Caleb Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 After quite a bit of looking around and testing some digital microscopes, my father and I finally bought one. We've wanted one for those tiny trilobite parts that are extremely difficult to photograph with a point-and-shoot camera. We went with a Dino-Lite and so far I'm quite pleased with it. There's a lot of features on the software and since I just got it today I'm still learning/playing. Anyway, I just thought I would share some of the results. Trilobite eyes: A hindia sponge: Trilobites: Caleb Midwestpaleo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 And some echinoderms: Caleb Midwestpaleo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Oh my goodness.... If I got that, I'd have to get another external hard drive.... Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Mine is an older Dino-Lite; it is immediately clear to me that they have improved the resolution greatly! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Yo Caleb- I talked to a rep for this outfit at SVP a few months ago. I was duly impressed. Cool little toy. I am on the verge of buying one for our museum, so I am glad to see your pix here. Nice trilos, by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 (edited) A year or so ago I purchased the Dino-Lite AM413T with Rigid Stand Very pleased with it ... It is nice to focus the image on the monitor then "Click" Takes a lot of guess work out of the process to capture images for sharing. Built a little demo page illustrating the Dino-Lite and captured images: LINK There is a menu with links for demos on 2 other brands of these scopes Click Here Scrolling down you will see Dino-Lite handheld digital microscopes with several helpful links and YouTube links Here's a cute short demo illustrating what to expect in magnification ... CLICK HERE The Dino-Lite is the Best ... and of course most expensive. Edited December 19, 2012 by Indy Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)MAPS Fossil Show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 WOW That makes for some incredible images.. I had thought about getting one of those.. Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 (edited) A year or so ago I purchased the Dino-Lite AM413T with Rigid Stand Very pleased with it ... It is nice to focus the image on the monitor then "Click" Takes a lot of guess work out of the process to capture images for sharing. Built a little demo page illustrating the Dino-Lite and captured images: LINK Excellent, I'm definitely going to give that a read. I also got the stand for it, I thought it would be a must for taking clear shots. I guess I should mention the model: Dino-Lite AM411T. Edited to correct my horrible spelling mistake. Edited December 19, 2012 by Caleb Caleb Midwestpaleo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimitivePast Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Outstanding...thank you for sharing the pictures...love the bugs. http://www.primitivepast.com https://www.facebook.com/PrimitivePast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vordigern Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 incredible pics, thanks for sharing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 Thanks all, I'm pleased with the results. One thing I did notice was that with the very close-up pictures the ring light was fine, but as I shot larger items an external light source was needed. All I had on hand was an LED lantern, so I will have to play a bit with the external lighting. I have many many hours of photographing and cataloging tiny trilobite parts ahead of me this winter. This unit will save me a LOT of time as opposed to using my point-and-shoot camera and hoping for good results. Caleb Midwestpaleo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 ditto what auspex said. how much do these things cost now? i paid $350 for mine years back. Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 (edited) ditto what auspex said. how much do these things cost now? i paid $350 for mine years back. Numerous models to choose from The one I chose (over a year ago) including the best adjustable rigid stand (#MS35B $99) Total cost at the time...around $700 ?? (with the toys) because I wanted a high end unit with "measuring software and of course the more expensive $99 stand was a must have (for me) Here's where I bought my Dino-Lite set up : CLICK HERE Interesting and informative Dino-Lite Links on the this page Scroll down ... Links below the text in RED Dino-Lite handheld digital microscopes CLICK HERE Edited December 19, 2012 by Indy Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)MAPS Fossil Show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantguy Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Caleb, thanks for the thread...looks like another fun tool to have in the arsenal...Regards, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crinoid Queen Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 That thing is sweet! Nice pics Caleb -CQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micropterus101 Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Nice pics. for those of you with a macroscope you can also use a cheapo 5 mp camera held to the eyepiece for pics like this too. fossil crabs website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Ffor those of you with a macroscope you can also use a cheapo 5 mp camera held to the eyepiece for pics like this too. Hmmm.... I'll try it with the iPhone tonight. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Hmmm.... I'll try it with the iPhone tonight. It's not just about the MBs; the lens will be the primary determiner of the resulting picture quality. Maybe the iPhone will do a good job, but I kinda' doubt that they designed it with more than snap-shot capability in that respect. Let's see how it does! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 It's not just about the MBs; the lens will be the primary determiner of the resulting picture quality. Maybe the iPhone will do a good job, but I kinda' doubt that they designed it with more than snap-shot capability in that respect. Let's see how it does! I figured as much, but for some reason, I never thought to try it. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Well, you have your assignment for tonight I'd like to know how the newer phones do at this. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 (edited) Well, you have your assignment for tonight I'd like to know how the newer phones do at this. Yes sir. Hopefully the phone focuses on infinity when the sensor is up against the microscope. I think I know how to adjust the scope focus to 'infinity'. Edited December 20, 2012 by Missourian Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micropterus101 Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 LOL great idea! So i tried it with my cheapo straight talk 1.3 mp phone. Hahaha it works. The only thing with more mega pixels you can zoom in even further using photoshop or simular program. Below is a pic of a Pulalius Vulgaris fossil crab carapace using my macroscope and cheap phone camera. Note to try this with your phone you have to hold the camera a few inches from the eyepiece and steady with your fingers on macroscope head. fossil crabs website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 (edited) Well, you have your assignment for tonight I'd like to know how the newer phones do at this. Well, it worked fairly well with this ~0.5 mm foram: Ammovertella sp. Fontana Shale, Pennsylvanian Clay County, Missouri The main issue is holding the camera precisely and steadily above the eyepiece. Edited December 20, 2012 by Missourian Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb Posted December 20, 2012 Author Share Posted December 20, 2012 I have used the technique of holding the camera up to the eyepiece a few times with decent results, but the versatility of this unit is very handy. It will take zoomed in photos as well as photos of the entire specimen, unlike a microscope. Granted the same results can be found with just taking a photo of the specimen and then a photo through the scope. However using the Dino-Lite will save me a lot of time being able to see on my monitor what the picture will look like before I take it. My project is to photo the many hundreds of small trilobite parts we have over the winter, so I think it will be very handy. Caleb Midwestpaleo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micropterus101 Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Yes i like the idea of being able to use a moniter. fossil crabs website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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