Help needed. Focus issue on Trinocular Microscope

[haratua]

As I get older and eyesight getting worse, I decided to get a microscope.

I want to get the same focus on both through the eyepieces and on the camera. In other words, what I see is what's on the camera.

Please see attached photo of my current setup on the lenses and adapter. Do I need get another camera adapter?

Thanks in advance.

[tomh207]

This video might be a good place to start.

Tom

[mikepilk]

1 hour ago, haratua said:

I want to get the same focus on both through the eyepieces and on the camera. In other words, what I see is what's on the camera.

I have a similar set-up. 

My microscope came with the high camera connector you see. Then I have a 0.5x Barlow and the camera = it's quite high !

Even then, the view through the camera is higher mag than the eyepieces, I guess about 2x.  I wanted the same view through each. I can't quite get all of a typical watch movement through the camera lens.

[haratua]

10 hours ago, mikepilk said:

I have a similar set-up. 

My microscope came with the high camera connector you see. Then I have a 0.5x Barlow and the camera = it's quite high !

Even then, the view through the camera is higher mag than the eyepieces, I guess about 2x.  I wanted the same view through each. I can't quite get all of a typical watch movement through the camera lens.

It looks like I need a connector that can adjust the height of the camera. Did you get yours with the microscope, or purchased it separately? I will try to get it. Thanks

11 hours ago, tomh207 said:

This video might be a good place to start.

Tom

Thanks. This is helpful. But doesn't solve my issue. With the 0.5x barlow on the objective lens, my camera cannot get in focus.

[thor447]

19 minutes ago, haratua said:

It looks like I need a connector that can adjust the height of the camera. Did you get yours with the microscope, or purchased it separately? I will try to get it. Thanks

Thanks. This is helpful. But doesn't solve my issue. With the 0.5x barlow on the objective lens, my camera cannot get in focus.

I had the exact same problem.  I ended up purchasing this adapter to manually adjust the focus on my microscope camera:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088C19QV6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s05?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Unfortunately it did not have the correct thread to mount to my camera, so this little $6 "C-CS" 5mm adapter did the trick:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B096FG8X78/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Both pieces combined allows for easy manual adjustment on my AmScope SM-4NTP with a cheap Amazon Hayear camera:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NSNQSGK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s05?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The same setup will probably work for you, you'll just need to confirm the mounting/thread type for your camera.

 

Edited April 14, 2023 by thor447

[GuyMontag]

Like thor447, I also have the same adapter and it is a 0.35X (not the 0.5X that you have) and can adjust focus on the adapter. I can get perfect focus on my microscope with the 0.5X Barlow attached.

[thor447]

34 minutes ago, GuyMontag said:

Like thor447, I also have the same adapter and it is a 0.35X (not the 0.5X that you have) and can adjust focus on the adapter. I can get perfect focus on my microscope with the 0.5X Barlow attached.

Same here.  It took me a bit of trial and error of trying different things, but I can just barely get the full movement in frame, in full focus using the 0.35X, adapter, and 0.5 Barlow.

[GuyMontag]

22 minutes ago, thor447 said:

Same here.  It took me a bit of trial and error of trying different things, but I can just barely get the full movement in frame, in full focus using the 0.35X, adapter, and 0.5 Barlow.

When fully zoomed out I can get two 11 1/2 ligne watches in the field of view, both horizontally and vertically. So I could fit four 11 1/2 ligne movements in the FOV with the 0.35X adapter and 0.5 Barlow when looking through the eyepieces.

So I guess it should be mentioned that the field of view that you see in the eye pieces will not be the same as in the camera. I have a monitor attached to my camera on my bench and the camera view (with the 0.35X adapter and 0.5X Barlow) is always more zoomed in that what I see through the eye pieces. So while I could fit four 11 1/2 ligne movements in the FOV when looking through the eyepieces at minimum magnification, on the monitor they would all be cropped off at the edges.

[mikepilk]

This is how my microscope came, with the sliding focus adaptor for the camera

But your adaptor screws straight in to the microscope body. Is that how it came?

My camera needs to be that high to focus, I don't see how it could if it was down where yours is?

Update. I just found the user manual. You can either fit the sliding 'PK-mount adaptor' (as above), or the C-mount for CTV, as shown on your microscope, for displaying on a TV monitor. I don't know what you would plug in to that?

 

 

 

 

Edited April 15, 2023 by mikepilk

[haratua]

1 hour ago, mikepilk said:

This is how my microscope came, with the sliding focus adaptor for the camera

But your adaptor screws straight in to the microscope body. Is that how it came?

My camera needs to be that high to focus, I don't see how it could if it was down where yours is?

Update. I just found the user manual. You can either fit the sliding 'PK-mount adaptor' (as above), or the C-mount for CTV, as shown on your microscope, for displaying on a TV monitor. I don't know what you would plug in to that?

 

 

 

 

Mine came with the C-mount adapter 0.5x. Apparently, from what the others are saying, 0.35x adapter will work with 0.5x Barlow.

[mikepilk]

1 minute ago, haratua said:

Mine came with the C-mount adapter 0.5x. Apparently, from what the others are saying, 0.35x adapter will work with 0.5x Barlow.

What I can't understand is, that to focus, my camera is about 140mm above the microscope mounting point. If I change the mount to the C-mount adaptor and 0.35x Barlow,

a) how do I know it will focus (and also be in sync with the eyepieces)

b) what field of view will I get ?

[thor447]

14 hours ago, GuyMontag said:

When fully zoomed out I can get two 11 1/2 ligne watches in the field of view, both horizontally and vertically. So I could fit four 11 1/2 ligne movements in the FOV with the 0.35X adapter and 0.5 Barlow when looking through the eyepieces.

So I guess it should be mentioned that the field of view that you see in the eye pieces will not be the same as in the camera. I have a monitor attached to my camera on my bench and the camera view (with the 0.35X adapter and 0.5X Barlow) is always more zoomed in that what I see through the eye pieces. So while I could fit four 11 1/2 ligne movements in the FOV when looking through the eyepieces at minimum magnification, on the monitor they would all be cropped off at the edges.

That's what I meant to convey in my earlier message.  The field of view in through my microscope can fit 1 complete movement.  Well said.

[Geotex]

There are three aspects to making a microscope-camera connection. The first is the one that is basically a plumbing problem where you need to fit up the proper diameter and threads with one or more adapters to make a physical connection. The other is the magnification factor, which is generally noted on the adapter. The final piece to the puzzle is the resulting focal length of whatever lenses ended up being in the light path, and whether or not they can be adjusted to focus properly on the camera sensor array. It's possible to solve one or two of these problems but still end up with the third being unacceptable if the choices aren't compatible.  Some connectors have no integral optics, so it's just the lenses in the microscope and trinocular mount that are sending light through to the camera sensor. Others may have their own internal lenses, like the 0.35X connector mentioned above, which will establish a new focal length/image plane. Finally, some adapters don't have integral lenses but are meant to fit over an eyepiece lens and then it is the magnification and focal length of the eyepiece that will have to be matched by the camera placement. The top diagram in the drawing appears to be an example of an eyepiece adapter, so it will have a much longer physical dimension than the direct coupling adapters.

There are a lot of variables, so the easiest path is to match a particular camera/scope/adapter combination that has been documented to work together to avoid reinventing the wheel.

Also - this might have a more noticeable effect on a high-mag microscope than it would on a dissecting-type scope, but adjustable eyepieces can play a role in getting the camera parfocal. If only one of your eyepiece lenses is adjustable, then you can really only use it to match one eye to the other. However, if both are adjustable, then in combination they both can be adjusted in tandem to one end of their adjustment or the other, which can help you get to that final sweet spot where everything is in focus. Worth playing around with in any case.

[kd8tzc]

I have the same problem that the OP has, where my eyepieces are in focus ( the way the video above shows), but I can't focus the camera enough (the ring stops).

The other issue I have is I have a trinocular (two eye pieces plus the one for the camera), but I lose my left eye when I have to pull out the bar to allow the camera to see.  Is there any way to fix this so the camera can see AND I can see with both eyepieces?  I thought the whole purpose of a trinoc was so that you could keep stereo vision and use a camera.

[xyzzy]

There are simul-focal trinocular microscopes and just plain trinocular microscopes.  The simul-focul variety can use the camera port and both eye pieces at once.  Those that aren't simul-focul need to pull the little knob out that disables the left eye-piece and opens the camera port.  I don't think there is anything you can do but get a new microscope head. 

[kd8tzc]

Rats, okay.  Thanks for the info.  I had hoped to use the video recording so I know how to put things back together, but without being able to see with both eyes, that makes it harder. 

[rehajm]

I have this same issue- wish I’s known about before diving in with the Amscope package. It’s disappointing.  I’ve been using the macro on the iPhone 14 since it is so good. I pause for photos instead of video. I’m still searching for the best set up for lighting the movement. Holding the phone between the scope ring and the movement is no good…