Psuedo-DIC (emboss)

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Garry DeLong
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 4:56 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon USA

Psuedo-DIC (emboss)

Post by Garry DeLong »

There has been some light (non-serious) references made concerning "synthetic" DIC images made using the "emboss" function available in much many graphics software packages. I've been playing with this feature a lot using real images, and I am curious to know if any visual information so derived can indicate reality. Does that embossed chloroplast really rise from the floor of that cell? Some versions of Printshop even allow the user to vary the angle of the simulated light source. What do ya'll think? It seems to me that somebody with the needed microscopic skills and equipment could compare "emboss" with reality DIC. This could be an excellent college paper for biology, physics, or microtechnique majors--and for us too!
Garry DeLong

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Re: Psuedo-DIC (emboss)

Post by Guest »

Garry DeLong wrote:There has been some light (non-serious) references made concerning "synthetic" DIC images made using the "emboss" function available in much many graphics software packages. I've been playing with this feature a lot using real images, and I am curious to know if any visual information so derived can indicate reality. Does that embossed chloroplast really rise from the floor of that cell? Some versions of Printshop even allow the user to vary the angle of the simulated light source. What do ya'll think? It seems to me that somebody with the needed microscopic skills and equipment could compare "emboss" with reality DIC. This could be an excellent college paper for biology, physics, or microtechnique majors--and for us too!
Garry DeLong
Hi Gary, there's phase contrast and amplitude contrast. Software embossing of BF images will give amplitude contrast. If there's nothing visible in BF, there's nothing to emboss. And that's when you need DIC or phase contrast

Rene.

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piotr
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Post by piotr »

How about embossing a phase contrast image? Weird... the phase "halo" artifacts are a little bit disturbing.

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Piotr

Garry DeLong
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 4:56 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon USA

Post by Garry DeLong »

Those halo effects in your image don't bother me. I think the brain perceives those things for what they are. Your idea of combining both effects is intriquing. Here is a little embossed cilia action (Paramecium) Broadband will help-it's a 4 meg file.

http://garrydelong.com/Cilia_emboss_bw_240.mpg
I do believe I can see just as much detail on the BF version but why do it if you can't have fun.
Garry

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wilash
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Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2005 4:43 pm
Location: Japan

Post by wilash »

The emboss function can only work with information that has ben captured whereas DIC would be able to "create" the information. It would probably not be any more accurate to get topographical information than with DIC. DIC only shows phase differences and may not relect the actual topographical nature of the specimen.

But it certainly could be an interesting process, especially if it is combined with an amplitude image much in the same way fluoresent and DIC images are combined.
Will

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