Photography thru the Leica A60 Microscope - Anyone try it?

[davefr]

Sometimes I need to capture a microscopic image for a client. I know the Leica A60 doesn't have a dedicated camera port but has anyone come up with a solution for the A60.

(with my B&L SZ4 I could simply remove the eyepiece and stick in a DSLR with a adapter attached to the body and get some great images)

Can the eyepieces be easily removed from the A60?

Any other solutions?

 

[Dirtdigger]

I have taken photos through eyepiece with normal pocket camera. Pictures have circular black on the edges, but they look ok if you crop the edges of the photo. Give it a try and see if its good enough for your use!
edit:
Here is quick unedited sample taken with my cheap noname microscope and canon ixus pocket camera.

 

[davefr]

Thanks, that image looks great! Exactly how do you do it for optimal results?

Do you focus the object normally thru the microscope eyepieces then let the P&S camera autofocus? Or do you have to manually focus the camera. I assume you need a tripod for the camera?

Any other tips for optimal results?

 

[Dirtdigger]

I actually took this one just handheld, but tripod would be a good idea for best image possible. I focused the scope first like normal and then put the camera as close to eyepiece as i could and used autofocus while keep my hand to give shadow so the light wouldn´t go between eyepiece and cameralens. I tried with macro setting and without, but now cant remember wich one worked better. I think macro might be the one from this picture?? It´s actually as easy as it sounds and i was a bit amazed myself when i tried it and it worked so well without any fittings or anything.

 

[davefr]

Thanks, this was very helpful and much easier then I thought.

I simply pushed flat the A60's rubber eyeguard and rested the camera lens on the eyepiece. Manual mode on the camera seemed to work best with just a little bit of zoom added. Autofocus seemed to be fine. I'll need to experiment some more with white balance.

 

[RDP]

Learned something new today, thanks fellas,

Richard

 

[mdengraver]

That was pretty clever!

 

[monk]

i think sam posted a foto or two he had taken with a pocket type camera-- just thru the lens. or maybe it was his cellphone-- not sure.

 

[davefr]

Just updating this old thread.

I love the Leica A60 but wish is was better suited for photography. (ie phototube, removable eyepieces, adapters, etc).

I've finally found a great combination and just want to pass it on:

Leica A60 eyepiece I.D. and Panasonic Lumix LX7 lens O.D. match almost perfectly is size. I tried many different camera combos.

The next item is a CowboyStudio Mini Tripod from Amazon. It has the perfect adjustment range for the A60. (don't know if any of the optional objectives would be outside this range)

 

[monk]

there are inexpensive ccd cameras that simply slide into one of the tubes in place of the eyepiece. these can be coupled via cable to your computer to store images. i used one a couple years ago to take live videos of of a culture of rotifera i was interested in studying. you can get these on the bay from 30 to 100 or so bucks. they all come with the software to work with your computer.
btw- they take still shots as well as video.

 

[Tira]

Davefr - glad you found a solution. I use my cell phone camera much in the way you described right on one of the eye piece lenses. The eyetubes for the A60F are fixed in and do not come out. If the microscope needs to be serviced a qualified technician can take them out and then re-install them, but they don't slide out easily as with other scopes. I haven't every tried with a tripod, but it is a good idea.

 

[monk]

Davefr - glad you found a solution. I use my cell phone camera much in the way you described right on one of the eye piece lenses. The eyetubes for the A60F are fixed in and do not come out. If the microscope needs to be serviced a qualified technician can take them out and then re-install them, but they don't slide out easily as with other scopes. I haven't every tried with a tripod, but it is a good idea.

tira: do you happen to know why this model has fixed eyepieces ? just curious as to why that is so.

 

[Tira]

Monk, From what I understand the Leica A60 scopes were developed by Leica to compete with the much cheaper Chinese knock-offs that were entering the market. They developed this scope for the electronics inspection industry to have very specific features - which happen to be the same features we need. It is priced as a set and not by individual parts. They come with specific eye pieces, stand, etc. One of the ways to make the scope less expensive and also to work for the electronics industry was to have permanent eye tubes. This does not allow dust and gunk to get inside the scope which is very important in an industrial or shop environment. The electronics industry also needed a great depth of field so that an inspector could see the entire board with out adjusting the focus.

Having said that a qualified Leica technician can take the eye tubes out and re-install everything for purposes of maintenance and repair.

Almost all the rest of the Leica line comes a-la-cart where you pick the eye pieces, stand, head, etc. This one has the great features and price that it does because of the set components.

 

[monk]

Monk, From what I understand the Leica A60 scopes were developed by Leica to compete with the much cheaper Chinese knock-offs that were entering the market. They developed this scope for the electronics inspection industry to have very specific features - which happen to be the same features we need. It is priced as a set and not by individual parts. They come with specific eye pieces, stand, etc. One of the ways to make the scope less expensive and also to work for the electronics industry was to have permanent eye tubes. This does not allow dust and gunk to get inside the scope which is very important in an industrial or shop environment. The electronics industry also needed a great depth of field so that an inspector could see the entire board with out adjusting the focus.

Having said that a qualified Leica technician can take the eye tubes out and re-install everything for purposes of maintenance and repair.

Almost all the rest of the Leica line comes a-la-cart where you pick the eye pieces, stand, head, etc. This one has the great features and price that it does because of the set components.

interesting that a scope is sold in such fashion. perhaps a wise thing. it would require a person to do a bit of careful planning to assure they got the correct combination of features.thanks for the update.

 

[Dani Girl]

Half the pictures I post are taken through the lens with my phone. (not pretty) but they show good detail.