FW: digital microscopy

[Dr. Gerald Stinger Guala]

-----Original Message-----
From: Dr. Jack Fisher [mailto:jfisher at fairchildgarden.org]
Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2002 5:31 PM
To: dmorris at INHS.UIUC.EDU
Cc: stinger at fairchildgarden.org
Subject: Fw: digital microscopy


I have purchased a video camera for my microscope. I'm happy with the
resolution. Camera plus proper mount for your scope should be under $2000.
See www.pixera.com

Jack B. Fisher, PhD
Senior Research Scientist & Administrator of Graduate Studies
Fairchild Tropical Garden
11935 Old Cutler Rd.
Coral Gables (Miami), FL 33156-4299
tel: 305/665-2844 ext 3412
fax: 305/665-8032

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dr. Gerald Stinger Guala" <stinger at fairchildgarden.org>
To: <jfisher at fairchildgarden.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2002 1:21 PM
Subject: FW: digital microscopy

> www.virtualherbarium.org
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Taxacom Discussion List [mailto:TAXACOM at USOBI.ORG]On Behalf Of
> Roger J. Burkhalter
> Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2002 12:39 PM
> To: TAXACOM at USOBI.ORG
> Subject: Re: digital microscopy
>
>
> On Thu, 20 Jun 2002 11:03:17 -0500, David Morris <dmorris at INHS.UIUC.EDU>
> wrote:
>
> >Greetings Colleagues,
> >
> >I am trying to get some feedback on good digital camera/software
> >packages for photographing microslide-mounted insect specimens.  I
> >have a little experience with a video camera/AutoMontage package but,
> >despite this being an outstanding solution to the problem, it is
> >beyond our current budget (we are looking to spend somewhere between
> >2,000 and 7,000 USD).
> >We are working with small insects (0.5-15mm), and need some sort of
> >camera that we can attach to our compound microscope that will
> >produce high-resolution images under a range of magnifications.  It
> >has been suggested that a digital camera can provide better
> >resolution that and similarly priced video camera.
> >I would be very interested to hear from others who have dealt with
> >this problem in the past in order to try and find a solution that is
> >both affordable, and appropriate for our requirements.
>
>
> We no longer use a camera attached to a microscope...ther prisms and glass
> (even on an old Wilde or a newer Nikon SMZ 800) cost too much light and
the
> depth of field was too narrow. We are using a Nikon Coolpix 5000 attached
> via
> a Zarf Enterprises custom adpter to a Canon Autobellows and a Rodogon 50
or
> 80mm enlarger lens. We are using fully manual focus. Measured with images
> dropped to 600dpi, with the 50mm lens we can get to 30x with bellows fully
> extended and with the 80mm lens we can go from 1:1 to 15x. The depth of
> field
> is fantastic and image quality is respectable for publication (we only use
> grayscale images). The whole outfit including copy stand and two fibre
optic
> lights (one ringlight and one flexable gooseneck) has a cost of about
> $3500.00 - $4,000.00.
>
> Roger Burkhalter
> Curator/Archivist, Invertebrate Paleontology
> Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
> University of Oklahoma
> Norman, OK
>
>