Connecting a digital camera to a Nikon E600.

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majahops
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:19 pm

Connecting a digital camera to a Nikon E600.

Post by majahops »

I have a Nikon E600 microscope. It has a Y-QT quadrocular adapter to allow for two cameras. The 3CCD camera that is installed in the first ("top") camera port is god awful. I want to install a digital camera in the back adapter (see image of my E600: https://imgur.com/xOR7Uru). The digital camera that I am looking into buying can attach to a C-mount or eyepiece tube of size 23.2mm, 30mm or 30.5mm. I was wondering if anybody knew if I would need an adapter to attach the digital camera to my microscope, and if so, which one. Thank you so, so very much ahead of time.

harisA
Posts: 513
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:31 am
Location: Greece

Post by harisA »

I don't have the Y-QT so I don't know how you can attach a camera to the lower port.
I do own a Nikon trino head for E400 microscope.The easiest way is to attach a mirrorless camera (Olympus or Sony) which have a flange distance similar to C-mount.
I will advice against a c-mount camera unless you need it for a very specific microscope technique.
Right now you have an old analog sony ccd camera attached to the upper port.It probably has a resolution of 640x480 which is useless.
Just throw away the sony and put there a mirrorless camera.

majahops
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:19 pm

Post by majahops »

harisA. First off, thank you so very much for responding! It really does mean a lot! I actually just need the camera to demonstrate live video for Hematology fellows during Hematopathology conference. We will very rarely actually take pictures. I am funding this out of my own pocket, as well, so I'd prefer not to spend much money and the digital cameras I am looking at are around $200. If I were to throw away the 3ccd camera, do you know how I might install a C-mount? Thank you so, so much again!

harisA
Posts: 513
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:31 am
Location: Greece

Post by harisA »

I thought you wanted to take pictures. Video is a totally different thing and in your case you want to live feed an external monitor if I have understand correctly.
Seeing again your setup's images I notice the following:
Your setup is consisted from a 0.4x adapter(it has optical elements which shrinks the image to fit the small sensor of sony ccd) and probably a second adapter to fit the bayonet mount of sony.(I suspect that Sony camera has a bayonet mount rather than a c-mount).If you tell me the Sony model I will be 100% sure.

In order to use a c-mount camera you still need the the 0.4x reducer and you must find a proper c-mount adapter.This is rather difficult.
Another solution will be to throw away your current black 0.4x adapter and buy something like this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/0-5X-C-Mount-C ... SwVFlT30o-
Theoritically you only have to put your 1080p c-mount camera over this and with an hdmi cable to a led tv you will have live hd video.

But I haven't try this ebay adapter so I don't know how well works.

majahops
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:19 pm

Post by majahops »

Your response again means so much, and it got me thinking, "I wonder what the other port (the posterior one in the images) looks like?" So it actually has a 38 mm opening. I should be able to put a 38mm-to-Cmount adapter in there and plug a camera into that, right?

OR alternatively, can I just replace the Sony CCD camera (DXC-9000) with another CCD camera (such as https://wholesaler.alibaba.com/product- ... 26384.html) by just swapping them using the setup I have now?

Thanks again!!!

harisA
Posts: 513
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:31 am
Location: Greece

Post by harisA »

majahops wrote:Your response again means so much, and it got me thinking, "I wonder what the other port (the posterior one in the images) looks like?" So it actually has a 38 mm opening. I should be able to put a 38mm-to-Cmount adapter in there and plug a camera into that, right?

OR alternatively, can I just replace the Sony CCD camera (DXC-9000) with another CCD camera (such as https://wholesaler.alibaba.com/product- ... 26384.html) by just swapping them using the setup I have now?

Thanks again!!!
It's not only a matter of mounting ,it also requires the right distance between camera sensor and camera port.
No you can't swap Sony with another c-mount camera.Sony has a bayonet mount .Your new c-mount camera won't fit the existing adapter for Sony.

majahops
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:19 pm

Post by majahops »

... So do you think I should just use one of those eyepiece cameras? Because this sounds like it is going to get quite expensive, otherwise... :(

harisA
Posts: 513
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:31 am
Location: Greece

Post by harisA »

majahops wrote:... So do you think I should just use one of those eyepiece cameras? Because this sounds like it is going to get quite expensive, otherwise... :(
Once again I don't have a personal experience with eyepiece cameras so I can't tell about their performance.I have noticed that the majority of them claiming hd video they have very low frame rate.
Why do you need live video for your presentation? You could take hi resolution photos or hd video with a cheap mirrorless camera (easily less than 100$) and easily put them on your presentation.Even with a zero budget (a point and shout cheapo camera or even a smartphone you can take decent photos or video through the eyepiece and then prepare your presentation without the microscope)

majahops
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:19 pm

Post by majahops »

Oh wow, how would I attach the mirrorless camera to the microscope?

harisA
Posts: 513
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:31 am
Location: Greece

Post by harisA »

majahops wrote:Oh wow, how would I attach the mirrorless camera to the microscope?
1)remove the sony ccd and the black 0.45x adapter

2)Buy this and put it in their place
https://tinyurl.com/ybayh8e6

3)For Olympus cameras you will need this at the top of the previous adapter.
https://tinyurl.com/y7h8l6ua

This solution may work for the lower port of your trino head.Also make sure that the inner dimensions of the upper port is 38mm.This solution worked for me on a single port Nikon trino head with Olympus and sony mirrorless cameras.

majahops
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:19 pm

Post by majahops »

If I use that 38mm-Cmount adapter, and hook that up to this http://www.amscope.com/focusable-hdmi-c ... AgQAvD_BwE, would that work, or would I need some additional part? If it works with just these parts, id just do this.

harisA
Posts: 513
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:31 am
Location: Greece

Post by harisA »

majahops wrote:If I use that 38mm-Cmount adapter, and hook that up to this http://www.amscope.com/focusable-hdmi-c ... AgQAvD_BwE, would that work, or would I need some additional part? If it works with just these parts, id just do this.
Copying from Amscope product page:
''The camera uses a standard C-mount interface for microscopes and lenses. For use with 23mm-30.5mm photo-ports or ocular-ports, an optional 0.37X reduction lens would be ideal.''

And a question.What objective(magnification/numeric aperture) are you using for your live presentation?

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