Saul, I suppose you mean software to decode the fourier plane? I haven't yet thought that far. I am not even sure it can be done on a finite tube mic. But even then the lcd offers interesting possibilities as a dynamic darkfield, COL, etc insert.

Microscopy illumination engineering using a low-cost liquid crystal display

I am still looking for a suitable LCD display that doesn't use sub-pixels.

Does anyone have any info on which terminal is positive on the gun? If you still know how the batteries were to be inserted that is quite easy to see: the flat end of the battery is the negative pole, the 'button' positive. Beware though if the compartment accepts four batteries. Then there is a po...

Like this! More of these, please!

Tonight we measured the pulse length with an oscilloscope. An interesting excercition, really. This is it: http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/userpix/5729_scope_2.png So, not 10µs, but rather half a millisecond. That is, 90% of the curve's surface falls within 500µs. It looks like the diode got s...

...catch directly into a cup... Once upon a time, I found myself without a net and wanting to catch some butterflies. In desperation I tried a small clear plastic bag, and found to my surprise that it worked great! My speculation is that the bag was transparent enough that the butterflies did not p...

I was thinking along the same lines, Chris, but this being an orderly country, flying bullets are hard to come by. Perhaps I could substitute it with an arrow shot, but then, the triggering would be a project in itself. I thinkt it will be easier to find someone with a oscilloscope and try Mike's me...

Once I got convinced the caps are not the explodig kind, and having measured the resistance non-zero, I gathered courage to power the unit. I hid from direct view nonetheless, but the unit behaved gentlemenlike. There's a test/release button on the head and when pressed, the head emits a bucket of l...

It's not the end of the story yet. It might be possible to reform the capacitors (yes, plural, for there isn't any battery at all, but a second nearly identical capacitor in the bottom unit). Only I think I wil build a trickle charger for that purpose that can power the unit on with shorter pulses a...

I did some searching on the Bosch MP capacitors. The 40muF/2500V was not an uncommon type n the 60'ies and 70'ies. But it is an electrolytic capacitor. Is it still wise to try to power it on? ---- EDIT: It is not. The cap is maked 2/64, so it's exactly as old as I am. It has not been in regular use ...

It is 40 muF indeed. I think the voltage is 2.5kV - I have just screwed the aluminium lid back so I can't check it now. On the non-reduced photo there seems to be a comma in front of the 5. Yes, these values scare me. I once shorted a modern studio flash with a chrome-vanadium screwdriver, just befo...

What a surprise to meet you here, Dick!

Wim

Nice score! 10ns certainly sounds interesting for freezing motion! If you upload some shots of the back of the unit, maybe we could help identify the cord type. Wiring a new, more common plug should be reasonably simple as well. The socket reminds me of the ones seen on old clothing irons from the ...

@#$%^!! I am going to avoid using those prefixes. I keep using them wrong...

This week I was offered an apparently rather old flash unit with few markings. I could get it for free, but I only accepted it reluctantly since it is a bulky and heavy apparatus. Now I am googling the thing, I am starting to think it may be more interesting than I thought. This is how it looks like...