Re: Anybody with experience using Digital SLR on a microscope?

Genya Yanagida wrote:
> I was wondering if anybody has setup a digital SLR like a Canon Eos-1D Mark
> II N on a microscope using a bajonett - C-Mount adapter or other adapters in
> conjunction with a microscopy software like SIS AnalySIS?
>
> What I want to know is whether a live picuture found in AnalySIS would be
> able. I have some assumptions that perhaps AnalySIS would be able to
> communicate with any camera using TWAIN-standard?
>
> And does anybody knows if a cooled Microscopy special digital camera like a
> Olympus Color View III with a 2/3 inch-chip is better than a 2,16 or 4,33
> inch-chip of a Canon Eos-1D Mark II N or a Kodak DCS SLR? Perhaps anybody
> has data on pixel sizes of common SLR digital cameras?
>
> If anybody has special experience on this issue, perhaps he/she can post
> some infos for me.
>
> Genya Yanagida
> Medical University of Vienna

I use the Nikon D70 with Nikon Capture camera control and ImageJ and
PaintShop Pro for some post-processing. I also use PixeLink cameras,
SBIG, and Coolpix cameras with the apropriate SW. The DSLR works well.
But...

a) A dedicated microscope camera, such as the one you mention, is much
easier to focus than DSLR cameras mounted to a scope.

b) A dedicated microscope camera, such as the one you mention, is
Peltier cooled and hence provides a much better S/N than any CMOS and
CCD based DSLR I know.

c) A dedicated microscope camera does not impose the difficult issues
with vibrations that you will encounter with DSLRs on a scope. A stable
mount is usually enough to make excellent photomicrographs with a
dedicated imaging device.

d) A dedicated microscope camera, usually comes with decent software
for a professional workflow that can save a lot of time when acquiring
images.

e) A dedicated microscope camera, such as the one you mention, has a
C-mount adapter that easily attaches to any ISO 38mm port with a 0.63x
adapter.

If you use the camera professionally in a lab, you should consider to
test drive the Olympus dedicated camera. You should also look at
Pixera's Peltier cooled imaging devices (http://www.pixera.com/),
Nikon's offerings or the SPOT from Diagnostics Instruments
(www.diaginc.com).

Gregor

.