Mindat Mineralogy Messageboard - Mineral Photography Discussions on best techniques for mineral photography http://www.mindat.org/msgboard-13.html Tue, 21 May 2013 08:16:01 +0000 Phorum 5.2.15a http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,289506,294248#msg-294248 Re: My best photographs of specimens larger than 1cm http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,289506,294248#msg-294248
Hematite, Jackson Mine, Negaunee, Michigan© Paul T. Brandes
]]> Paul Brandes Mineral Photography Sun, 19 May 2013 14:25:12 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,289506,294237#msg-294237 Re: My best photographs of specimens larger than 1cm http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,289506,294237#msg-294237 great photograph!!!
If you upload it into Mindat database you can make it visible without having to click on the link.

Best regards,
Rudolf]]> Rudolf Hasler Mineral Photography Sun, 19 May 2013 12:02:42 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,289506,294233#msg-294233 Re: My best photographs of specimens larger than 1cm http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,289506,294233#msg-294233 Oivind Thoresen Mineral Photography Sun, 19 May 2013 10:28:52 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,289506,294232#msg-294232 Re: My best photographs of specimens larger than 1cm http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,289506,294232#msg-294232 I think that most of us are using stacking softwares.


Best regards,
Rudolf]]> Rudolf Hasler Mineral Photography Sun, 19 May 2013 09:04:58 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,289506,294230#msg-294230 Re: My best photographs of specimens larger than 1cm http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,289506,294230#msg-294230 Nice pictures indeed !
But... a question : do you use a stacking software (Helicon Focus, Combine Z, Zerene...) ?

Best regards
Jean-Marie]]> Jean-Marie LAURENT Mineral Photography Sun, 19 May 2013 08:51:59 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,289506,294229#msg-294229 Re: My best photographs of specimens larger than 1cm http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,289506,294229#msg-294229 I can see some phantastic pictures already. I hope there are going to come more and more.

Regards,
Rudolf]]> Rudolf Hasler Mineral Photography Sun, 19 May 2013 07:48:43 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293396,293545#msg-293545 Re: Recommendations for usb microscope for photographing micros http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293396,293545#msg-293545
A stereo microscope will be more versitile than a digital microscope, such as the Dino-Lite. As David mentioned, you can get a boom stand or a long pole stand for a stereo microscope pod. That should enable you to view specimens up to 8", or more, in size. You would have the benefit if viewing through it, as well as photographing.

That said, yes I do recommend the Dino-Lite to those who wish only to view on screen and capture images. I have to disclose though that we are authorized dealers for the line. You can use the search feature at the top of the page to find previous informative discussions regarding the Dino-Lite. Also, you may want to read a short article that I wrote regarding the product here.

Should you be interested in a Dino-Lite, try to get a demo or at least view some demo images and be sure to check for competitive prices.

Gene]]> Mineralogical Research Company Mineral Photography Fri, 10 May 2013 00:54:28 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293396,293481#msg-293481 Re: Recommendations for usb microscope for photographing micros http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293396,293481#msg-293481
A decent stereo pod will give to up to around x65 magnification and a working distance of around 118mm. A well designed and rigid stand will allow the examination of object as 50mm in diameter or a little more when supporting such a pod.]]> Owen Lewis (2) Mineral Photography Thu, 09 May 2013 07:13:20 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293396,293480#msg-293480 Re: Recommendations for usb microscope for photographing micros http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293396,293480#msg-293480 -------------------------------------------------------
>
> The only reason why I'm not looking for a stereo
> or mono microscope is because the specimens I want
> to view are too large for the space between the
> lens and slide platform.
>

> Tom


You can get "Boom microscopes" for example ...

ebay]]> david bruno (2) Mineral Photography Thu, 09 May 2013 06:07:32 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293470#msg-293470 Re: SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293470#msg-293470 Doug Daniels Mineral Photography Thu, 09 May 2013 01:48:54 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293396,293459#msg-293459 Re: Recommendations for usb microscope for photographing micros http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293396,293459#msg-293459
I didn't realize what I was looking for was pretty much non-existent for recreational use. I think I'll try to find a better version of what I already have. Not sure what brand it is, but I bought it for $30 so I doubt it's when of the better ones.

The only reason why I'm not looking for a stereo or mono microscope is because the specimens I want to view are too large for the space between the lens and slide platform.

So yes, I'm looking for something like the Dino-Lite microscopes. Is that the brand you'd recommend?


Tom]]> Tom White Mineral Photography Wed, 08 May 2013 21:38:38 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293396,293452#msg-293452 Re: Recommendations for usb microscope for photographing micros http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293396,293452#msg-293452
The only USB microscopes that I have seen, with focus and zoom, are industrial monocular zoom scopes with digital cameras attached. There are also some conventional stereo microscopes that have digital cameras built-in. But, I get the impression that you are looking for a standalone unit like the Dino-Lite and others.

The USB scope that you have now, if it is like a Dino-Lite, actually has what is intended to be a magnification adjustment. If you desire a particular magnification, you can set it on the calibrated adjuster that you are calling the focus adjustment. Then, the distance to the subject is what achieves focus. Conversely, you could think of it as a focus adjustment, but in that case the magnification will be arbitrary.

Anyway, the only way that I know of to have both focus and magnification zoom is my first above mentioned. The best way to achieve what you want is to use a stereo zoom scope and attach a digital camera to it.
If I have misinterpreted your question, let me know.

Gene]]> Mineralogical Research Company Mineral Photography Wed, 08 May 2013 19:14:53 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293447#msg-293447 Re: SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293447#msg-293447
Simply put, optical correction is the process that corrects the deficiencies inherent to lenses that conspire to not reproduce the image faithfully.

Camera lenses consist of up to 12 individual lens elements, or more in some specialized lenses, that serve to reproduce the image with as much fidelity as possible. These elements, in conjunction, serve to correct for aberrations and distortions that would be present in simpler lens designs. Common aberrations are astigmatism, spherical and chromatic. When adding an auxiliary macro lens in front of the camera lens, the working characteristics of the camera lens are changed, allowing it to focus closer to the subject. Since the LBS is made to work with many different cameras, it is not optimized for any one. That will result in changing some of the camera lens corrections. There are many auxiliary macro lenses on the market, Ranox perhaps being the best known for performance. The Ranox lenses range in price from $100 up. However, even the Ranox is known to be a compromise over a decent macro lens. So, my point is that ALL auxiliary macro attachment lenses are compromises. Now that's the nit-picky viewpoint and in reality a casual user may not see any issues in their images taken with the LBS unless they were to compare side by side images with those taken with a lens designed for macro work. Most likely, the differences will become more pronounced farther away from the center of the image, the part that we don't pay too much attention to. These differences could be manifested as less sharp features and color fringes.

Gene]]> Mineralogical Research Company Mineral Photography Wed, 08 May 2013 18:16:20 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293402#msg-293402 Re: SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293402#msg-293402
I just bought the Little BigShot for use with my Canon PowerShot SX200IS.

Yes, I know, that model has (super) macro mode already, but you never know, the LBS might come in handy in certain situations after all.

Gene, what do you mean by 'might not be well corrected'? I'm into mineral collecting, photography not so much :-)]]> Vik Vanrusselt Mineral Photography Wed, 08 May 2013 00:01:36 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293396,293396#msg-293396 Recommendations for usb microscope for photographing micros http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293396,293396#msg-293396
Thanks in advance.]]> Tom White Mineral Photography Tue, 07 May 2013 23:01:33 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293391#msg-293391 Re: SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293391#msg-293391
It may be better to spend a bit more on a camera that does super macro than to use the Little Big Shot. Any auxiliary add on lens will never be as good as a lens that is designed for a specific application to begin with. Not to mention, the Little Big Shot for point and shoot cameras is plastic and may not be well corrected.

Gene]]> Mineralogical Research Company Mineral Photography Tue, 07 May 2013 21:12:49 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293374#msg-293374 Re: SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293374#msg-293374 It seems that the "Little Bigshot Imaage Aplifier", available on line for @$25 is the best answer to an add on magnification lens.

KC]]> KC Dalby Mineral Photography Tue, 07 May 2013 18:30:07 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293135#msg-293135 Re: SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293135#msg-293135 Must have - a macro mode that will get you to an inch or two.
A way to mount on a tripod.
Either a timer or external shutter release (this allows vibrations to die down)

Nice to have
Either a replaceable lens or a way to screw on filter or magnifying lens.

The biggest challenge is to get the lighting right.]]> David Von Bargen Mineral Photography Sun, 05 May 2013 15:30:55 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293125#msg-293125 Re: SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293125#msg-293125
KC]]> KC Dalby Mineral Photography Sun, 05 May 2013 13:59:46 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293086#msg-293086 Re: SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293086#msg-293086
Trev]]> Trevor Dart Mineral Photography Sun, 05 May 2013 01:06:09 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293084#msg-293084 Re: SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293084#msg-293084
There are a lot of people who make very pretty photos and upload them here on mindat. I personally do not think that blacked out backgrounds or pretty colour effects are essential. What is essential is to get a clear and true to colour picture of your samples. A good camera with macro function will allow you to do this.

I paid $180 for my Fuji Finepix. It has macro, super-macro, SLR settings for aperture and shutter speed as well as panorama and video. A good all round camera with the added bonus of 18x optical zoom. It also takes up to 12 mega pixel resolution, which is handy if you want to edit and zoom in on fine detail without it going all pixelated.

Most other cameras on the market have similar functions, however those with inbuilt SLR functions are better than the simple point and shoot.
My suggestions - Fuji Finepix S2980 - @ $100-200, Fuji Finepix S4200 - @ $140-250, Canon Powershot SX160 IS @ $140-200. All have point and shoot, macro and HD video.

Trev]]> Trevor Dart Mineral Photography Sun, 05 May 2013 00:46:03 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293070#msg-293070 Re: SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293070#msg-293070
At least you read my questions-that tutorial answers alot

Thank you]]> KC Dalby Mineral Photography Sat, 04 May 2013 21:08:19 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293069#msg-293069 Re: SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293069#msg-293069 KC Dalby Mineral Photography Sat, 04 May 2013 21:07:00 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293056#msg-293056 Re: SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293056#msg-293056
[www.youtube.com]

Have fun!
Gene]]> Mineralogical Research Company Mineral Photography Sat, 04 May 2013 16:47:56 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293033#msg-293033 Re: SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293033#msg-293033
Important is the lighting of the specimen. Daylight resp. directly sun light is not the best solution because here you have deep shadows mostly in a blue colour. So at first take care for a good lightening. LED should be preferred. Don’t use flash light! That results in a flat picture without any structure.

For the camera it is absolute not the question of the number of pixels. Also the price depends mostly not of the number of pixels. A simple digital camera should be sufficient if you have specimens of a “normal” size. Use a camera with an optical zoom. Electronic zoom is nonsense.

Expensive cameras have some features which you will not need as a beginner. One of these features for example is a camera with a “live view” function and the respective soft ware (expensive!). This way you can see the picture on the screen of you PC before you make the photo and you can correct the camera adjustment and the release by the PC.

With the most cameras you get a soft ware for picture manipulation. If not then you may download GIMP which is a freeware.

Use a tripod for placing the camera and a remote release to avoid vibrations. A fixed stand of the camera is important to have the possibility for long period of exposure. So you can select a small diaphragm for a high depth of focus.

If you have these equipment that start “learning by doing”.

However, if you want to make pictures of micro mounts you need more expensive equipment.

Uwe Ludwig]]> Uwe Ludwig Mineral Photography Sat, 04 May 2013 11:08:15 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293013#msg-293013 SIMPLE MINERAL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,293013,293013#msg-293013 Would appreciate any help that can keep from selling the farm in order to photograph minerals.

Thanx]]> KC Dalby Mineral Photography Sat, 04 May 2013 01:28:36 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,292230,292230#msg-292230 garnet photos http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,292230,292230#msg-292230
Don S.]]> Don Saathoff Mineral Photography Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:15:21 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,291434,291699#msg-291699 Re: dslr with live view on computer http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,291434,291699#msg-291699
I noted that one of your questions went unanswered.

Quote
James
As for sensors, this seems to be the baffling issue: It is better to have less pixels as that will actually provide better color resolution, though maybe not image resolution. The problem then becomes finding the ideal compromise, i.e., how many megapixels give best resolution in both image quality and color saturation / resolution for a given size photo chip.

Resolution is a term that defines the minimum spatial distance between two points (actually Airy discs) that can be discerned. Your term “color resolution” is what is called color depth in imaging. Resolution and color depth are not related. Color depth refers to the number of colors that can be represented in an image. It is also commonly referred to as bit depth. Regarding your question, bit depth is the fineness to which the electronics in a camera digitizes the three color channels. If each channel is digitized to 8 bits, then the image can contain up to 82*3 bits, or 17 million colors. Some DSLR cameras can digitize up to 14 bits, but since the eye can only discern up to 10 million colors 8 bits is usually enough. However, post processing can benefit from having higher bit depths.

So, there really isn’t a compromise between “color resolution” and the number of megapixels for a given size sensor. To the first order, the only compromise that you have to worry about is the number of megapixels and pixel size. Assuming that you are going to get a camera with an APS-C size sensor, there are not a whole lot of choices to make. An 18 MP sensor has ~4um pixels and that will be the limiting factor for system resolution if high end Apochromatic objectives are used. It that case, a sensor with smaller pixels would be better. For Achromatic objectives, the sampling rate is near ideal. You can search for earlier discussions here regarding resolution and Nyquist Sampling if you want to dig deeper.

Gene]]> Mineralogical Research Company Mineral Photography Thu, 18 Apr 2013 22:34:38 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,291434,291626#msg-291626 Re: dslr with live view on computer http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,291434,291626#msg-291626
James]]> James Jones Mineral Photography Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:53:03 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,291434,291539#msg-291539 Re: dslr with live view on computer http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,13,291434,291539#msg-291539
Small companies producing 'camera adapters' at modest prices have a product range that will successfully mate physically any of the major brand DSLR to a standard trinocular port (say C-mount), but they cannot optimise the optical performance of the overall system. where any Brand X microscope is mated randomly with a Brand Y camera There is an Austrian optical company that claims to make adapters that will do this - even on a custom manufactuiring basis - but at a cost of over EUR 1,000, including tax - which is more than most will pay for their camera body!

I have spent over a year in occasional discussion with the Chinese manufacturer of my microscope pod, its design and supply pf an adapter for mating to a Canon 600D body, having produced quite indifferent results. The adapter that I ordered from them was hopelessly mismatched optically to the camera in every respect except parfocality, which it provided. To get what, in my view, is usable performance, I ended up having to take the relay lens out of the adapter, This done, I get acceptable resolution and approximately correct magnification - but at the loss of parfocality. Also, images made at the higher zoom magnifications can show a bi-colour (not standard spectrum) chromatic aberration, not present when the subject is viewed through the eye pieces. I conclude that the 'scope's optical system requires the presence of the eyepiece optics for full chromatic correction. Also, having removed the relay lens, there is fairly severe vignetting if I set the camera to use its full sensor plate in 3:2 dimensional ratio. However, since I prefer, for photomicrography and most of my macro shots, to work with the square format setting the camera facilitates, I simply 'lose' this limitation; 'out of sight is out of mind'.

I confess than, since the 600D model is fitted with a large, swing-out-and-tilt-to-any-angle LCD panel I use this, in combination with x5 - x10 image zoom for all my composition (always in LiveView), rather than using a USB hookup to my large flatscreen VDU, it seeming to me much more natural to work this way. I like my hands on the camera; it's tactile and more intimate - especially in stand-mounted macrophotography. In photomicrography, almost all shot-to-shot manipulations are made only with the microscope's various controls and the auxillary lighting

So, sometime in the not too distant future, it's logical that I shall buy a second microscope pod, not least because I have two microscope stands, between which I presently need to swap about my one optical pod. When I do buy, it will be for a pod+camera adapter than delivers optimal performance with the Canon EOS body.

Caveat emptor. Retro-fitting a DSLR body, even a good one, to a 'Heinz 57' microscope tends to produce results that vary in quality from 'scope to 'scope. You may get lucky - or you may not. If you are not lucky, well you are likely to learn a lot in digging yourself out of pit you constructed,]]> Owen Lewis (2) Mineral Photography Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:52:59 +0000