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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Feb 12, 2011 21:37:17 GMT -5
I have developed 2 methods of imaging tiny things down to 5 micron resolution without the need of a microscope. I have posted this information on other forum and now I bring it to this forum. method 1: Old bellows technology combined with reverse mounting a 35mm slr camera lens on DSLR type. Here I have taken one of my favorite DSLR camera Sigma sd series of cameras... this method will work on just about any camera be it Pentax, Canon, Nikon etc.... the trick is to obtain a camera bellows and attach it to your camera... the increased projection system enlargest he image... so if you want a really magnified picture of something small increase the projection distance.... this can be had by connecting a series of bellows together so I use 2 bellow connected in series. M42 mount system is an ideal system to build on.... so I converted my Sigma SA mount to M42 with a simple adapter ring. This kind of adapter rings is common for other brands of cameras under $10 usd. Next I connect 2 M42 bellows which runs about $50 usd used...... Then I choose a good M42 fixed focus lens ... lots to choose hear.... My preference is the Japan made Takumar 50 to 55mm fixed focus lens.... these are based on the modified old Zeiss Tessar design.... similar I have had good result with Pentacon F1.8 lens, and Russian lenses (Zeiss copy cat). Now here is the neat thing.... get a reverse ring adapter and one can mount the lens backwards.... it sounds crazy but the effects are amazing .... So here is my system:  Sample image: Devonian Ostracod from Arkona ON Canada Ostracods are approx. 200 microns = 0.2 mm   |
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Post by Joe Botting on Feb 12, 2011 21:44:15 GMT -5
Ok, I am seriously impressed. Presumably you can get the mounting from a good old-fashioned camera shop? It's one of those things I've never seen for sale, and bellows are getting scarce nowadays as well.
I have played around with the reversed lens thing myself, but only hand-held (where it helps if you're an octopus, and the results weren't great!).
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Feb 12, 2011 22:01:09 GMT -5
Hi Joe: Bought all my equipment on ebay... bellows the super long one is from the Ukraine .... one can shop the world on Ebay and some of the M42 based lenses are sharper and better than todays lenes. M42 equipment people are throwing out... pennies to the dollar.... and test report on lens resolution reports can be found on the internet... one of my best lens is Takumar F1.4 50mm with rear element of high index Thorium Glass with 2000cpm radiation count on my geiger unit... pretty neat.
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Feb 13, 2011 6:11:41 GMT -5
Part II Variation: Now that we have a M42 mount base bellows system, one can obtain the most critical parts: This part can be found on Ebay and comes from China, the key search words are "RMS adapter" RMS stand for Royal Microscope Society.... this allows one to couple a std microscope lens direct to the optic train. It is like having a microscope function without directly buying a microscope... the business end of course is the microscope objective get low power one in 2x to 10X range should be adequate. The adapter you want is called " M42 to RMS " adapter... varying the bellows allow variable magnification which is proportionb to the projection distance. So when you put it all together you have this...     Examples: Devonain Sediments from Arkona ON Canada see 212um seive mesh in background    |
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Feb 13, 2011 8:30:00 GMT -5
Part III of the installment: We are now going to take a very reliable point and shoot type camera and my favorite for many reason... Nikon Coolpix model 990, 995, 4500 ... they are basically the same camera all share a 28mm filter thread. So here we go: Get your self a setdown ring 28mm male to 25mm female adapter ring. Then go to ebay and type search words "RMS adapter" look for a adapter that has 25mm male to RMS . The RMS stands for Royal Microscope Society and this allows you to interface a regular std microscope objective. The finished product looks like this:       Samples of pictures:    |
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Post by Joe Botting on Feb 13, 2011 8:38:08 GMT -5
This is fantastic, Peter - excellent stuff. I had no idea you could get an adaptor to stick a microscope objective on your camera! Can you get an SLR to do this with the right step rings, or does it need to be a point-and-click?
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Feb 13, 2011 8:48:44 GMT -5
Yes Joe works for all DSLR, SLR and some point and shoot digital cameras, this optical technique took me over yr to ponder about and I finally found the parts around Christmas time to construct what you see here; it is truly revolutionary. Send me a pm on your present camera and I can determind the feasibility and spec you out the parts needed for conversion... I have just spec and transfer this technology to the ROM. I have been playing with optics for about 25 to 30 years as a hobby.
Peter
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Feb 13, 2011 11:58:44 GMT -5
This Part IV on the installment: Conversion of Sony 707, 717 camera ... could be applied to out fixed lens cameras with 58mm filter thread. If you camera does not have the ability to take filters... this method will NOT work. So lets begin if your lens has Y mm diameter filter then you need to get an adapter ring to female 42mm. So in this case Y=58 mm so we hunt for a 58mm to 42mm step down ring adapter. Next the most critical bit... Ebay use the key search words "RMS adapter" and look for RMS thread Female and male M42 mount. Again the RMS thread allows the connection of standard microscope objectives... I find 4x -10x is about optimum ... the higher the magnification the lower DOF translate to fuzzy image... Put it all together and you have:     Sample pics: Cambrian Worm Chengjiang  Fish bones:  Here is proof of the resolution obtain: Calibrated Microscope slide each division represent 0.010mm = 10 microns  |
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Sept 23, 2011 5:06:35 GMT -5
Here is my latest experiments in optics for extreme macro photography: Sony Alpha Nex-3, mirrorless Live view digital camera... mirrorless = less mechanical vibrations = clearer photos. This is M42 mount system complete with extension tubes, Russian Bellows...    |
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Post by ammocarbsteve on Sept 23, 2011 10:16:06 GMT -5
Peter... Youve put together some 'serious' kit there pal... No wonder you blow us out of the water with your photography skills ;o)
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Sept 23, 2011 12:02:41 GMT -5
Thanks Steve... I have been asked recently to image / collaborate by a photographer associated with Yale to image fossils for them for an up comming publication... should be an interesting project : ) I believe that I am at the cutting edge of extreme macrophotography applications with this home built imaging system.
PL
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Post by ammocarbsteve on Sept 23, 2011 14:02:16 GMT -5
Peter... Congratulations, it does sound a very interesting project to be involved in and it just goes to show that all your hard work, dedication and experimentation in this area has paid off giving you the expertise to be able to undertake this...Well done pal I know who to come to for any tips its a shame you dont live round the corner ;O)
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Sept 23, 2011 15:14:43 GMT -5
Thank you Steve. I just have lots of fun with this hobby... had I been 30yrs younger... may have become a professional palaeontologist
: )
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Post by Joe Botting on Sept 24, 2011 8:24:54 GMT -5
Hey, congratulations - should be very interesting indeed. I'm intrigued, though - they must have some really good photomicroscopes (dedicated Zeiss setups, etc.) so what in particular do they need? If it's not just your magnification, is it depth of field, or something else? I know you can't tell us what you'l be photographing, though.  |
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Sept 24, 2011 15:51:08 GMT -5
Thanks Joe:
This is what they said:
"Peter,
i'm really impressed by your photo set up with the ultra close capability. I have some micro fossils from the soft tissue material I need to get close ups of. Would you be interested in shooting them? These are fossils found while prepping. Two are tiny gold nautiloids, the other is a worm with what appears to be a lamprey type mouth." "There are 3 specimens on tiny flakes. They'd need to be alcohol bath. I can send them out on Monday. Time is simply by october. These will likely be in a publication so your pix would probably be used and credited."
The fact that these are pyritized the photography may be difficult... at least I will give it a good attempt at it.... should be a fun little project : )
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