Search found 3211 matches

by Chris S.
Thu Mar 24, 2011 2:56 am
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: Newport Linear Stage(s) on fleabay.
Replies: 18
Views: 6944

Chris, I’m really, really flattered to hear that you've found the Bratcam worthy of being an influence--am pretty sure you’re a tough, savvy observer. I'm chagrined to think I might have been inadvertently misleading. But hey, I’ve only had one linear stage in the Bratcam, and two microscope blocks....
by Chris S.
Mon Mar 21, 2011 10:06 pm
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: Newport Linear Stage(s) on fleabay.
Replies: 18
Views: 6944

Enrico, thanks for the explanation of differential micrometers. Now, looking at one of the illustrations shown for the micrometer Chris Lilley mentions, I see what you mean—it’s pretty much a fine micrometer stuck onto the end of a coarse one. The limited length of fine travel would be a substantial...
by Chris S.
Mon Mar 21, 2011 11:57 am
Forum: Technical and Studio Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: Box elder
Replies: 11
Views: 2313

Mitch, do your local box elder bugs appear hairless even under hard side or back lighting? I'm wondering if the diffuse lighting used in your image simply doesn't show them.

--Chris
by Chris S.
Mon Mar 21, 2011 11:02 am
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: Newport Linear Stage(s) on fleabay.
Replies: 18
Views: 6944

You've likely studied the specs already at the Newport Website, but just in case, here is the page: http://www.newport.com/store/product.aspx?id=3161 . While these units could be used for stacking, they would not be my choice for what I think is your use. I take it that by "20:1 or more" you mean th...
by Chris S.
Sat Mar 19, 2011 10:36 pm
Forum: Technical and Studio Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: Box elder
Replies: 11
Views: 2313

From the title of Sonynut's post, I assumed it was a box elder bug, which does look similar to a milkweed bug. Here is a comparison: http://unexco.com/boxelder.html
by Chris S.
Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:10 pm
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: Quality of this Illuminator
Replies: 12
Views: 3674

I think Gene's recommendation of a Schott-Fostec illuminator--at least for the U.S. market--is very wise. My own Schott-Fostec illuminator is first rate, and there are a wide variety of fiber-optic light guides available for it. One of my collaborators lent me a Dolan Jenner unit, and it seems like ...
by Chris S.
Fri Mar 18, 2011 8:47 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: Zerene settings question
Replies: 21
Views: 20827

Rik, thanks for your very well-thought-out and useful response. I've taken quite a bit of time to say anything about it because I've returned to your response several times, with thinking breaks in between, in order to thoroughly digest what you wrote. I find it very, very useful. Thanks again! --Ch...
by Chris S.
Wed Mar 16, 2011 7:48 pm
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: Bio-Rad UMA300
Replies: 5
Views: 2304

Well, some sucker bought it, and will soon have a 60-pound boat anchor landing on his doorstep. Here's hoping I don't throw my back out carrying it to the basement. ;) Couldn't resist, as several parts of the assemblage look like nifty project fodder. I won't, of course, try to reassemble it into an...
by Chris S.
Tue Mar 15, 2011 10:36 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: My new toy
Replies: 17
Views: 8102

The big advantage of these optical systems is that they are placed before the camera, and that the eyepiece focuses on an aerial image instead of a ground glass (= much brighter and more detail visible). Precision focusing becomes much easier than on a ground glass screen (as long as the eyepiece h...
by Chris S.
Tue Mar 15, 2011 1:39 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: Zerene settings question
Replies: 21
Views: 20827

Rik, I wonder if you would mind commenting on this portion of the above? Shift needs to be set to a small value, rather than off, because even the best setup will have some small shift at the pixel level due to mechanical inaccuracies and vibration. Similarly scale should be set to small values rath...
by Chris S.
Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:00 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: All directions macro tabletop
Replies: 8
Views: 16292

Keks, Yes, it’s odd how many of us here are named “Chris”—sometimes, it gets confusing. That is a very nice CAD drawing of your alternate configuration. I’ve been intending to learn Google Sketchup myself—seems like a very useful tool. Parker seems to be calling those clamps, in English, “tube clamp...
by Chris S.
Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:33 am
Forum: Equipment Exchange
Topic: Found: aluminium block with some tapped holes
Replies: 20
Views: 12761

Don Wilson, the fabricator whose contact info is in the link in my signature below, makes this kind of thing for me all the time, and is happy to work long distance. The price is always reasonable. Not to take away from Sonynut's offer, which is a good one. But if that doesn't work out for whatever ...
by Chris S.
Sun Mar 13, 2011 3:05 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: All directions macro tabletop
Replies: 8
Views: 16292

Keks, great way to start out! Welcome! Thanks for sharing your innovative setup—very helpful to me and no doubt others. Like you, I’ve been wanting the capability to shoot images from any angle between horizontal and vertical. Unlike you, I haven’t moved this particular project out of the idea stage...
by Chris S.
Sat Mar 12, 2011 4:20 pm
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: Mitutoyo FS-60, first impressions
Replies: 16
Views: 9394

The Mitutoyo VM-40 . . . has a 0.25x-20x tube lens. The Edmund Optics catalog has similar tube lenses, badged, iirc, as Mitutoyo and Techspec. From the descriptions and suggested assemblies, my sense is that these lenses cut the size of the image circle too much for use on an APS sensor, though not...
by Chris S.
Sat Mar 12, 2011 10:30 am
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: Medium-format zoom joins "no-go as tube lens" list
Replies: 22
Views: 13316

Well, I tried the Mamiya 100-200 zoom reverse-mounted. Note that I used the word "tried," rather than the more rigorous "tested." I hand-held the objective (mounted in a flat adapter, which kept out stray light and helped me keep the objective axially aligned--and worked surprisingly well). I didn't...