Rosendal Natur Cafe

A forum to ask questions, post setups, and generally discuss anything having to do with photomacrography and photomicroscopy.

Moderators: MacroMike, nzmacro, Ken Ramos, twebster, S. Alden

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Christian Fabricius
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2005 4:37 am
Location: Samsø, Denmark

Rosendal Natur Cafe

Post by Christian Fabricius »

Hi everybody
I have left 14 years of small animal veterinary work behind in London, and am close to opening a freshwater nature centre on an island in Denmark (Samsø).
I have constructed 6 wooden sided ponds varying in size between 10 and 100 sq.m. and 6 aquaria each 2 meter long. The research room was the barn, where I've replaced the roof with transparent plastic, and so far it's coming along better than expected..
However, I'm trying to find the best way to connect my microscope to a computer monitor so a bunch og children can watch as I run a safari tour under the microscope.
I have, at the moment, my faithful Meiji ML2000, and if they are of any use a Panasonic NV-EX1 camcorder, and an Olympus C-8080 camera.
The budget is about $8,000, not including the above.
My dream is obviously for the children to see the same as me. Reality, though, appears to be further away than expected!
Any helpful suggestions would be much appreciated.
Yours Christian.

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twebster
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Location: Phoenix "Valley of the Sun", Arizona, USA

Post by twebster »

Hi ya' Christian :D

I moved your post here so that you would get more responses to your question. OK :?:

Best regards, :D
Tom Webster
Administrator

Phoenix "The Valley of the Sun", Arizona, USA

Think about this...maybe Murphy is an optimist!!!

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

Post by Garry DeLong »

Christian,
Is your purpose in connecting your microscope to a computer monitor to enable a group of people to gather around and all watch the microscopic image at the same time? If this is so, it may be easier for you to use an microscope eyepiece camera, such as the Minivid RCA, (about $200 USD) and plug this directly into the RCA plugs on a television--or you could plug into a VCR and hook that into the TV. Minivids work with most, but not all, microscopes, so make sure that the store allows merchandise to be returned.
Garry DeLong

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Christian Fabricius
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Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2005 4:37 am
Location: Samsø, Denmark

Minivid

Post by Christian Fabricius »

Hi Garry and thanks for the reply.
I've been chatting with Brunel Microscopes in England, and they have a "minicam" that as far as I can see looks similar (http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/full_shop.html).
Do you know if the Evid is better?
I'm hoping to produce an image that is big enough and clear enough for people to think "Wow!", and I'm not sure the 400 or so lines the Minivid produces is going to ensure that!
There's nothing around with 1200 lines or similar?
Once again thanks very much for getting back. Much appreciated!
(I've studied in Washington State and know Portland reasonably well, - it's very easy to miss the States.)
yours Christian.

JakobG
Posts: 25
Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 4:00 pm
Location: UK

Post by JakobG »

Let me know when you have set up shop. My father is from Samsø and I'm quite sure he'd be happy for an excuse to go back there. I have fond memories from visiting my grandparents there as a child too.
Jakob

Remember: It takes a big man to cry, but it takes an even bigger man to laugh at that man...

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Christian Fabricius
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2005 4:37 am
Location: Samsø, Denmark

Samsø

Post by Christian Fabricius »

Hi Jakob!
It's a little bitty island in a little bitty world.
No sign of any Grønkjærs in the island telephone directory.
Looks like your granddad was last man out the door!
Yours Christian.

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

Post by Garry DeLong »

Christian,
Your point and purpose well taken...yes, I think I have seen higher resolution available for video work--this would probably involve USB 2 cables to the computer. A large monitor would be useful. There may not be a lot of advantage to higher resolution if more than one person was trying to crowd around the monitor.
Garry DeLong

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Christian Fabricius
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2005 4:37 am
Location: Samsø, Denmark

Rosendal

Post by Christian Fabricius »

Dear Gary
Thanks again for the interest.
USB 2 cables sound close to the mark. I've been talking to Helen from Brunel Microscopes, and she says she thinks there are systems with higher resolution running through the "fast cable". She's told me to hang on and she'll be in touch within a a couple of weeks!
Good to see you agree with the general idea of her thoughts.
Thanks alot
Christian.

cassian
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Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: London

Post by cassian »

Hello Christian,

What is this the size range of the organisms that you are looking at / want to display? On 1 monitor or many? Also, how much detail do you need to show - general organism form, number of appendage setae, or contractile vacuoles..

Your project sure sounds interesting...fun and fulfilling..I wish you the best of luck...

cassian

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Christian Fabricius
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Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2005 4:37 am
Location: Samsø, Denmark

Safari time

Post by Christian Fabricius »

Hi Cassian
I've been so busy working on the ponds and main building, that I haven't spent that much time browsing through the pond contents!
The "trip" I've found so far, that I want to show the world, is mouldy old drowned lacewing, of which I have many. On the x40 you can see the big paramecea sailing around, and the fungal hyphae breaking out of the insect. The spines on the wings at this magnification are enormous. Down on x100 and you can spend ages following the paramecea, vorticella etc. On to x400 for a look at spirocheates and the like. Then back to x40 to look at the compound eye; turning off the under lighting you see the sunlight reflecting through those multi-faceted prisms in the most wonderful way. To finish with the children put the entire glorious superstructure with its million busy denizens back in the water, with a different perspective on mouldy insects.
Hope that clarifies a thing or two!
Yours Christian.

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