Bought My First Microscope

Starting out in microscopy? Post images and ask questions relating to the microscope and get answers from our more advanced users on the subject.

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billweckel
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2020 9:35 pm
Location: Fort Walton Beach, Florida, USA

Bought My First Microscope

Post by billweckel »

I've been doing macrophotography and water drop collisions for a few years and recently got interested in microscopes (haven't touched one since high school).

I found a Swift SW380T in Amazon's "Warehouse" listed as "Used, Like New - ships in original packaging" for $200.00 and free shipping so I bought it. I'm figuring that it will give me a nice, inexpensive, introduction to microscopes and if it completely captures my imagination, I can start looking for something better like a Nikon on the used market. At least for now, my curiosity will be satisfied and I won't be out much money if I decide this isn't for me. I hope this was a good buy - it seemed like it to me.

So, Swift and several other Chinese brands of microscope CMOS cameras run several hundred dollars for (what strikes me as) very low megapixel / video FPS specs. Aliexpress has no-name CMOS cameras in the ~40 megapixel range for less than half the cost of the Swift/Motic. Whys is there this huge disparity in price/specs between the Swift/Motic cameras and the generics? Is it really just branding and marketing accounting for the price difference or is there something special about the Swift/Motic cameras that justifies the higher price?

Also, I have a Canon Mark 5D SR - would I be better off just using this for photo/video and not even bothering with one of these dedicated microscope cameras?

Thanks in advance for any advice. I'm excited!

Bill

dragonblade
Posts: 200
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 11:16 pm

Re: Bought My First Microscope

Post by dragonblade »

billweckel wrote:
Thu Nov 05, 2020 10:17 pm
I've been doing macrophotography and water drop collisions for a few years and recently got interested in microscopes (haven't touched one since high school).
Welcome to the club! Actually, your experiences sound just like mine. One of the things I enjoyed in science class in high school was viewing micro organisms in samples of pond water with a microscope. Then many years later, I bought one for myself to re-experience that same joy and fascination.
billweckel wrote:
Thu Nov 05, 2020 10:17 pm
Also, I have a Canon Mark 5D SR - would I be better off just using this for photo/video and not even bothering with one of these dedicated microscope cameras?
I don't have any direct experience with the dedicated microscope cameras. Though from what Ive heard about the digital usb microscopes with integrated cameras was that the cameras are usually junk. That may or may not be the case with the stand alone cameras you mentioned above. Regardless, the general advice Ive heard from this forum is that you'll get better photographic results by using a traditional microscope paired with a proper / serious camera like an SLR / DSLR / mirrorless etc. So that's what I did. In my case, I use Panasonic Micro 4/3rds mirrorless cameras with a compound microscope and I'm happy with the results. I use the afocal technique with a 30mm f2.8 lens in conjunction with a 10x eyepiece.

And by the way, I have a cheap microscope too. Mine was made in India. Who knows - I may buy a more expensive microscope model later down the track. Though for now, I'm more or less content with the budget priced scope despite it's shortcomings and weird quirks. However, I will replace the LED light which is not really adequate for the lower magnification objectives.

billweckel
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2020 9:35 pm
Location: Fort Walton Beach, Florida, USA

Re: Bought My First Microscope

Post by billweckel »

Thanks for the welcome and reply. I'll hold off on buying a camera for now and work towards getting my Canon 5D connected.

I've read that the 3W LED in the scope I bought is generally considered insufficient. Does anyone know how to upgrade to something more powerful?

dragonblade
Posts: 200
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 11:16 pm

Re: Bought My First Microscope

Post by dragonblade »

billweckel wrote:
Fri Nov 06, 2020 8:25 am
I'll hold off on buying a camera for now and work towards getting my Canon 5D connected.
Seeing that your Canon 5D has a much larger sensor than the Swift and Motic cameras, you'll likely get better results with the Canon. So it may not even be worth considering the microscope cameras. Though perhaps they may be more convenient to use in conjunction with a microscope.
billweckel wrote:
Fri Nov 06, 2020 8:25 am
I've read that the 3W LED in the scope I bought is generally considered insufficient. Does anyone know how to upgrade to something more powerful?
There's another thread on the same page within this forum about mirror replacements which have some suggestions for light sources.

dragonblade
Posts: 200
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 11:16 pm

Re: Bought My First Microscope

Post by dragonblade »

dragonblade wrote:
Fri Nov 06, 2020 9:04 am
billweckel wrote:
Fri Nov 06, 2020 8:25 am
I'll hold off on buying a camera for now and work towards getting my Canon 5D connected.
Seeing that your Canon 5D has a much larger sensor than the Swift and Motic cameras, you'll likely get better results with the Canon. So it may not even be worth considering the microscope cameras. Though perhaps they may be more convenient to use in conjunction with a microscope.
billweckel wrote:
Fri Nov 06, 2020 8:25 am
I've read that the 3W LED in the scope I bought is generally considered insufficient. Does anyone know how to upgrade to something more powerful?
Some suggestions for light source options in here:
https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... 15&t=42637

Pau
Site Admin
Posts: 6038
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:57 am
Location: Valencia, Spain

Re: Bought My First Microscope

Post by Pau »

Hi Bill, welcome aboard!

here you have a very good article on cameras for photomicrography:
https://www.canadiannaturephotographer. ... DSLRs.html
It covers many topics although afocal system with DSLRs is better explained at my post here https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... 265#p99265
and eyepiece projection and some important concepts at the articles by Charles Krebs at http://www.krebsmicro.com/
Pau

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