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 Post subject: Attaching digital SLR to Bausch and Lomb Stereozoom 7
PostPosted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:48 am 
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It took me over month, but I have finally have my camera attached to my Bausch and Lomb Stereozoom 7.

http://www.manyhatsofme.com/2013/02/pho ... scope.html

It's still not a perfect fit. I'm going to shop around for black flexible pvc pipe to form a gasket around the phototube, or I will hammer out a piece of thin copper around a ring mandrel to make a metal gasket.


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 Post subject: Re: Attaching digital SLR to Bausch and Lomb Stereozoom 7
PostPosted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:23 am 
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Cool! Appreciate the link your write up. Always looking for good cheap ways to accomplish things.
Sue


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 Post subject: Re: Attaching digital SLR to Bausch and Lomb Stereozoom 7
PostPosted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:51 pm 
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Very Nice!

Is the camera parfocal with microscope. That is can you do fine, critical focus through the eyepieces and then snap a picture and have it be sharp? or do you need to "refocusize" :lol: on the monitor first.

I ask because if the answer is no you want to find the point where it is parfocal. A little effort in that department while you are setting up saves time with each and every photograph you take.

Sometimes it requires a relay lens in the photo tube.

I think you were smart to use a Sony NEX rather than a DSLR.


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 Post subject: Re: Attaching digital SLR to Bausch and Lomb Stereozoom 7
PostPosted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:18 pm 
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Thanks, Dr. Sue and Gene.

My setup is not parfocal at all but luckily the Sony NEX-5N has a setting where it zooms in 4x the image, as well as color the sharp point in a red color. It's not foolproof by any means but it does help. I actually purchased an Olympus NFK 3.3x relay lens but I haven't had much luck with getting clear pictures with it. It increases the problems of camera shake even more and it has vignetting. I think where the vibration is coming is actually from the shutter of the camera and that the microscope is sitting on my kitchen table. I'm going to move it to the kitchen island tonight and see if my photos are clearer. I have alot of respect for the folks at Gemologyonline who posted crystal clear microscope photos. It's not an easy to get a crisp 2 to 3 second shot.


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 Post subject: Re: Attaching digital SLR to Bausch and Lomb Stereozoom 7
PostPosted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 5:11 pm 
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If your exposures are two or three seconds you might not be getting enough light onto your subject.

Stability is very important. Use a cable release or electronic shutter tringgering so you don't make it vibrate by pushing the shoot button.

If the camera is causing vibration which it probably ought not to be since it does not have mirror, a long exposure can be good because most of the exposure happens after the vibration has died away.
Presuming the table / bench is steady and there is not a huge truck going by outside or an earth tremor.


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 Post subject: Re: Attaching digital SLR to Bausch and Lomb Stereozoom 7
PostPosted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 6:19 pm 
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Nice work!!!! =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>

ciao
alberto

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 Post subject: Re: Attaching digital SLR to Bausch and Lomb Stereozoom 7
PostPosted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:50 pm 
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Thanks, Alberto!

Gene - I need to dig into the box and see if the camera came with a remote. If not, I will need to purchase a trigger. It's amazing how loud the shutter is - it's almost as loud as the Bronica, and this is a BIG shutter. I also think that having teflon tape around the tube is not the final solution to fitting the tube in the photo-port.

Regarding lighting, I have a Dolan Jenner 180. I turn the knob just past the center. Any more than that, my stone's reflections cause massive glare in the microscope. To control the size of light, I fashion a piece of FIMO into a cone shape and stick it on the end of the light guide. My light guide also has a focus lens at the end. I haven't used any diffusing techniques, other than holding a tissue in front of the light. I'm thinking of buying some white hose, a technique I have used in the past. I would appreciate any suggestions with avoiding glare.


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 Post subject: Re: Attaching digital SLR to Bausch and Lomb Stereozoom 7
PostPosted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 2:59 am 
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The Dolan Jenner 180 is a venerable source previously sold by GIA with their label on it. But it is an early design and you have to pay attention to the color drift that happens when you electronically dim them. The light experiences a "red shift"

It is better to color balance with the lamp at full throttle and to regulate the amount of light with something like an iris diagphragm or perforated plate as is done on some FOSTEC and all VOLPI modes.

The same thing can be accomplished by making circular diaphragms or plates with various size perforations which can go after your focusing lens. Some DJ 180s have a filter slot and you could put a disc with tiny perforations in there.

If you are going to use the electronic dimmer you should make some index marks so that you can always set it at repeatable spots and then have reusable white balances for those settings.

I agree that teflon tape should be temporary. A camera that is mounted to a scope needs to be mounted SOLIDLY. And you need to find that parfocal point.
I would be concerned about that shutter noise. A Bronica is noisy because it has a 6X6 cm mirror slapping. The NEX doesn't have any (right? It's an EVIL camera not a DSLR right?)


What is FIMO??

You should go to my other favorite web forum http://www.photomacrography.net/forums
where you will see endless tricks for lighting. Lots of really really smart people.
Even though they are smart they like to take lots of portraits of bugz!

It looks like your camera tube is OK but you probably need a camera adapter that can fit its diameter, have an appropriate size relay lens and have a NEX mount.
You can probably find this on ebay if your tube is 23 , 30.5 or 30 mm.


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 Post subject: Re: Attaching digital SLR to Bausch and Lomb Stereozoom 7
PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 5:18 pm 
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Thanks, Gene. I have been trolling the photomacrography website for ideas. Today, I purchased a Vivitar bellows. I may be able to use my steel pipe after all!

BTW, Fimo is a polymer-based clay. :)


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