Photomicrography ... objective questions (and general advice)

I am considering purchasing a microscope for photomicrography (with a
Canon 300d). I am currently looking at Zeiss(Axiostar Plus) and
Nikon(E200). I'm leaning toward Nikon because I would have the chance
to try the scope out before purchase and have a local salesperson to
contact with any problems. With Zeiss, I would order online. I was
orignally planning to spend around $1500 but anticapate spending a bit
more than that, after looking at prices.

My main concern is "what objectives to purchase" ... I'm trying to
balance quality with affordability.

My hope is to be able to try out the Nikon with my camera, and also
with different "class" objectives. From what information I could gain
from the saleslady - I could only get a quote on a particular scope
instead of a comprehensive parts/price listing - the "standard" Nikon
achromat objectives aren't very good. She suggested the next step up
(still achromat) but was confident that I did not need
semi-apochromatic objectives. Regular apochromats are out of my price
range.

So, my question is - what types of images would be best to show the
differences between acrhomat and semi-apochromatic objectives?
Differences that would show up in photographs, especially?

I don't want to spend a lot of money on a microscope only to find,
later, that the cheaper objectives aren't suitable for photography. I
also don't want to spend more money than necessary, especially to get
started. But I want photographs with good color/optical quality.

Any general advice is most welcome, too! I've just found an Olympus
dealer close by, so I'll probably be considering their microscopes as
well.

Thanks,
~frances

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Nikon S-KE
    ... I own a Nikon SK-E microscope with polarizing attachments. ... Your eyepieces are similar to Kpl Zeiss's I think. ... objectives and eyepieces are designed from the ground up to be strainfree. ...
    (sci.techniques.microscopy)
  • Re: Zeiss ICM 405
    ... What you have is a very fine metalograph, an inverted microscope ... one you have uses bottom up lighting while the others use top down ... There were two different sets of objectives offerred by Zeiss for ... and another polarizing filter before the light reaches the binoculars. ...
    (sci.techniques.microscopy)
  • Re: Nikon D70 DSLR on microscope: Update
    ... >setup, which is parfocal with the objectives, the D70 oversamples the image ... >factor of 0.5x is recommended but such a relay lens can be rather expensive. ... I've been trying to use a Nikon microscope adapter (containing relay ...
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  • Re: Photomicrography ... objective questions (and general advice)
    ... > My main concern is "what objectives to purchase" ... ... > I don't want to spend a lot of money on a microscope only to find, ... But I want photographs with good color/optical quality. ... achromats can produce some nice ...
    (sci.techniques.microscopy)
  • Re: How many pixels?
    ... needed for some common objectives.. ... of the microscope onto the CCD increases that demand. ... the NA per unit magnification of various objectives that I own. ... approximate number of resolved pixels in the exit pupil as 0.64 Megapixels. ...
    (sci.techniques.microscopy)