www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I'm thinking of getting a decent-ish microscope (and ideally one that will allow photos of the subject to be taken, using an adapter if needed). Unfortunately, I know nothing about microscopes or where to start looking for information. Most use would be looking at butterfly eggs, scales and the like. Any opinions or pointers would be appreciated.

Cheers,

- Pete

Hi Pete,

I have found Brunel Microscopes http://www.brunelmicroscopes.co.uk/index.html very helpful in the past, and they dispense excellent advice (and equipment, sofware etc.) for anyone interested in photomicrography. Simply checking out the info on their website is a great way to start...

Felix.

Thanks Felix - just the ticket. I feel like a kid in a sweet shop browsing that lot!

Cheers,

- Pete

Hi Pete

Eggs are quite large in microscopy terms and so you need a low power microscope rather than a "normal" microscope which can have magnification capable of visualising bacterial cells (sub 10 micron or 0.01mm). The problem will be DOF, but I guess you could focus stack multiple images. Decent microscopes aren't that expensive (in photography £scales) but camera attachments to microscopes are where things can start to get pricey. BUT I would recommend checking out something like the Intel play microscope which was less than £50 a few years ago, it connects via USB to a PC can capture images. It might not be to the standard you're aiming at but it's a useful starter and (can't remember if you have any but if you do) the kids will love it.

Bill

Pete Eeles wrote:Thanks Felix - just the ticket. I feel like a kid in a sweet shop browsing that lot!

It's a great place to off load all that spare cash you have lying around Pete..!

Felix.

Thx Bill.

"spare cash" and "2 sons at college" are mutually exclusive

Cheers,

- Pete

This what you're aiming at, Pete?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/pict ... ml?image=2

Guy

I think so! I simply want to see (and photograph) more detail than can be seen with the human eye unaided, but not necessarily super-microscopic, if that makes sense! And any thoughts on how such images could be obtained would be appreciated since those you pointed out are stunning! Will dig deeper when I have more time.

Cheers,

- Pete

'Back in the day' I used a Nikon bellows unit and extension tubes, sometimes with a reversed Nikkor 20mm lens. This gave super close detail of (for example) aspects of a fly's face or eyes. Pin sharp detail and easily close enough to give super detailed views of butterfly ova etc.

Then there was the 200mm Medical-Nikkor IF macro lenses with built in ring flash . A friend had one, they were designed originally for medical research and documentation of body cavities, eye examination etc. and I recall that the mag ratio was 2:1 at about a foot or so away from the subject. That was without any additional clobber such as x tubes.

Do people still use bellows units these digital days?

Felix.

There seem to be some cheap digital or USB microscopes on the market. Strikes me as a way of cutting the camera out of the equation; I have no idea if they are any good.

Felix wrote:Do people still use bellows units these digital days? Felix.

I think the good folks using Large Format Cameras still do. I think there's still quite a few Landscape photographers that swear by the results.

None of us should really look at these pages, but worth peeking at the Large Format Cameras on Robert White's site below;

http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/default.asp

Look at the Bellows on this Ebony beauty:

http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/products.asp?PT_ID=163

Oooh...look at this beauty, a digital large format camera..all I have to do is sell the house in exchange..

http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/product.as ... &PT_ID=557