Question: Microscope video camera

tincanart

Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
18
Location
Mechanicsville, Virginia
I have a Meiji EMZ-5 microscope. Has anyone been successful with attaching a video camera to this scope? If so, what camera did you use and how did you set it up? I want to use one that I can connect to a monitor above my bench for demonstration purposes. I know there are trinocular microscopes that have a camera attachment, but am trying to see what I can do with what I have. Thanks
 

Sinterklaas

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2015
Messages
212
Location
Holland
If it is not a trinocular meaning 3 peepholes 2 for the eyes and 1 for a camera on top. Then you need an external camera setup. Or you need to attach a camera to 1 of the eyepieces. But then you cant really use the microscope for normally.

Like Jura uses and sells. https://juratools.com/shop/CAMERA-MOUNT-FOR-MICROSCOPE-p545198298
You can see in this youtube video the camera quality:

If you use a big screen the video might become a bit grainy.
 

Meshach

Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2023
Messages
48
This is my solution for mounting with my old Bausch & Lomb without a trinocular option.
I purchased a Mokose webcam and made a sheet metal mounting bracket for it to mount next to the scope as can be seen in the pictures.
This bracket is attached to the same bracket as the scope is mounted to and so after adjusting the focus properly the first time it stays in focus with the scope when I adjust for cutting parts at different heights.
At the distance I have it set it has a little more field of view than the scope does, the pencil is simply highlighting the center of the scopes view which is pretty well adjusted to the camera.I did have to adjust the position of the zoom on the camera to get it to focus at such a close range, but I think all I did was loosen the alen set screw and move it out as far as I could. out of the box the focal range was something like 3 inches farther away.
Downside is I don't think it can be used without a computer interface (meaning you can not just hook it up to a TV screen) but I had an old used computer I got on EBay a few years ago for under $100 and I think the camera was about $90.. advantage is you can easily use it as a live demonstration device or record at the press of a button. You could still use a separate monitor to position over your work place if you want as long as you hook it up to the computer right..
Hope this is helpful.
 

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DaveAtWeirs

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
85
Location
Ireland
honestly, don't worry too much about the in-scope camera, you get better results from a side mounted camera, on the left side of the scope looking over your left hand.
I have a Leica D9S in work with 4k camera trinocular all singing all dancing nonsense, thing is I get better looking results from an old 4k camcorder mounted beside the scope. so much so I only really use the camcorder and haven't used the in-scope camera in months.
Mount it to the side about 6-10 inches away from the piece on an adjustable arm and then use the zoom on the camera to get even closer. Then get one of those cheap gooseneck ringlights from ikea that can do warm light and put it shining at the piece from the camera's upper left. this give's you your highlight light and makes it easier for the camera to see the shapes. I can't upload pics from work to demonstrate but I can easily get a 1 cent coin completely filling a 4k tv with no blurriness and very distinguishable shapes.
The camcorder I use is an old Sony Actiforce someone had lying around but any with 4k and an optical zoom should do (digital zoom will mean blurriness) and the ringlight on a gooseneck that I use I literally took out of the trash in work.

Edit: meant to say that that particular camcorder has a mini-hdmi out port that lets you hook it up to a screen and have it displaying or recording what it's looking at at the same time, make sure whatever one you get can do that. I have a splitter on mine so I have a small monitor I can see to check framing without needing to turn my head and then a big TV on the wall for others to look at.
 
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