sat Mar 06, 2021 7:23 pm, edited 3 times in total.

Hobbyst46
Posts: 4277
Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:02 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#2 Post by Hobbyst46 » Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:39 am

This eBay used Accuscope 3025 is perhaps somewhat relevant.

Its trinocular phototube appears to be quite long - so, a camera sensor, if fitted on that microscope, would be even more remote than on your Accuscope and C-mount adapter, isn't it ?
Or is the specific Accusope camera so different from the Rising Cam ?

I also note, although less relevant to the present issue, that:
Its epi-illuminator is fairly similar to that of Olympus BX.
Its ScopeLED is perhaps a generic which might fit on any microscope.

Stomias
Posts: 97
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2021 7:25 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#3 Post by Stomias » Sat Mar 06, 2021 11:52 am

One thing I've learned from 50 years of photography (landscape, astrophotography and now microscopy), it is a black hole of money, gear and time. Light and focus are ephemeral and one must be ready for a lifetime of failures and victories. Enjoy the ride..... :)

Geode
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:13 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#4 Post by Geode » Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:07 pm

Hobbyst46 wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:39 am
This eBay used Accuscope 3025 is perhaps somewhat relevant.

Its trinocular phototube appears to be quite long - so, a camera sensor, if fitted on that microscope, would be even more remote than on your Accuscope and C-mount adapter, isn't it ?
Or is the specific Accusope camera so different from the Rising Cam ?

I also note, although less relevant to the present issue, that:
Its epi-illuminator is fairly similar to that of Olympus BX.
Its ScopeLED is perhaps a generic which might fit on any microscope.
So, I'm not sure about using an accuscope camera, since I haven't tried it. But for sure, the c-mount I'm using is a bit too tall.. the focus is not that much off, but definitely not the same as that of the eyepieces. I would need a c-mount that is either more adjustable, or a custom piece to fit this camera.

But regardless, the main issue is the frame rate for live viewing. The image quality is acceptable for me, but the frame rate renders this camera unusable for my purposes (research and study of soil microbiology).

Geode
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:13 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#5 Post by Geode » Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:12 pm

Stomias wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 11:52 am
One thing I've learned from 50 years of photography (landscape, astrophotography and now microscopy), it is a black hole of money, gear and time. Light and focus are ephemeral and one must be ready for a lifetime of failures and victories. Enjoy the ride..... :)
Haha I'm definitely starting to realize that.
The issue is, I'm more interested in functionality for my research, than being a published photographer for microscopy. I need the live viewing and recording video to work to for my job and research purposes.
This camera is equivalent to some $1000 1" sensor cameras available here in the US. I got a great deal on it, and the quality seems awesome. Except the frame rate renders it unusable for me.

I tried asking in several forums about using a phone mounted to an eyepiece in the phototube, but no one gave me the light of day 🤣 At least then I could get a decent frame rate.
I'm going to have to return this camera.. and possibly get a mirrorless Sony or something similar, with a different c-mount probably. But even figuring out how all those pieces fit together has been confusing and frustrating. Any advice there?

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mrsonchus
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Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#6 Post by mrsonchus » Sat Mar 06, 2021 3:05 pm

Hi, I've been through this EXACT-SAME scenario - no way of capturing fast-enough frame rate video to document dissections under my stereo 'scope in my case. Having been through the same process of comparing USB cameras (ToupCams) to DSLRs for still-capture I came to the clear conclusion that in terms of quality DSLRs were giving me far, far better images than my 5mp ToupCam.
The software for these USB cameras is though superb, and comes as either ToupView (with ToupCam brand cameras) or as a badged version of it with 3rd party versions/badges USB cameras. I was very reluctant to forgoe this superb convenience, but in the end the quality and availability of the also very good Canon Utility software helped me to settle on a Canon D200 DSLR tethered to laptop running the utility (v3 for the D200), mounted on my compound Olympus 'scope for slide images.

This still left me with the same 'problem' with my stereo 'scope work....
I had a greenough stereo which I upgraded to a CMO which really increased the quality (but coting 5-times as much!) - but camera images were still a problem, and video still a disaster due to pathetic frame-rates with my USB(2) 5mp Toupcam, reduction optics and trinocular mount. The problem always with the frame-rate, quality for this purpose isn't such a high priority as it was good enough.
Yes, I then mounted a DSLR to the stereo but found it to be really inconvenient in the use of a stereo and a full-on dissection session, unlike the more restrained and compact reals of my compound 'scope's setting and use. Also I soon began to ponder the exposure of the DSLR's sensor to long-term video....

Sooo, the USB was a waste of time (remember that my main criterion was video with the stereo 'scope) and the DSLR unsuitable for the above reasons.

I then tried one of these dodgy-looking (although relatively cheap) 'industrial HDMI' cameras that are ubiquitous in the soldering etc world. Well, I bought the 48mp one and hoped for the best with massive pessimism, which transpired to be pretty much unjustified...

This little camera takes a microSD card to which it records it's video internally rather than over USB to tethered PC's drive. I chose this one also because it has a remote control. Now I routinely use this as my video capture device on my stereo 'scope. The frame rates are superb at all resolutions, just hook it up to an HDMI monitor as I did, stood on the back of my desk, and see the video in perfect real-time sync with what I see through both eyepieces, at the same time. Recording is a button-press away, as is still-capture. The stills are OK but not as good as the DSLR regardsless of the nominal 48mp capability. It records video up to 4k, this is at a superbly smooth 25fps. At the most-used 1080p setting (the 4k video is HUGE and unweildy to say the least) it records 60fps! I could take 5 times as much space to fully describe the camera as it has it's pitfalls also, but not in terms of it's video-capture.

I posted earlier re this camera, see this post with my initial post...

Hope this helps.

p.s. as I've gained experience with this camera the stills have improved a lot and are definitely good enough now, the camera simply needs a lot of light and the built-in software of the camera needs to be learned properly. It's now permanently mounted atop my stereo as it's so small as to not get in the way at all, and to record video and/or stills I need just the remote control on my desk - no PC tether required!
John B

Hobbyst46
Posts: 4277
Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:02 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#7 Post by Hobbyst46 » Sat Mar 06, 2021 3:32 pm

Geode wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:12 pm
I tried asking in several forums about using a phone mounted to an eyepiece in the phototube, but no one gave me the light of day 🤣 At least then I could get a decent frame rate.
Phone cameras are excellent, yet the alignment of the phone over the eyepiece is too much of a nuisance for permanent use. Just my opinion.

Geode
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:13 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#8 Post by Geode » Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:24 pm

Hobbyst46 wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 3:32 pm
Geode wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:12 pm
I tried asking in several forums about using a phone mounted to an eyepiece in the phototube, but no one gave me the light of day 🤣 At least then I could get a decent frame rate.
Phone cameras are excellent, yet the alignment of the phone over the eyepiece is too much of a nuisance for permanent use. Just my opinion.
For sure, which is why I was trying to get a spare phone mounted to the phototube, as a more permanent setup.
But I just don't have the resources of playing around with all different eyepieces and mounts to experiment with this.
I was hoping someone would have figured it out and posted about it.
Most of the awesome smooth microscopy footage I see on Instagram are taken with iPhone.. but through one of the two main pieces, never through the phototube.

Geode
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:13 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#9 Post by Geode » Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:25 pm

mrsonchus wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 3:05 pm
Hi, I've been through this EXACT-SAME scenario - no way of capturing fast-enough frame rate video to document dissections under my stereo 'scope in my case. Having been through the same process of comparing USB cameras (ToupCams) to DSLRs for still-capture I came to the clear conclusion that in terms of quality DSLRs were giving me far, far better images than my 5mp ToupCam.
The software for these USB cameras is though superb, and comes as either ToupView (with ToupCam brand cameras) or as a badged version of it with 3rd party versions/badges USB cameras. I was very reluctant to forgoe this superb convenience, but in the end the quality and availability of the also very good Canon Utility software helped me to settle on a Canon D200 DSLR tethered to laptop running the utility (v3 for the D200), mounted on my compound Olympus 'scope for slide images.

This still left me with the same 'problem' with my stereo 'scope work....
I had a greenough stereo which I upgraded to a CMO which really increased the quality (but coting 5-times as much!) - but camera images were still a problem, and video still a disaster due to pathetic frame-rates with my USB(2) 5mp Toupcam, reduction optics and trinocular mount. The problem always with the frame-rate, quality for this purpose isn't such a high priority as it was good enough.
Yes, I then mounted a DSLR to the stereo but found it to be really inconvenient in the use of a stereo and a full-on dissection session, unlike the more restrained and compact reals of my compound 'scope's setting and use. Also I soon began to ponder the exposure of the DSLR's sensor to long-term video....

Sooo, the USB was a waste of time (remember that my main criterion was video with the stereo 'scope) and the DSLR unsuitable for the above reasons.

I then tried one of these dodgy-looking (although relatively cheap) 'industrial HDMI' cameras that are ubiquitous in the soldering etc world. Well, I bought the 48mp one and hoped for the best with massive pessimism, which transpired to be pretty much unjustified...

This little camera takes a microSD card to which it records it's video internally rather than over USB to tethered PC's drive. I chose this one also because it has a remote control. Now I routinely use this as my video capture device on my stereo 'scope. The frame rates are superb at all resolutions, just hook it up to an HDMI monitor as I did, stood on the back of my desk, and see the video in perfect real-time sync with what I see through both eyepieces, at the same time. Recording is a button-press away, as is still-capture. The stills are OK but not as good as the DSLR regardsless of the nominal 48mp capability. It records video up to 4k, this is at a superbly smooth 25fps. At the most-used 1080p setting (the 4k video is HUGE and unweildy to say the least) it records 60fps! I could take 5 times as much space to fully describe the camera as it has it's pitfalls also, but not in terms of it's video-capture.

I posted earlier re this camera, see this post with my initial post...

Hope this helps.

p.s. as I've gained experience with this camera the stills have improved a lot and are definitely good enough now, the camera simply needs a lot of light and the built-in software of the camera needs to be learned properly. It's now permanently mounted atop my stereo as it's so small as to not get in the way at all, and to record video and/or stills I need just the remote control on my desk - no PC tether required!
Thanks for this info! I will definitely look into this one!

MichaelG.
Posts: 3976
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 8:24 am
Location: North Wales

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#10 Post by MichaelG. » Sat Mar 06, 2021 8:24 pm

I have just found a ‘specification’ for this camera:
.

https://aeproductsourcesite.alicdn.com/ ... dcb760441d

Are these the [remarkably good] frame-rates you are getting ?

... The obvious question being ‘if not, why not’

My guess would be that your USB cable is throttling the data rate
... or do you have any USB2 devices connected to that USB3 Bus ?

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

Geode
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:13 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#11 Post by Geode » Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:37 pm

MichaelG. wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 8:24 pm
I have just found a ‘specification’ for this camera:
.

https://aeproductsourcesite.alicdn.com/ ... dcb760441d

Are these the [remarkably good] frame-rates you are getting ?

... The obvious question being ‘if not, why not’

My guess would be that your USB cable is throttling the data rate
... or do you have any USB2 devices connected to that USB3 Bus ?

MichaelG.
Hey Michael, that was my exact thought process.
I looked up my USB-3 ports. I have two and tried both with the same results.

It seems in high light, the frame rate is fine. But as soon as I close the diaphragm (90% of my work), it slows all the way down. Which sucks.
I'm using the cable it came with, which is listed as usb-3.
I wonder if I bought my own cable from best buy or something and tested it out, if it would make a difference.

MichaelG.
Posts: 3976
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 8:24 am
Location: North Wales

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#12 Post by MichaelG. » Sat Mar 06, 2021 11:42 pm

.

I would hope that the cable it came with is perfectly suitable.

You may need to re-think your lighting : Low light requires long exposures, and this takes precedence over a nominal frame-rate :(

MichaelG.

.

P.S. You might find this useful ... it’s simple to use, and free
https://www.aja.com/products/aja-system-test
Too many 'projects'

Geode
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:13 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#13 Post by Geode » Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:47 am

MichaelG. wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 11:42 pm
.

I would hope that the cable it came with is perfectly suitable.

You may need to re-think your lighting : Low light requires long exposures, and this takes precedence over a nominal frame-rate :(

MichaelG.

.

P.S. You might find this useful ... it’s simple to use, and free
https://www.aja.com/products/aja-system-test
I mean, I'm basically performing Koehler illumination, and then closing the iris diaphragm to reveal the bacteria and smaller organisms... I need to do this for my counts and reports.

I suppose I could just take stills for those moments and count that way.
But when following cilliates around and finding flagellates, I need to perform this sort of lighting to see them clearly.
And to follow them on camera in low light is impossible with this camera :(

Geode
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:13 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#14 Post by Geode » Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:48 am

mrsonchus wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 3:05 pm
Hi, I've been through this EXACT-SAME scenario - no way of capturing fast-enough frame rate video to document dissections under my stereo 'scope in my case. Having been through the same process of comparing USB cameras (ToupCams) to DSLRs for still-capture I came to the clear conclusion that in terms of quality DSLRs were giving me far, far better images than my 5mp ToupCam.
The software for these USB cameras is though superb, and comes as either ToupView (with ToupCam brand cameras) or as a badged version of it with 3rd party versions/badges USB cameras. I was very reluctant to forgoe this superb convenience, but in the end the quality and availability of the also very good Canon Utility software helped me to settle on a Canon D200 DSLR tethered to laptop running the utility (v3 for the D200), mounted on my compound Olympus 'scope for slide images.

This still left me with the same 'problem' with my stereo 'scope work....
I had a greenough stereo which I upgraded to a CMO which really increased the quality (but coting 5-times as much!) - but camera images were still a problem, and video still a disaster due to pathetic frame-rates with my USB(2) 5mp Toupcam, reduction optics and trinocular mount. The problem always with the frame-rate, quality for this purpose isn't such a high priority as it was good enough.
Yes, I then mounted a DSLR to the stereo but found it to be really inconvenient in the use of a stereo and a full-on dissection session, unlike the more restrained and compact reals of my compound 'scope's setting and use. Also I soon began to ponder the exposure of the DSLR's sensor to long-term video....

Sooo, the USB was a waste of time (remember that my main criterion was video with the stereo 'scope) and the DSLR unsuitable for the above reasons.

I then tried one of these dodgy-looking (although relatively cheap) 'industrial HDMI' cameras that are ubiquitous in the soldering etc world. Well, I bought the 48mp one and hoped for the best with massive pessimism, which transpired to be pretty much unjustified...

This little camera takes a microSD card to which it records it's video internally rather than over USB to tethered PC's drive. I chose this one also because it has a remote control. Now I routinely use this as my video capture device on my stereo 'scope. The frame rates are superb at all resolutions, just hook it up to an HDMI monitor as I did, stood on the back of my desk, and see the video in perfect real-time sync with what I see through both eyepieces, at the same time. Recording is a button-press away, as is still-capture. The stills are OK but not as good as the DSLR regardsless of the nominal 48mp capability. It records video up to 4k, this is at a superbly smooth 25fps. At the most-used 1080p setting (the 4k video is HUGE and unweildy to say the least) it records 60fps! I could take 5 times as much space to fully describe the camera as it has it's pitfalls also, but not in terms of it's video-capture.

I posted earlier re this camera, see this post with my initial post...

Hope this helps.

p.s. as I've gained experience with this camera the stills have improved a lot and are definitely good enough now, the camera simply needs a lot of light and the built-in software of the camera needs to be learned properly. It's now permanently mounted atop my stereo as it's so small as to not get in the way at all, and to record video and/or stills I need just the remote control on my desk - no PC tether required!
Thank you for this info, mrsonchus!
I will look into this in detail tonight

Plasmid
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Location: North GA
Contact:

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#15 Post by Plasmid » Sun Mar 07, 2021 6:10 am

Geode wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:24 pm
Hobbyst46 wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 3:32 pm
Geode wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:12 pm
I tried asking in several forums about using a phone mounted to an eyepiece in the phototube, but no one gave me the light of day 🤣 At least then I could get a decent frame rate.
Phone cameras are excellent, yet the alignment of the phone over the eyepiece is too much of a nuisance for permanent use. Just my opinion.
For sure, which is why I was trying to get a spare phone mounted to the phototube, as a more permanent setup.
But I just don't have the resources of playing around with all different eyepieces and mounts to experiment with this.
I was hoping someone would have figured it out and posted about it.
Most of the awesome smooth microscopy footage I see on Instagram are taken with iPhone.. but through one of the two main pieces, never through the phototube.
My experience with phones has been excellent, after trial and error I settled on two options that allow me to shoot horizontal video with a plug and play set up , no alignment required. A phone mounted on a phototube can work... however you'll have to stand up everytime to keep the image infocus, etc. Since it'll be facing up.

1. A swift phone holder attached to an articulating arm, this setup allows me to swing the mount in and out while supporting the phone and reducing the risk of damaging the eyepiece tube... This will also work with a sony NEX 6 etc..
2. Buy a cheap plastic phone cover, buy pvc pipe just a bit wider than the diameter of the eyepiece, cut two pieces and glue the pipe to the back of the cover, one around the camera opening , second where the other eyepiece sits. To protect the Eyepiece cut to circumference small rubber or soft material and insert inside pvc pipe. Place over both Eyepieces and presto!
Both of this solutions or hacks will allow you to shoot horizontal video/pics while supporting the phone. I mostly just take videos, this setup will not compare to a phototube SLR / Dslr mount when it comes to quality (but its close) since the sensors between a phone and a full body camera are not comparable., However using the phone allows me to shoot, edit and upload videos with relative ease,. Everything gets uploaded to the cloud automatically and when my eyes get tired serves as a monitor.

MichaelG.
Posts: 3976
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 8:24 am
Location: North Wales

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#16 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Mar 07, 2021 9:09 am

Geode wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:47 am

I mean, I'm basically performing Koehler illumination, and then closing the iris diaphragm to reveal the bacteria and smaller organisms... I need to do this for my counts and reports.

I suppose I could just take stills for those moments and count that way.
But when following cilliates around and finding flagellates, I need to perform this sort of lighting to see them clearly.
And to follow them on camera in low light is impossible with this camera :(
.

I can see nothing wrong with that, in principle ...

It looks like you just need a [much] more powerful light source.

MichaelG.

.

Important Note:
Serious safety issues accompany the visual use of powerful lighting
... Arc Lamps, Xenon Tubes, and the like need to be used only for the photography.
Too many 'projects'

Geode
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:13 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#17 Post by Geode » Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:00 pm

Plasmid wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 6:10 am
Geode wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:24 pm
Hobbyst46 wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 3:32 pm
Phone cameras are excellent, yet the alignment of the phone over the eyepiece is too much of a nuisance for permanent use. Just my opinion.
For sure, which is why I was trying to get a spare phone mounted to the phototube, as a more permanent setup.
But I just don't have the resources of playing around with all different eyepieces and mounts to experiment with this.
I was hoping someone would have figured it out and posted about it.
Most of the awesome smooth microscopy footage I see on Instagram are taken with iPhone.. but through one of the two main pieces, never through the phototube.
My experience with phones has been excellent, after trial and error I settled on two options that allow me to shoot horizontal video with a plug and play set up , no alignment required. A phone mounted on a phototube can work... however you'll have to stand up everytime to keep the image infocus, etc. Since it'll be facing up.

1. A swift phone holder attached to an articulating arm, this setup allows me to swing the mount in and out while supporting the phone and reducing the risk of damaging the eyepiece tube... This will also work with a sony NEX 6 etc..
2. Buy a cheap plastic phone cover, buy pvc pipe just a bit wider than the diameter of the eyepiece, cut two pieces and glue the pipe to the back of the cover, one around the camera opening , second where the other eyepiece sits. To protect the Eyepiece cut to circumference small rubber or soft material and insert inside pvc pipe. Place over both Eyepieces and presto!
Both of this solutions or hacks will allow you to shoot horizontal video/pics while supporting the phone. I mostly just take videos, this setup will not compare to a phototube SLR / Dslr mount when it comes to quality (but its close) since the sensors between a phone and a full body camera are not comparable., However using the phone allows me to shoot, edit and upload videos with relative ease,. Everything gets uploaded to the cloud automatically and when my eyes get tired serves as a monitor.
Honestly I'm finding it difficult to understand without photos haha. But if I use the phototube, I need an eyepiece or something to fit in there to mount the phone to.
You'd think there would already be a product for this purpose.

Geode
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:13 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#18 Post by Geode » Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:03 pm

MichaelG. wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 9:09 am
Geode wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:47 am

I mean, I'm basically performing Koehler illumination, and then closing the iris diaphragm to reveal the bacteria and smaller organisms... I need to do this for my counts and reports.

I suppose I could just take stills for those moments and count that way.
But when following cilliates around and finding flagellates, I need to perform this sort of lighting to see them clearly.
And to follow them on camera in low light is impossible with this camera :(
.

I can see nothing wrong with that, in principle ...

It looks like you just need a [much] more powerful light source.

MichaelG.

.

Important Note:
Serious safety issues accompany the visual use of powerful lighting
... Arc Lamps, Xenon Tubes, and the like need to be used only for the photography.
However, if I use a stronger the light, doesn't that counter my needed for low light/contrast? Or does the contrast remain while the actual light increases?
I'm using an incandescent bulb. I've yet to switch to LED, I wonder if that might help.

MichaelG.
Posts: 3976
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 8:24 am
Location: North Wales

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#19 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Mar 07, 2021 4:01 pm

Geode wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:03 pm
However, if I use a stronger the light, doesn't that counter my needed for low light/contrast? Or does the contrast remain while the actual light increases?
I'm using an incandescent bulb. I've yet to switch to LED, I wonder if that might help.
.

The contrast ratios are governed by the optical configuration
... but the exposure depends on the quantity of light.

Subject to it not introducing change to the optics; I believe a brighter light source is what you need.

Does the software for your camera tell you what actual exposure time it is using ?
... There is typically an number, displayed in milliseconds
If you can share that, then we can start to work out how much more light you might need.

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

Plasmid
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Location: North GA
Contact:

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#20 Post by Plasmid » Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:23 pm

Geode wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:00 pm
Plasmid wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 6:10 am
Geode wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:24 pm

Honestly I'm finding it difficult to understand without photos haha. But if I use the phototube, I need an eyepiece or something to fit in there to mount the phone to.
You'd think there would already be a product for this purpose.
Here's a pic of articulating arm
Attachments
At $15 its an economical solution and it works
At $15 its an economical solution and it works
IMG_20210211_115219615.jpg (68.82 KiB) Viewed 6767 times

Geode
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:13 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#21 Post by Geode » Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:32 pm

MichaelG. wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 4:01 pm
Geode wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:03 pm
However, if I use a stronger the light, doesn't that counter my needed for low light/contrast? Or does the contrast remain while the actual light increases?
I'm using an incandescent bulb. I've yet to switch to LED, I wonder if that might help.
.

The contrast ratios are governed by the optical configuration
... but the exposure depends on the quantity of light.

Subject to it not introducing change to the optics; I believe a brighter light source is what you need.

Does the software for your camera tell you what actual exposure time it is using ?
... There is typically an number, displayed in milliseconds
If you can share that, then we can start to work out how much more light you might need.

MichaelG.
You're on to something.
So, per some folk's recommendations on facebook, I turned off "auto exposure" and manually adjusted the exposure time/grain.
The live/video frame rate improvied massively!
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

So, I do have the ability to fine-tune the settings.. thank god!

Geode
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:13 pm

Re: Rising Cam E3ISPM 20MP Test Run - A bit confused

#22 Post by Geode » Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:35 pm

Plasmid wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:23 pm
Geode wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:00 pm
Plasmid wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 6:10 am


Here's a pic of articulating arm
Thanks for sharing!

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