Micro-photography

[JennyS]

I'm finally about to take the plunge and get a compound microscope that I also want to be able to use for micro-photography too.

One option is the triocular Winchester SP60 from Brunel with their Minicam DCM 1.3M USB 2.0 or Minicam MDCC 2M USB 2.0.

Other option is the Bresser Trino Researcher 40x - 1000x with a MikroCam 1.3 MP Microscope camera (1280 x 1024 Pixel).

I wondered if anyone has any experience of, or comments on, the two possibilities above?
Thanks in advance as I'm out of my depth here!
Jenny

[flaxton]

Jenny
I have an SP05 binocular and the Minicam DCM 1.3M USB 2.0 both from Brunel and I am pretty happy with the results. I sometimes have trouble bringing out the true colours (that could be my problem rather than the camera) but the picture quality is good.

Mal

[JennyS]

Hi Mal and thanks for the reply - any chance you could post a couple of pictures so I can get a better idea of image quality from the Minicam DCM 1.3M?

[SheffieldLass]

Hi Jenny

I've also got the Brunel minicam 1.3M USB 2.0 and am also very pleased with it. Nearly all the micro photos I've posted on WAB are from it. My microscope is more basic than the one you are proposing to get, so optically yours would be at least equal if not better I'd have thought.

Here is a random selection:




None were with enhanced with stains, just water.

Melanie

[JennyS]

Thank you - looks like tomorrow (oops, today) is going to get expensive!

Jenny

[flaxton]

A few of my attempts with this camera.




Mal

[Michael Jordan]

The group monetary grants that the ABFG issues are for Winchester SP60 binocular and triocular instruments purchased from Brunel. I have yet to see a substantive complaint about them. The only problems in the past have been with a lamp transformer on one instrument and lack of parfocality on another. Both were corrected promptly by Brunel.

I would recommend that if you are investing in an instrument for yourself, you go the extra mile and have wide field eyepieces (with a graticule). Bear in mind also that if you intend to measure material, you will need to invest in or borrow a stage micrometer and these, if any good, are pricey.

[SheffieldLass]

You only need to use the stage micrometer once to calibrate the measuring software that comes with the Microcam, so borrow one if you can (if you've not seen one, it is a microscope slide with a scale on it).

Also with the Minicam you don't need a graticule in the eyepiece as the software does the measuring, once you have calibrated it with the stage micrometer. You just click on the screen on your computer the start and end points of the thing you want to measure and it gives you the length. The Minicam gives you both real time pictures on your computer screen and you can also capture frames. Both allow you to measure, but with the captured frame it stores the measurements on an excel file, which is useful if you want to measure a number of spores at one go, whereas measured on the real time picture just gives you that measurement but does not store it, so you need to manually make a note of it.

Melanie

[JennyS]

Thanks for the additional photo's and info - I'd already ordered before reading the new posts but I did get an additional x10 Widefield Measuring Eyepiece.

Hmm, wonder if I've any microscopically-inclined friends with a stage micrometer .... and thanks for the description as I didn't have a clue!

Now to figure out how to appease my Visa card and wait for it to arrive!
Jenny

[stickman]

Hi all

Jenny, I hope you don't mind me taking your thread on a 'detour'...

I too have been thinking about microscope photography - I have the microsocpe, and a half decent DSLR.

The question is: Is it worth buying a minicam (as previously mentioned) or a 'port' type thingamajig so I can stick the DSLR on the scope?

I assume I'll be able to get larger and better quality pics from the DSLR port, but I think I remember someone saying there had problems with movement caused by the camera shutter?

Cheers, Nick.