Help needed. Focus issue on Trinocular Microscope

[mikepilk]

10 hours ago, linux said:

I have a similar rig and the same issue with the camera having a higher magnification than the eyepieces.  I researched it for a while and then gave up and I just live with it.

I had a 0.5x Barlow on the camera, but have recently fitted a 0.35x which is a big improvement. You can get 0.3x Barlow lenses.

[linux]

15 hours ago, mikepilk said:

I had a 0.5x Barlow on the camera, but have recently fitted a 0.35x which is a big improvement. You can get 0.3x Barlow lenses.

I thought about trying a 0.35, just never did it.  So is the field of view pretty close between the camera and eyepieces?

[mikepilk]

10 hours ago, linux said:

I thought about trying a 0.35, just never did it.  So is the field of view pretty close between the camera and eyepieces?

It will depend on the camera, but on my setup : zoomed out with 10X eyepieces, FOV is 70mm circle.

Camera 0.35X Barlow : Rectangle 48mm x 27mm.  Which is OK as I can get a pic complete movements up to 12'''.

 

Edited January 1 by mikepilk

[gpraceman]

I tried a 0.3X Barlow on my microscope.  It does increase the FOV for both the microscope and the camera, but I had to lift the boom up to nearly its limit to get it to focus and I lost the ability to use the full zoom range (I only got up to about 2.5 zoom).  That can be handy for taking photos/video but isn't as practical for me for normal work.  I use the 0.5x Barlow for that.  Then I can get the higher zoom for doing jewel inspection.

My setup is a the Eakins equivalent to the Amscope SM-4T, with 10x eyepieces, a 0.5x Barlow, a 0.35x C mount camera adapter, a C-CS 5mm adapter, and a camera with a 1/2.3 inch sensor.

I'd like to try a camera with a larger image sensor, to get a better camera FOV, but those are more expensive.

What would be nice is if I could find a C mount adapter with a magnification of less than 0.35x.  I have only found them in 0.35x, 0.5x and 1.0x.

[GuyMontag]

20 minutes ago, gpraceman said:

My setup is a the Eakins equivalent to the Amscope SM-4T, with 10x eyepieces, a 0.5x Barlow, a 0.35x C mount camera adapter, a C-CS 5mm adapter, and a camera with a 1/2.3 inch sensor.

I'd like to try a camera with a larger image sensor, to get a better camera FOV, but those are more expensive.

What would be nice is if I could find a C mount adapter with a magnification of less than 0.35x.  I have only found them in 0.35x, 0.5x and 1.0x.

It sounds like we have a similar setup with the Eakins scope and accoutrements. If you happen to have a mirrorless or DSLR, I was able to 3D print an adapter that was a game changer compared to the dedicated microscope camera I had been using. The larger image sensor gives me a close to equivalent view through the eyepieces compared to the camera view (see the linked post for more info). But, for me, more importantly it has a much better image quality with a ton of 'quality of life' improvements vs. the dedicated microscope camera. Basically, all of the annoyances that I had with the microscope camera went away when I was able to adapt my Sony a6300 to the microscope.

[gpraceman]

4 minutes ago, GuyMontag said:

It sounds like we have a similar setup with the Eakins scope and accoutrements. If you happen to have a mirrorless or DSLR, I was able to 3D print an adapter that was a game changer compared to the dedicated microscope camera I had been using. The larger image sensor gives me a close to equivalent view through the eyepieces compared to the camera view (see the linked post for more info). But, for me, more importantly it has a much better image quality with a ton of 'quality of life' improvements vs. the dedicated microscope camera. Basically, all of the annoyances that I had with the microscope camera went away when I was able to adapt my Sony a6300 to the microscope.

I do have a Nikon D3500 DSLR.  Hadn't tried finding an adapter to give that a try.

[GuyMontag]

6 minutes ago, gpraceman said:

I do have a Nikon D3500 DSLR.  Hadn't tried finding an adapter to give that a try.

If you don't have a 3D printer I can print you one, let me know. You would still need the helicoid adapter which looks like it comes in a Nikon F mount, which I think the D3500 has. EDIT: it looks like the linked page I had for the helicoid adapter isn't available on Amazon any longer, it may be available elsewhere though.

Edited January 3 by GuyMontag

[gpraceman]

48 minutes ago, GuyMontag said:

If you don't have a 3D printer I can print you one, let me know. You would still need the helicoid adapter which looks like it comes in a Nikon F mount, which I think the D3500 has.

I do have a 3D printer.  I see your STL file for the microscope adapter.  So, I take it that the helicoid adapter connects the microscope adapter to the camera and allows for focusing the camera.

After some searching, I haven't yet found a helicoid adapter with a threaded end.

Edited January 3 by gpraceman

[mikepilk]

I use the 0.5X Barlow on the main lens of the microscope. This gives me the ideal combination of magnification and working depth.

The 0.35X Barlow is mounted just below the camera (pic above). Unlike the original sliding mount, it has a focusing ring. 

[Veketti]

I got similar setup than the OP and the camera supplied with the trinocular was never sharp image. Quite blurry and never really used it because of that. Now after four years decided to buy 4k camera (Mechanics MOS4K) which was quite expensive, I get the same blurry image. So I'm starting to believe it's the microscope that's playing around. This version can use the camera same time than both of the eyepieces. Issue is not about the focal distance as I can adjust that with the supplied adapter. From the eyepiece, image is very sharp. I'm not sure what could be causing this.

[mikepilk]

39 minutes ago, Veketti said:

I got similar setup than the OP and the camera supplied with the trinocular was never sharp image. Quite blurry and never really used it because of that. Now after four years decided to buy 4k camera (Mechanics MOS4K) which was quite expensive, I get the same blurry image. So I'm starting to believe it's the microscope that's playing around. This version can use the camera same time than both of the eyepieces. Issue is not about the focal distance as I can adjust that with the supplied adapter. From the eyepiece, image is very sharp. I'm not sure what could be causing this.

When I first fitted the 0.35X Barlow I could not focus my camera. I found that it needed a 5mm spacer.  This is quite common. Try holding your camera up slightly above the mount to see if it focuses.

I nearly made the mistake of upgrading to a more expensive camera with many megapixels. But then I did some research and found that more than about 4-5M Pixel is all that's needed in a microscope. So all those posting about their expensive new 18-20M pixel cameras will get no better image than a 4M pixel.

 

 

[Veketti]

Thanks. I decided to dig bit deeper and unscrew the camera adapter. There was triangular prism which direct light to the left ocular and noticed that the top surface was dirty on that prism. I cleaned it, but it made little to no differences. One thing makes me wonder that is different from the setups here is that I have straight tube on camera adapter. My main lens is 0.5X. Is it mandatory to have some 0.5 to 0.35X lens for the camera too to focus?

I’ve tried to lift the camera over the adjustment limits and the focus gets worse so definitely it’s now in the sweet spot.

[GuyMontag]

11 hours ago, gpraceman said:

I do have a 3D printer.  I see your STL file for the microscope adapter.  So, I take it that the helicoid adapter connects the microscope adapter to the camera and allows for focusing the camera.

After some searching, I haven't yet found a helicoid adapter with a threaded end.

Yes, the helicoid connects the 3D printed adapter to the camera and allows for focusing. LIke you, I am also not seeing any F mount helicoid adapters that are threaded on the other end.

[mikepilk]

2 hours ago, Veketti said:

 I have straight tube on camera adapter.

Is the tube removable. Do you have a pic of it? 

2 hours ago, Veketti said:

 My main lens is 0.5X. Is it mandatory to have some 0.5 to 0.35X lens for the camera too to focus?

Having a  0.5X Barlow on the main lens should not effect the camera focus.

[gpraceman]

5 hours ago, GuyMontag said:

Yes, the helicoid connects the 3D printed adapter to the camera and allows for focusing. LIke you, I am also not seeing any F mount helicoid adapters that are threaded on the other end.

Well, I can try it this way.  M42 Lens to F Mount Adapter, M42 to M42 helicoid, then your 3D printed microscope adapter.  Though, there are differing length helicoids.  Not sure which would provided the needed travel for focusing.

 

6 hours ago, Veketti said:

Thanks. I decided to dig bit deeper and unscrew the camera adapter. There was triangular prism which direct light to the left ocular and noticed that the top surface was dirty on that prism. I cleaned it, but it made little to no differences. One thing makes me wonder that is different from the setups here is that I have straight tube on camera adapter. My main lens is 0.5X. Is it mandatory to have some 0.5 to 0.35X lens for the camera too to focus?

I’ve tried to lift the camera over the adjustment limits and the focus gets worse so definitely it’s now in the sweet spot.

First make sure that you have the eyepiece focus set correctly.  My eyepieces have a silver line which denotes the zero position.  Leave the eyepiece for your dominant eye at zero and only adjust the non-dominant eyepiece until it gets in focus.  Then adjust your camera focus.  I needed a 5mm C-CS mount adapter to get the camera to focus correctly.  I use a 0.35x C mount adapter (that has a manual focus ring to fine tune the focus). 

Edited January 3 by gpraceman