Our tank's biology up close
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Myka
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Hi Jason, sorry if you've answered this somewhere in this thread already...how do you like this scope? It's a nice price point. Would you recommend it? How about for fish disease identification? Skin scrapings/dissection? Maybe too powerful for dissection...
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Stereo microscope is much more appropriate for dissection unless doing thin cell slices. Scraping for fish disease it would be perfect. For the price its a good scope. Its the software and top mounted camera I like best. I can still look througg the eye pieces and upgrade the camera to what ever I want which is a big benefit.
The software though has been awesome and makes up for not having phase contrast lenses a bit. I'd still like to get a nice set of phase contrast lenses though. With the software I can close down the iris to where there's no way I can see anything through eye pieces but through the software can increase the exposure a lot and see everything. Closing off the iris really brings out the contrast and then the software itself can then boost the contrast and brightness some more.
Like here. Turning up the contrast with the software really brings out the bacteria between these two pictures.
Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0054 by Jason, on Flickr
Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0055 by Jason, on Flickr
Myka
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Great, thank you! I'm not sure what "phase contrast lenses" are, but I will look into this. What type of camera is it? Is it a standard camera that I could mount on there? It doesn't look like it in the pics though. Maybe I could spend money smarter if I use my own camera that I already have, and upgrade the lenses or something?
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You could get a camera T mount or even a smart phone camera mount. The camera I got on there is a specific kind made for the microscope
Myka
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Ok, that's what I'm looking at too. I'll see if I can find it without the camera.
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Supposed to be able to. I haven't done it yet. It came with a calibration slide too which I reference when guessing sizes based on lens used.
Ok. But Id also like video to see if they make and pull current like the big ones do.How about some fresh pineapple
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A stereo scope would be better at that. I am having to use a concave slide as they are to thick otherwise for a standard slide and cover slip
No luck in slicing one? Scalpel or exacto?.
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Tried... it smushed in half...
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Pretty much what I thought it was going to be. Lots of dense spicules. Found at high magnification some were jagged.
PineappleSponge-0001 by Jason, on Flickr
PineappleSponge-0003 by Jason, on Flickr
PineappleSponge-0004 by Jason, on Flickr
PineappleSponge-0006 by Jason, on Flickr
PineappleSponge-0001 by Jason, on FlickrPineappleSponge-0003 by Jason, on FlickrPineappleSponge-0004 by Jason, on FlickrPineappleSponge-0006 by Jason, on Flickr
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Lots of diatoms living in with it which makes sense as they are hungry for silica.
PineappleSponge-0007 by Jason, on Flickr
PineappleSponge-0008 by Jason, on Flickr
PineappleSponge-0010 by Jason, on Flickr
PineappleSponge-0011 by Jason, on Flickr
PineappleSponge-0007 by Jason, on FlickrPineappleSponge-0008 by Jason, on FlickrPineappleSponge-0010 by Jason, on FlickrPineappleSponge-0011 by Jason, on FlickrSimilar threads
