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Re: [ccp4bb]: Digital microscope camera
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On Tue, 18 Mar 2003, Tjaard Pijning wrote:
> We are investigating the possibilities to buy a digital
> camera for taking crystal pictures through a microscope.
> So far we have found that such cameras will cost
> 2500 euro's or more because of the need to either
> remove the lens or use a special adaptor to attach it
> to the microscope.
don't let yourself get led astray by the ballyhoo of the
expensive optics companies' marketing experts. They try
to sell you 100 % optical quality with the absolute minimum
of accumulated optical aberrations when you can get 95 %
quality for a fifth of the money.
When you look into the ocular of a microscope, your eye is
just like a camera lens focussed on infinity. In principle,
you can take photographs by just holding any infinity-
focussed camera over the microscope's eyepiece (if your
hand is steady enough for the exposure time needed).
> We wonder if anyone has come up with a simpler/cheaper
> possibility for this, since digital cameras, even the
> 2-3 MP models are not that expensive anymore.
we bought a Nikon coolpix 995 (3.34 MPx) some time ago,
because it has a thread at the front of the lens (in
contrast to nearly all others), like conventional cameras'
colour/UV filter thread up front. Our workshop made a little
ocular adapter with a corresponding male thread so we can
simply screw the camera on the eyepiece. Focussing is very
easy due to the digital display. The whole setup cost us
about 500 EUR.
I don't think the model coolpix 995 is offered any more,
but if you look out for any digital camera with a front
thread, it will be easy. Since no mechanical connection
is needed between eyepiece and camera, in principle any
model should do with any tripod or improvised stand.
Manfred
----------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Manfred Buehner Phone: +49-931-888-4100
Physiologische Chemie FAX: +49-931-888-4150
Theodor-Boveri-Institut fuer Biowissenschaften
Biozentrum der Universitaet Wuerzburg
Am Hubland, D-97074 WUERZBURG, Germany
Email: buehner@biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de
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