Sure, we've seen
homebrew digital microscopes built out of old webcams and
proper digital 'scopes with USB interfaces, but if you're really serious about your closeups, Nikon's new Fabre Photo EX system is probably calling your name. The stereoscopic microscope can be fitted to a Nikon DSLR back to capture images, with max magnification based on sensor size and crop factor -- FX backs will yield 20x zoom, while a DX back will let you keep tabs on your favorite
c. elegans at 45x. Various attachments can boost that up to 66x, and there's even an adapter that'll let you mount various Coolpix compacts to the system -- although we doubt that'll look nearly as imposing on your lab bench. Mad scientists can order as of February 20th, provided they're in Japan and have an extra ¥108,150 ($1214) for the microscope and ¥37,800 ($424) for the DSLR mount handy. On more pic after the break.
[Via
Slashgear]
posted Feb 4th 2009 2:32PM
this is the perfect time to buy a $1200 microscope
yes, with it you can see the money left in over in our wallets from buying it.
No offense, but I'm getting a bit tired of these sorts of comments. Yes we are in a global recession, but that doesn't mean commerce stops, it means it slows, in this case maybe 5% (overall). This means that currently the economy is at least 90% of the size that it was a year ago, which means that most people and companies are still buying stuff. Now, some areas are hit harder than others, but seeing as how this it not aimed at Joe consumer, and was probably developed for a relatively specialized market, I fail to see how this is a bad time. Granted it's not optimal, but if you wait for optimal nothing will ever get done.
If companies just up and stop introducing new products, then they are guaranteed to fail, so do your part and go buy some shit. (preferably something Apple or Rim, since I own those stocks. Thanks in advance)
My .02...
True, the economy isn't as bad as it is being drawn out to be. My company rose 150% in sales in 2008 from 2007's numbers and I deal with Japanese anime products which..lets face it, are not necessities. Camera companies like Nikon, Canon, etc are hurting though from the strong yen and like my anime products, they are not necessities. Plus, in a few months Nikon will have at least 3 almost equal products to this that will cost just the same (or more). So, even in a good economy... who'd want to drop $1200 so quickly for something that will be replaced in two months? I work p/t on a pro camera's website, the cycle of new, not-so-much-better-then-the-last-expensive-camera should slow down a bit.
CraigJ, im surprised your still able to give away yours, my .02$ stopped flowing months ago.
This can't be real. I mean, from where does the "specimen" get its illumination? Most microscopes have their light sources underneath (opposite the microscope's objective lenses) their specimens, but that would appear to be where the focal plane of the camera lay. No light source there. If the specimen is illuminated from the "microscope" side, how would the camera's sensor detect those photons?
I'd say you guys have been hood-winked yet again...
Easy (RTFA)..
"With one AA alkaline battery, the Fabre Photo EX can be operated for about ten hours. It is equipped with a white LED light for observation and photo shoot in a dim environment. The light can be switched between "OFF," "One Light" and "Two Lights," making it possible to adjust shading and brightness."
Back-lighting (lighting through the specimen) is fine for showing internal structure but not great for telling you what the thing actually looks like (you're looking at the unlit side of the specimen after all) which is why quite a lot of microscopes have a top-light instead.
This is clearly a stereoscope designed for magnifications up to (I would guess) about 40x. These kind of scopes are used for examining small, but not microscopic, structures that have significant 3D depth. The two eyepieces allowing stereo vision allow true depth perception, and you can note the large working distance.
These scopes are almost ubiquitous in laboratories worldwide, and are excellent for a very wide range of applications. From precision micro-soldering to examining fruit flies, this is the kind of scope you want to be using. The fact that you are ignorant to why this kind of scope exists does not decrease demand for it. Many labs will probably pick one of these up to get publication quality photos instead of a jury-rigged setup (I've jury-rigged my own before).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_back
no modern dSLR has a "back" as there is nothing to detach from the "front" the proper term is "body"
Excuse me while I go patent the term "Nikkorscopic".
I have no need for this, but I want it anyway.
I know. I don't even have a DSLR, or things to look at under a microscope. And yet...
This product could allow you to start the porn career that's always been a distant dream of yours.
oops we attached the viewfinder to the wrong end boys, back to the drawing board...
I'm going to assume that was sarcasm and +1.
SDFSDFDFSDF
exactly.
As neat as this is, £20 will buy you a 1200x National Geographic 'scope and then you can just take a photo down the eyepiece lens. Unless you want to publish the stuff in a journal, it works perfectly well.
I have to agree there. Hell, for the price (in total about $1600) you could get your D90 and possibly even get someone to machine an adapter too.
Heh, we could really use this at work. The price isn't bad really, 'bout inline with all our other stuff in our QC Lab. Hell, we have to spend 400 dollars to replace one thread gauge that can't be re-calibrated (without spending more than 480 dollars on it) :-/.
Zoom? What zoom? The way it's written up, it's fixed. Why not give the RANGE of the magnification? Not just the maximum. Someone who wants to look at gemstones would need 10X for the best level of magnification for grading. So, can it go down to 10? Less?
Ideally it would go from where Nikon's Micro lenses end - 1X up to their maximum.
Okay, I checked it out. No zooming. Magnification depends on attachments and sensor size. So, no lower-magnification photos. Not terribly useful and quite overpriced for what it does.
If this was for Canon, I would buy one today!
Well, I'd likely buy this the day it's available in Canada (as I did with the D700), but while I've been shooting Nikon since '64, I do not have steroescopic vision and question whether that's any issue at all - anyone? If it only means that I can look through a binocular-type device and it gives me just a closer image than my marcro lenses and extension tube, I'd go for it, but if there's something that one needs stereopsis to use, I'd very very wary.
Stereo microsopes simply provide depth perception in the same way normal vision with two eyes works. Using a stereo microscope with one eye is completely analagous to using binoculars with one eye- it'll be exactly the same as a view through a device with a single eyepiece, you only miss out on the 3D perception- which is really the only advantage stereo microscopes have over single lens microscopes (no extra magnification or anything like that).
Great! Thanks, Romesh. I likely *will* get this, then - way cool. I was concerned it might be more like a 3D movie where there's a substantive difference in viewing it without stereopsis (or was, the last time I saw one).