SW380T 5mp camera pic quality

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jwellsy
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2022 11:40 pm

SW380T 5mp camera pic quality

#1 Post by jwellsy » Mon Nov 21, 2022 12:29 am

I have a SW380T that came with an OEM 5mp camera. The camera connects fine to a pc. However, the picture quality is not very good. I've lengthened and shortened the camera tube many times to find the cleanest image. The camera image is darker and much less defined/sharp as the eyepieces.

The white balance in the Swift software doesn't seem to do anything. Is there a paid version of the Swift software or something better that works better?

Any suggestions on how to improve these pics, or are the Swift 5mp cameras junk?

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

Re: SW380T 5mp camera pic quality

#2 Post by MichaelG. » Mon Nov 21, 2022 7:25 am

The Swift brand has quite a chequered history

Before we try to guess … could you please identify exactly which model of camera you have.

Thanks
MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

LouiseScot
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Location: Scotland

Re: SW380T 5mp camera pic quality

#3 Post by LouiseScot » Mon Nov 21, 2022 12:09 pm

jwellsy wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 12:29 am
I have a SW380T that came with an OEM 5mp camera. The camera connects fine to a pc. However, the picture quality is not very good. I've lengthened and shortened the camera tube many times to find the cleanest image. The camera image is darker and much less defined/sharp as the eyepieces.

The white balance in the Swift software doesn't seem to do anything. Is there a paid version of the Swift software or something better that works better?

Any suggestions on how to improve these pics, or are the Swift 5mp cameras junk?
Can you post an example pic? Are you using a decent screen to display the camera output i.e. a desktop PC monitor? A good screen helps you get in sharp focus. What object are you trying to image? I take it that it is a 5MP eyepiece camera? They have small pixels so can have an apparent enlarging effect. If it's an older USB 2.0 camera it may be rather slow. Along will illumination/LED brightness adjustment, the software should allow you to set exposure times to get good image brightness. It's a good idea to set the camera up using a low power objective and then check for parfocality with higher power objectives. The difference between being in focus and out of focus is critical with any camera. Don't forget to also adjust your condenser properly :)
A Nikon CF plan 20x; A Swift 380T; A DIY infinity corrected focus rail system with a 40x/0.65 Olympus Plan, a 10x/0.30 Amscope Plan Fluor, and a 20x/0.75 Nikon Plan Apo

jwellsy
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2022 11:40 pm

Re: SW380T 5mp camera pic quality

#4 Post by jwellsy » Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:32 pm

The Swift EasyView software see's it as:
"5.0M-2 USB 2.0 Camera".

The camera body has:
Swift Microscope Eyepiece Camera
S/N 010919
5.0MP Live Color Image
Model: EP5R 5.0MP
Max Res: 2592 x 1944

Switching the camera between the trinocular and an eyepiece doesn't appear to affect the pic on a HD pc screen.

My cheap android phone through an eyepiece takes a better pic.

Are there any good free Photobucket replacements for hosting pics?

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

Re: SW380T 5mp camera pic quality

#5 Post by MichaelG. » Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:58 pm

jwellsy wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:32 pm
The Swift EasyView software see's it as:
"5.0M-2 USB 2.0 Camera".

The camera body has:
Swift Microscope Eyepiece Camera
S/N 010919
5.0MP Live Color Image
Model: EP5R 5.0MP
Max Res: 2592 x 1944

Switching the camera between the trinocular and an eyepiece doesn't appear to affect the pic on a HD pc screen.

My cheap android phone through an eyepiece takes a better pic.

Are there any good free Photobucket replacements for hosting pics?

.

Thanks for clarifying

I don’t think I will surprise or offend you by saying it is unlikely to impress

They have been ‘remaindered’ for a while now [although there are still some rogues and scoundrels charging high prices]

This advert has the specifications: https://eu.swiftmicroscopes.com/collect ... compatible

Have a good read of that … compare it with what you know, and come back for more !

There is a lot of experience to tap-into on this forum.

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

LouiseScot
Posts: 1167
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2020 1:51 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: SW380T 5mp camera pic quality

#6 Post by LouiseScot » Mon Nov 21, 2022 6:15 pm

Hi again

You might be interested to compare with some pics I took earlier in the year using, I presume, the same camera as yours. They aren't great but the slides were made-in-China ones:

https://www.microbehunter.com/microscop ... 24#p122524

Louise
A Nikon CF plan 20x; A Swift 380T; A DIY infinity corrected focus rail system with a 40x/0.65 Olympus Plan, a 10x/0.30 Amscope Plan Fluor, and a 20x/0.75 Nikon Plan Apo

jwellsy
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2022 11:40 pm

Re: SW380T 5mp camera pic quality

#7 Post by jwellsy » Mon Nov 21, 2022 11:52 pm

MichaelG. wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:58 pm

There is a lot of experience to tap-into on this forum.

MichaelG.
I respect and appreciate the collective wisdom in this forum. I try to search for answers before I ask questions. I'm certainly on a learning curve. But, I'm enjoying the journey.

There's one very important camera spec noticeably missing, F-stop rating. That appears to be the cause of disparity. It seems as if my Swift 5MP camera is at least an F8 (maybe more) compared to an F2 or 3 through the eyepiece.

jwellsy
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2022 11:40 pm

Re: SW380T 5mp camera pic quality

#8 Post by jwellsy » Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:03 am

LouiseScot wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 6:15 pm

Louise
Louise, is it just my eyes or is your T tube ever so slightly focused slightly different than your eyepieces? Not off enough to worry about. I'd never see it unless the images are side by side.

I'll see if I can find a download of that same software. I've got a set of 120 prepared slides to learn from. I'll look through that set for something similar and see if I can recreate your pics.

LouiseScot
Posts: 1167
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2020 1:51 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: SW380T 5mp camera pic quality

#9 Post by LouiseScot » Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:09 am

jwellsy wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 11:52 pm
MichaelG. wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:58 pm

There is a lot of experience to tap-into on this forum.

MichaelG.
I respect and appreciate the collective wisdom in this forum. I try to search for answers before I ask questions. I'm certainly on a learning curve. But, I'm enjoying the journey.

There's one very important camera spec noticeably missing, F-stop rating. That appears to be the cause of disparity. It seems as if my Swift 5MP camera is at least an F8 (maybe more) compared to an F2 or 3 through the eyepiece.
The camera doesn't really have a F-stop as it doesn't have a lens, plus the sensor is very small - about 5.7mm x 4.3mm
A Nikon CF plan 20x; A Swift 380T; A DIY infinity corrected focus rail system with a 40x/0.65 Olympus Plan, a 10x/0.30 Amscope Plan Fluor, and a 20x/0.75 Nikon Plan Apo

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

Re: SW380T 5mp camera pic quality

#10 Post by MichaelG. » Tue Nov 22, 2022 4:58 am

jwellsy wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 11:52 pm
….But, I'm enjoying the journey.
.
That is what really matters ^^^

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

microusr
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2022 8:57 am
Location: Malmo, Sweden

Re: SW380T 5mp camera pic quality

#11 Post by microusr » Thu Dec 15, 2022 10:17 pm

jwellsy wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 12:29 am
Any suggestions on how to improve these pics, or are the Swift 5mp cameras junk?
Any conclusion made with regards to the issues with the eyepirce camera and while the model mentioned here in this thread is Swift entry model there are othere models with bigger and better camera sensor. Did you manage to tweak your current kit or did you opt for a better USB camera and have you tried with DSLR camera? Doing the same journey myself and almost ordered the same eyepiece just to get started and to have something to try out with but guess that the disapointed and frustration and hourse going down the bin to improve.... it's better to do some reading and reaching and get the right hardware from the start.

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