USB Microscope

[planbee]

I've just been looking at a USB microscope on the net.

http://www.firebox.com/product/2161/USB-Microscope

They come with either 200 or 400 times magnification.

I found my pollen colour charts book last night, [son-in-law had it], and I wondered if this type of 'scope is any good for viewing pollen?

I'm not interested in looking at "bit's of bee's" - too squeamish, just pollen.

Any opinions?

John

 

[DulwichGnome]

Maplin do them as well,
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=226754

I got the old one when they were in their sale and it works OK, the software is not great, but worth the £20 I paid for it.

Mike.

 

[planbee]

Thanks Mike,

It's the same one, so at that price, with free postage, I'll get one.

John

 

[Rosti]

Veho USB Microscope

I have one of these in my professional tool kit. The model I use is the Veho Discovery VMS-004 Deluxe (deluxe come with a removeable stand). In built lighting is good, the focus is a little fiddley but passable. Depth of field, as with any optic at x400, is shallow. The x20 zoom is pretty useful as well, field depth at this magnification is useable. Available on the web at around £50 now. Wld recommend it with the proviso's that it's not built for abuse and I generally have to put the images through a photographic suite if I am going to publish or use in a report.

 

[Hivetool]

Thank you for the information re microscopic cameras.

I have been reading about microscopy and pollen slides etc.
With these camera's mentioned would I be able to define the furrows and pores?
Would the exine be clearly visible?
What stain is used for highlighting the structure of the grains?

Sorry for so many questions as all this is new to me. Although we read books for information I believe that getting first hand knowledge from someone who has undertaken making pollen slides is far better.

 

[ufimets]

Photomizer SE

I have installed Photomizer SE with a Bresser BioLux NV microscope (from Lidl). Everything seems to work OK and I get a good image when I click on 'open camera', but I cannot see a 'capture' button which the instructions say I should click on. Has anyone any suggestions what to do next? Thanks.

 

[wilderness]

It might just be an icon of a camera

 

[Ruary]

I have been reading about microscopy and pollen slides etc.
With these camera's mentioned would I be able to define the furrows and pores?
Would the exine be clearly visible?
What stain is used for highlighting the structure of the grains?

The matter of looking at the exine is done by moving the focus through the depth of the pollen grain, first one would determine the shape of the grain, then the size (spike the slide with hazel pollen to give a size comparison) then focussing from the top od the grain gradually move the focus through the grain. first you would see the surface and the furrows and pores then as the focus moves through you see a scetion of the grain and this would allow you to look at the exine and the structure of the grain.

Staining several grains are used most use basic fuchsin in glycerine jelly, brunell microscopes sell this already prepared.
PM me if you need further directions
I cannot comment on the particular microscope as I have not used one.
Ruary