Amoeba test

[Charles Krebs]

These are always a constant source of amazement to me! Microscopic "pottery" made by an amoeba!

Olympus 40/0.95 S Plan Apo, Canon 350D, bright-field illumination (slightly oblique), 24 stacked images using Helicon Focus

[beetleman]

And you always give us the best 3D views of them with your fantastic stacks Charles.

[Wolfgang Bettighofer]

These are always a constant source of amazement to me! Microscopic "pottery" made by an amoeba!

Hi Charles,

very nice! You did a great job in parameterizing the stacking software. But what amoeba? The surface looks like Difflugia and the shape like Lesquereusia.

So long, Wolfgang

[Charles Krebs]

The surface looks like Difflugia and the shape like Lesquereusia.

Yes, I thought that very same thing! I have seen such amazing variations of these tests. It really is a shame they are so difficult to photograph well. Stacking is a big help, but my biggest problem has been the "depth" required by the subject and my inability to get a nice sharp image (of the deeper sections) due to spherical aberration. And this is even with a 40X that has a correction collar. I'm beginning to think that I should try to collect some specimens and try it "dry" with a 40X objective designed for use without a coverslip.

[Wolfgang Bettighofer]

The surface looks like Difflugia and the shape like Lesquereusia.

... I'm beginning to think that I should try to collect some specimens and try it "dry" with a 40X objective designed for use without a coverslip.

Looking at your picture I have no idea what could be done better...
Some words to objectives designed for use without a coverslip. Are there any for brightfield use? In former times I used a 40/0.95 objective with correction collar. For me this was not satisfying. Since the time I'm using a 40/1.00 oil I'm happy.
Have you ever tested a 40x oil?

Cheers, Wolfgang

[Planapo]

Gorgeous image, with respect to biological documentation as well as artistic value, Charles. It displays on my monitor so crisply and three-dimensionally as if I just could grab it.

Truly, never have I seen a better picture of Testacean "pottery" than this before. Thanks for showing.

Cheers,
Betty

[Charles Krebs]

Wolfgang...

Have you ever tested a 40x oil?

I have a 40X Zeiss Plan Apo oil. Unfortunately it has some of the dreaded "delamination" so common in those objectives. It still provides a very good image, and does make things simpler as far as not needing to fiddle around with an adjustment collar. But I am not convinced that it really is better when a subject is rather "deep" in the water under the coverglass.

[Wolfgang Bettighofer]

Wolfgang...

Have you ever tested a 40x oil?

I have a 40X Zeiss Plan Apo oil. Unfortunately it has some of the dreaded "delamination" so common in those objectives. It still provides a very good image, and does make things simpler as far as not needing to fiddle around with an adjustment collar. But I am not convinced that it really is better when a subject is rather "deep" in the water under the coverglass.

OK, good to know that one can handle the 40/0,95. I gave it up, years ago, but you show that one can handle.
But I think that the appr. homogenous immersion could make it possible to image subjects in deep water a little better than "dry" objectives (I don't know the correct expression). Unfortunately I'm not able to test...

Cheers, Wolfgang