Hello Forum,
I have an Olympus BX51 that came with an Olympus DP20 camera that was attached to the photo port via the following adapters:
U-TV1X-2 (camera intermediate tube)
U-CMAD3 (C-mount adapter)
I wish to attach my Canon T3i instead of the DP20 and wonder if anyone can provide advice on what adapters would be most suitable? Many thanks for any help.
Best regards,
Des
Attaching a Canon T3i to an Olympus BX51
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
Re: Attaching a Canon T3i to an Olympus BX51
I have a web page on this topic:descall wrote:I have an Olympus BX51 that came with an Olympus DP20 camera that was attached to the photo port via the following adapters:
U-TV1X-2 (camera intermediate tube)
U-CMAD3 (C-mount adapter)
I wish to attach my Canon T3i instead of the DP20 and wonder if anyone can provide advice on what adapters would be most suitable?
http://www.alanwood.net/photography/oly ... scope.html
Your adapters are for C-mount cameras and are not suitable for a digital SLR.
You need a U-SPT, plus a PE photo eyepiece. Ideally a PE 2x, but these are rare and expensive so you can start with a PE 2.5x. Then a Photomicro Adapter L; these were designed for Olympus OM cameras but you can easily get a cheap Chinese adapter to use a Canon EOS digital SLR instead.
The U-SPT, PE photo eyepieces and Photomicro Adapter L are all discontinued, and eBay is the best place to find them.
Alan Wood
Because the BX image is fully corrected and I think the distance from the photoport shoulder to the primary image inside the photo eyepiece is bigger than the Canon flange focal distance (44mm if I recall well) I think you can make or find a "direct projection" empty tube adapter to focus that primary image directly onto the sensor. It will provide no relay magnification (total magnification will be the one of the objective or may be modified if you have a magnification changer), ie a 1X adapter, much more convenient IMO for APSC than 2X or 2.5X in a widefield system like yours.
Some forum members do it with modern Nikon and Olympus infinite corrected microscopes.
Some related links:
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 597#112597
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 766#112766
Some forum members do it with modern Nikon and Olympus infinite corrected microscopes.
Some related links:
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 597#112597
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 766#112766
Pau
Hello Pau,
Thankyou very much for this information, which is very helpful. I've just positioned the Canon T3i and a Canon 5DII over the photo port of the BX51. For parfocality, the gap between the surface of the photo port flange and the camera lens mount was about 60 mm in both cases. It seems that both sensors would be suitable for direct projection (the APS-C sensor seems particularly suitable while there is a little vignetting at the corners of the CMOS sensor, which could be easily cropped). So I intend to order a T-mount adapter and then machine a suitably sized hollow tube. I'll let you know how I get on. Thanks again for responding to the query. Much appreciated.
Best regards,
Des
Thankyou very much for this information, which is very helpful. I've just positioned the Canon T3i and a Canon 5DII over the photo port of the BX51. For parfocality, the gap between the surface of the photo port flange and the camera lens mount was about 60 mm in both cases. It seems that both sensors would be suitable for direct projection (the APS-C sensor seems particularly suitable while there is a little vignetting at the corners of the CMOS sensor, which could be easily cropped). So I intend to order a T-mount adapter and then machine a suitably sized hollow tube. I'll let you know how I get on. Thanks again for responding to the query. Much appreciated.
Best regards,
Des
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Charles Krebs
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Des,
You already have the U-TV1X, so all you need for a direct projection arrangement is the Olympus U-TMAD. This would be used instead of the U-CMAD3. It has the standard make T2-mount on the back (42 x 0.75). The list price from Olympus is $141, but if you can find one used or on Ebay it will be a fraction of that. (I show one in place in this thread: http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=17656 )
This is clamped in place with a set screw (like the U-CMAD), so it does not rotate. If you loosen the set screw on the bottom of the U-TV1X you can rotate everything together. This is OK for occasional use but probably not something you want to do all the time... it's not really meant to rotate.
If you really like the idea of a readily rotatable camera mount it is not too hard to make something up from astronomical components. Here is the adapter I made for my Olympus BX super widefield head for direct projection:
If you use the U-TMAD, notice the note I added in that thread mentioned above:
You already have the U-TV1X, so all you need for a direct projection arrangement is the Olympus U-TMAD. This would be used instead of the U-CMAD3. It has the standard make T2-mount on the back (42 x 0.75). The list price from Olympus is $141, but if you can find one used or on Ebay it will be a fraction of that. (I show one in place in this thread: http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=17656 )
This is clamped in place with a set screw (like the U-CMAD), so it does not rotate. If you loosen the set screw on the bottom of the U-TV1X you can rotate everything together. This is OK for occasional use but probably not something you want to do all the time... it's not really meant to rotate.
If you really like the idea of a readily rotatable camera mount it is not too hard to make something up from astronomical components. Here is the adapter I made for my Olympus BX super widefield head for direct projection:
If you use the U-TMAD, notice the note I added in that thread mentioned above:
With this flare diaphragm removed I could get full exposure to the corners of an APS-C sensor. (But this is with the ultra wide-field head. I don't know if this is different from the regular trinocular head).The U-TMAD has an (easily removed) thin flare-cut diaphragm inside at the top near the T-mount. The opening in this diaphragm is pretty small ~20mm, while the metal "through-hole is" about 34mm. With this diaphragm in place I would get vignetting in the corners of a Canon APS body. Removing it allowed full exposure to the corners. (After removing it, it could be seen that the inner surface machining was quite "shiny", so it was lined with the Protostar flocking material).
Thankyou Charlie, very useful indeed. The trinocular head is a superwide tilting version (U-SWETTR-2). I've failed to find a U-TMAD on eBay for the moment but shall keep a look out. In the meantime, it seems that eBay Item 111049182946 may serve the need (I asked the seller and he says it would). I think I'll buy it and see, then pick up a U-TMAD when one arises for a reasonable price. Thankyou once again for your help. Best regards, Des
(ps I see the paper diaphragm you mention in the U-TV1X - I wonder why the metal body wasn't machined to provide that aperture in the first instance?)
(ps I see the paper diaphragm you mention in the U-TV1X - I wonder why the metal body wasn't machined to provide that aperture in the first instance?)
Des,
I have an adapter that fits directly to the USWTR without the dovetail adapter. This solution is very solid and vibration-free. It has 2" inner diameter so that many astronomical components (as Charles has mentioned) can be used with it. Also the camera can be rotated easily. However, because I have to change cameras more often than I initially thought (also with a 0,35x reducer that fits to the original dovetail only) I have to make a new one and you can have this piece if this is what you are searching for. You can see it on the picture below.
I will make you a more detailed picture and show you how it works on Monday or Tuesday.
with best regards,
Horst
I have an adapter that fits directly to the USWTR without the dovetail adapter. This solution is very solid and vibration-free. It has 2" inner diameter so that many astronomical components (as Charles has mentioned) can be used with it. Also the camera can be rotated easily. However, because I have to change cameras more often than I initially thought (also with a 0,35x reducer that fits to the original dovetail only) I have to make a new one and you can have this piece if this is what you are searching for. You can see it on the picture below.
I will make you a more detailed picture and show you how it works on Monday or Tuesday.
with best regards,
Horst
Hello Horst,
Thankyou for your reply. This adapter looks very suitable indeed and thankyou very much for the kind offer of sending it my way. Alas, I have already bought the eBay item (111049182946) which is presently in transit from the other side of the world. If that ultimately turns out to be unsuitable I will take you up on your kind offer.
That's a fine-looking scope setup you have!
Best regards,
Des
Thankyou for your reply. This adapter looks very suitable indeed and thankyou very much for the kind offer of sending it my way. Alas, I have already bought the eBay item (111049182946) which is presently in transit from the other side of the world. If that ultimately turns out to be unsuitable I will take you up on your kind offer.
That's a fine-looking scope setup you have!
Best regards,
Des