Microscope....best place to ask?

[petemillis]

Not sure if this is the best place to ask, but I have 2 questions.....

1. Can anyone recommend a source of adaptors to connect a Canon EF mount

camera to a microscope?

2. Can anyone advise of a microscope that is suitable for a young studious 11

yr old and studenty Dad (me!) for examining and photographing various things?

 

One of my daughters is desperate for one, and I'd rather get a second hand

proper lab/field one than some piece of modern plastic tat.

 

Alternatively, does anyone have any experience of those electronic microscopes

that connect to PC? I wonder if they might be an option. Obviously not easy to

carry around though.

 

Ta in advance.

 

Pete

[SCL]

You would connect the camera with a T mount adapter...available in plentiful quantities on eBay. Likewise I'd look on eBay at the microscope offerings. I was shocked two years ago at how low the prices have become on student quality microscopes...ended up getting a used med-school one for my 13 yr old grandson, along with 3 objectives and two oculars, plus a solid mechanical stage for $400. We tried the electronic ones which connect to the PC a couple of years ago...personally I found them sorely lacking in resolving power and quality of construction.

[evan_goulet]

Depending on the microscope, it could be a c-mount adapter. They are fairly popular on microscopes.

[tommyinca]

Check out this article as well as this microscopy site.

 

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art97/ellsphot.html

 

In short, I don't think Canon make a microscope adapter currently. You can get a used Pentax lens microscope adapter and use it with a Pentax to EOS adapter. You can use this adapter with the objective and eyepices together. To use it with a computer, simply hook it up with a USB connector and the remote capture software that come with your camera. Start with thes lowest magnification until you find your way arround.

[diy photography]

I got my microscope and "T" adapter from the "Surplus Shed". Great pricing and a variety of

scopes.

 

God's light to all

 

Chris

[tommyinca]

Here is how an Pentax M42 microscope adapter with an M42 to EOS adapter looks like. You put the eyepieces into the adapter and the right side goes to the microscope. the left side go to the EOS body.<div></div>

[petemillis]

Absolutely fantastic replies everyone - this is just what I needed and I'm now off on a search. I was up till 2am browsing microscopes on ebay! And I've just done a Google and found a company here in the UK that does Zenith microscopes (now I'm not sure yet if these are Zenit - link here http://www.eurocosm.com/Application/Products/Microscopes/Zenith-BM-100FL-GB.asp - perhaps someone could let me know)

 

The info on fitting a camera is excellent Tommy - thanks very much for that. I hadn't consider using a Pentax microscope adapter with an EOS adapters - I was just flummoxed when I could find an EOS microscope adapter!

 

Thanks again all.

[dougsmiley]

You might want to check out www.labessentials.com for their Revelation III microscope for $455. Binocular scope that is fully lab capable, and that in my opinion has great optical performance from 40X to 1000X.

[petemillis]

Doug, thanks for the pointer. I'm over in UK so I suppose I'm better off looking to Europe otherwise I get hit for extra taxes. I'm now searching to see if the Revelation is available over here.

 

The Zenith ones I've looked at seem good value. Trying to find out more about them as well. Oh the choices. What I'm trying to do is to avoid ending up with something like my Mum bought be 28 years ago (one of those cheap really high mag but poor image quality things) and get something like I've used in the labs at uni over the past few years.

[dougsmiley]

The Rev III achro will give the big boys (Olympus, etc.) a good race for optical quality. Should be at least as good as your university scopes. I hope you're able to get one of these.

[petemillis]

Doug, I'm looking and looking but can't find it here in the UK! I shall persevere.....

[dougsmiley]

Pete, they are sold under the "LW Scientific" name here in the US, if that helps any.

[petemillis]

Doug, thanks again. I've managed to find some mention of LW over here and waiting to see what I can get hold of. I've also found out more about the Zenith ones - they look to be really good for the money too - all lab spec stuff, and I found a Zenith in uni as well.

And then I found a company called Brunel as well, who seem to do a good range at a good price - eg the Brunel Westbury SP30 (monocular)and SP40 (binocular) (http://www.brunelmicroscopes.co.uk/monocular-microscopes.html). They stock Leica as well...........

[petemillis]

WELL, I've got one now..... a Meiji HST4 in close to mint condition for 50 UK pounds (ebay) including handbook, spare bulb, all the objectives and so on. It's absolutely spot on. Thinking maybe it might be worth investing in binocular for it but that can wait. I'm so pleased as I was so close to forking out a couple of hundred on something unbranded from Germany but got pi55ed off with the seller (Mueller.GMBH) as he refused to discuss quality and source of components and so on for fear I was a potential competitor!

 

I've also just purchased an M42 microscope adapter (thanks for the info Tommy). Now I just need to stock up on the other bits and bobs.

 

Thanks all for the advice and help.

 

Pete