Pretty Rock hardware update
This evening I took delivery of a new microscope. A proper microscope. Coming soon a 10 MP camera, and depending on results this may be followed by some extra lighting and optics. But hang on, I hear you say, don't you already have a microscope and camera? What have you beeen using all this time to take pretty rock picktures? Witchcraft and old copies of Hansard?
I like the way you think. Very MacGyver. Up until now I've been using a handheld digital microscope and camera. My first one could only capture 1.3 MP worth of resolution, but the second was a significant improvement with 2 MP and slightly more civilised software. With either of these I could take pictures of flat slabs at a fixed distance. Even the significantly more solid stand that came with the second one wasn't steady or flexible enough to set up the shots I wanted, so I was limited to what I could do with my bare hands. A few visits to Bunnings to "improve" things did give me somewhat more flexibility in focal length, but then lighting got terrible messy. I was usually satisfied with the one type of basically fixed shot I could take most easily, so I've taken a lot of those.
I *could* take pictures of non-flat things, but not delicate non-flat things. The picture was really only focussed in the middle of the image - the corners were always blurry and I couldn't afford the pixels to crop them out. So I was limited to a certain look that way as well. The low resolution limited my print options. I did some tricky scaling and smoothing to get up to small poster size, but that can only take you so far. I think these pictures would look awesome at really large scale, but I'm not satisfied with a blur at near or medium distance.
So, I've upgraded to a new stereo microscope. The goal here wasn't to get greater magnification, so I've got the choice of 20x, 30x, and 40x with the current fittings (a compound microscope is used for greater magnification for blood cells and plankton but that's not what I'm in to.) With the old system I was somewhere between 20x and 40x but whatever it was it was always the same. Now I've componentised I can go up or down from there. The default eyepieces are also wild field and once the camera's attached I'm curious to see what happens in the corners. I have... options.
So, to the camera! In theory it's a 10 MP CMOS sensor, but the relationship between pixels and price in camera gear is a bizarre and complex thing so I'm leaning towards this-must-be-too-good-to-be-true skepticism for now. It should arrive in the next few weeks; I assume it will arrive while I'm over East. It attaches to the eyepiece and plugs into the laptop so once it's in place I won't be cricking my neck and crossing my eyes to peer down the tubes. Just one night of it and I feel about 4 inches shorter already.
The microscope has lighting from above and below, but again I'll have to see results before I maybe get a ring light as well. Tricky thing, light.
There's room for additional experiments too, if I can cobble together the camera, some optics and a light source I'll have the flexibility of the handheld. The trickest/most interesting part of photography is choosing what to photograph, but that requires complete freedom of movement and orientation. Photographing slabs means I only need to worry about x and y. Until now I've moved the camera; I shall have to see how well I adapt to moving the rock.
The need to deal with slabs up to 6 inches across and have access to every part of the interior took probably the most effort during shopping. I didn't want to lose all the interesting bits of rock in the middle of the larger slabs just because they wouldn't fit on the stage. I haven't yet done a full trial with a wet and soapy rock, so that will take a bit more tinkering. The shallow dish I've been using probably won't fit so I'll need to seek an alternative, but that's how I roll :-)
I've looked at some crystals tonight and I'm really looking forward to getting back to my roots and taking more pictures of various formations, but again that depends on how much depth of field I'll get at the end of the process. It was really nice to revisit some of my first loves again, and admire the different types of dust in amongst the crystals. I plan to make the dust a feature rather than a bug. #Winning
Facebook and Twitter followers will know that I experienced some difficulties during these purchases, and I'd planned to talk about those here, but I've run out of steam. How very steampunk of me.
I've also been planning an update to talk about the business development side of things, for there have been Developments! I'm working on a new set of goals that involve having more products available in time for Christmas shopping. I can't believe the range of things you can stick pictures on that are available at Cafepress now. Pretty Rock Designs jewellry! And I'm taking another serious look at fabric designs on Spoonflower. And loosening up on my definition of what belongs on a t-shirt. If someone wants to buy it, I'll make it.
When I can. OK, into negative steam now.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I like the way you think. Very MacGyver. Up until now I've been using a handheld digital microscope and camera. My first one could only capture 1.3 MP worth of resolution, but the second was a significant improvement with 2 MP and slightly more civilised software. With either of these I could take pictures of flat slabs at a fixed distance. Even the significantly more solid stand that came with the second one wasn't steady or flexible enough to set up the shots I wanted, so I was limited to what I could do with my bare hands. A few visits to Bunnings to "improve" things did give me somewhat more flexibility in focal length, but then lighting got terrible messy. I was usually satisfied with the one type of basically fixed shot I could take most easily, so I've taken a lot of those.
I *could* take pictures of non-flat things, but not delicate non-flat things. The picture was really only focussed in the middle of the image - the corners were always blurry and I couldn't afford the pixels to crop them out. So I was limited to a certain look that way as well. The low resolution limited my print options. I did some tricky scaling and smoothing to get up to small poster size, but that can only take you so far. I think these pictures would look awesome at really large scale, but I'm not satisfied with a blur at near or medium distance.
So, I've upgraded to a new stereo microscope. The goal here wasn't to get greater magnification, so I've got the choice of 20x, 30x, and 40x with the current fittings (a compound microscope is used for greater magnification for blood cells and plankton but that's not what I'm in to.) With the old system I was somewhere between 20x and 40x but whatever it was it was always the same. Now I've componentised I can go up or down from there. The default eyepieces are also wild field and once the camera's attached I'm curious to see what happens in the corners. I have... options.
So, to the camera! In theory it's a 10 MP CMOS sensor, but the relationship between pixels and price in camera gear is a bizarre and complex thing so I'm leaning towards this-must-be-too-good-to-be-true skepticism for now. It should arrive in the next few weeks; I assume it will arrive while I'm over East. It attaches to the eyepiece and plugs into the laptop so once it's in place I won't be cricking my neck and crossing my eyes to peer down the tubes. Just one night of it and I feel about 4 inches shorter already.
The microscope has lighting from above and below, but again I'll have to see results before I maybe get a ring light as well. Tricky thing, light.
There's room for additional experiments too, if I can cobble together the camera, some optics and a light source I'll have the flexibility of the handheld. The trickest/most interesting part of photography is choosing what to photograph, but that requires complete freedom of movement and orientation. Photographing slabs means I only need to worry about x and y. Until now I've moved the camera; I shall have to see how well I adapt to moving the rock.
The need to deal with slabs up to 6 inches across and have access to every part of the interior took probably the most effort during shopping. I didn't want to lose all the interesting bits of rock in the middle of the larger slabs just because they wouldn't fit on the stage. I haven't yet done a full trial with a wet and soapy rock, so that will take a bit more tinkering. The shallow dish I've been using probably won't fit so I'll need to seek an alternative, but that's how I roll :-)
I've looked at some crystals tonight and I'm really looking forward to getting back to my roots and taking more pictures of various formations, but again that depends on how much depth of field I'll get at the end of the process. It was really nice to revisit some of my first loves again, and admire the different types of dust in amongst the crystals. I plan to make the dust a feature rather than a bug. #Winning
Facebook and Twitter followers will know that I experienced some difficulties during these purchases, and I'd planned to talk about those here, but I've run out of steam. How very steampunk of me.
I've also been planning an update to talk about the business development side of things, for there have been Developments! I'm working on a new set of goals that involve having more products available in time for Christmas shopping. I can't believe the range of things you can stick pictures on that are available at Cafepress now. Pretty Rock Designs jewellry! And I'm taking another serious look at fabric designs on Spoonflower. And loosening up on my definition of what belongs on a t-shirt. If someone wants to buy it, I'll make it.
When I can. OK, into negative steam now.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz