Flash photomicrography

A forum to ask questions, post setups, and generally discuss anything having to do with photomacrography and photomicroscopy.

Moderators: MacroMike, nzmacro, Ken Ramos, twebster, S. Alden

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gpmatthews
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Flash photomicrography

Post by gpmatthews »

Image

I have just completed an interim solution for using flash photomicrography. This is the poor man's approach, as I've been spending far too much money on microscopy recently, buying objectives on e-bay. So, until I invest in a decent slave flash system I decided to use the flash in my Powershot S50. I don't know what the flash duration is. The flash power can be adjusted in 3 steps. The approach was to take the flash output from the camera via a fibre optic cable into a lamp, such that the fibre optic tip replaces the bulb filament. A microscope slide is used as a mirror, thus allowing the normal microsope light source to be used in the normal way.

Look out for some new images (what have you started, Charlie? - everyone loks like they're moving to flash!)
Graham

Steve West
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Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2004 9:23 pm
Location: Tucson, AZ USA

Post by Steve West »

Hi Graham,

Taking the internal flash via a fibercable is certainly a unique and straightforward approach. I'll be interested to know how it all works out. I'll be using the beamsplitter approach like you. Alas, my flash sits in a box waiting for Christmas...

Steve

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Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

:D You know something there Graham, you have answered a lot of questions I have had, with just one photograph. It also dawned on me what Tom was talking about with his camera set up too. I saw a copy stand, similar to an enlarger stand, at a local photo shop in Ashville, N.C. I may try to mount the G5 on one of those and position it over an eyepiece on my phototube. I seemed to get much better photographs when I was shooting my FinePix 2650 through the eyepiece. I have tried it with the G5 already, before I got my relay adapter, and it seemed to work fine but I could not steady the G5 very well. Right now the relay adapter works fine on the G5 but I feel that the camera itself could/can take much better images with a set up like yours or Toms. Thanks again Graham, and Tom, you have given me something to go on. And I like that flash set up too Graham, I have often wondered how to do that. :? You guys are giving me too many ideas to go out and spend money on. 8)
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Kenneth Ramos
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Kens Microscopy
Reposts of my images within the galleries are welcome, as are constructive critical critiques.

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gpmatthews
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Post by gpmatthews »

Ken,

This was truly a budget set-up. The most expensive item was the fibre optic light guide - I treated myself to two extra. i.e. 3 at $12.50 apiece from http://www.candhsales.com. Everything else was either already here, or else fabricated. You may be interested in the microscope slide mirror mounting - I used a globe-headed map pin as the basis for a balljoint which supports a clip superglued to the slide. The whole assembly is bolted to a bracket stuck to the microscope foot with double sided tape:

Image

More details at http://www.gpmatthews.nildram.co.uk/mic ... setup.html
Graham

Charles Krebs
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Location: Issaquah, WA USA

Post by Charles Krebs »

Now we're talking Graham!

From personal experience, I just don't know how anything got invented before we had tape, superglue, and 5 minute epoxy!

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Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

:D Graham, necessity is the mother of invention I have always heard.

:D Yep, Charlie your right. JB Weld is another good fix all. Held the transmission linkage together on an old chevy I used to have. Don't ask, its a long redneck story from my wild and wooly days 8)!
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Kenneth Ramos
Rutherfordton, North Carolina
Kens Microscopy
Reposts of my images within the galleries are welcome, as are constructive critical critiques.

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