Microscope Tips

[LoveIt]

got a couple new pieces of equipment yesterday... the one on the left doesn't have anything to do with this post, but it's so fucking cool, i included it in the pic, lol... now i can check in on the forums when i'm not home (have to figure out if it's relatively safe first, though).

so the main thing here is i picked up the microscope at radio shack... $390 cheaper than the iPhone, by the way, if you're wondering lol. it has 60x-100x magnification and a light at the bottom.

*** what i'm wondering is: any of you have any tips or special tricks you have figured out... it's easy to look at something on a table, but holding the microscope up to a plant is another challenge entirely. any experienced insight would be mucho apprec!!***

in the 3rd day of 12/12 now, and i think i already see that one of them is a girl!!! check out my journal in a couple minutes to see the pics!

 

[VictorVIcious]

I have a 30x. much easier to use. I have that one from radio shck also. you can stop by and pick it up for free if you want. Too small of a focal point to be practical for this old man. VV

 

[natmoon]

I am going to buy a cheap microscope in a couple of weeks as well,i am interested to know if you can put a basic digital camera lens over the microscope lens and take the pics like that?

Also has anyone used that intel microscope that you can plug directly into your pc,i dunno if there are others apart from intel who do usb microscopes but the intel one is the only one ive seen,any advice is appreciated.

Like your new iphone btw i want a motorola z8,sorry i have no tips to offer but just thought i would add my request for knowledge to this thread to save starting another microscope thread

 

[LoveIt]

I have a 30x. much easier to use. I have that one from radio shck also. you can stop by and pick it up for free if you want. Too small of a focal point to be practical for this old man. VV

where did you pick up your 30x scope?

i managed to get a look at one of the pre-preflowers through it the other day, but it was so early in development, that the fact that it was hugely magnified didn't make any difference.

honestly, what i'd like to do is get a zoom lens for my camera, but i think they only make a wide angle/ fish-eye lens for my model, and some filters...

 

[pinecone]

Look for macro lenses or macro filters for your camera. They'll get you in closer but nowhere near as close as the 30x from Radio Shack can. I find the best thing to do with the Radio Shack microscope is to prefocus then slowly move into the bud. Go easy on coffee in the morning - a little shake of the hand moves you miles when looking through it. In theory using a macro lens you could focus on the surface where your eye would be on the microscope. You'd have to block out light coming in from the side. Tricky thing to do right.

 

[cloudflyer]

got a couple new pieces of equipment yesterday... the one on the left doesn't have anything to do with this post, but it's so fucking cool, i included it in the pic, lol... now i can check in on the forums when i'm not home (have to figure out if it's relatively safe first, though).

so the main thing here is i picked up the microscope at radio shack... $390 cheaper than the iPhone, by the way, if you're wondering lol. it has 60x-100x magnification and a light at the bottom.

*** what i'm wondering is: any of you have any tips or special tricks you have figured out... it's easy to look at something on a table, but holding the microscope up to a plant is another challenge entirely. any experienced insight would be mucho apprec!!***

in the 3rd day of 12/12 now, and i think i already see that one of them is a girl!!! check out my journal in a couple minutes to see the pics!

I use the exact same one. focus on something on the table, then take off the plastic thing on the bottom. Look at your plants and instead of using the focus, pull your head back and forth.

 

[natmoon]

Im really interested to know if anyone has used one these intel usb scopes,apparently they can do time lapse and stuff.

Heres a link if anyones interested or knows anything more about them please let me know

Microscopy-UK Micscape Microscopy and Microscopes Magazine

 

[LoveIt]

I am going to buy a cheap microscope in a couple of weeks as well,i am interested to know if you can put a basic digital camera lens over the microscope lens and take the pics like that?

Also has anyone used that intel microscope that you can plug directly into your pc,i dunno if there are others apart from intel who do usb microscopes but the intel one is the only one ive seen,any advice is appreciated.

you're not taking away from the thread by contributing questions that belong in it's vicinity. i am actually very curious about photographing those extremely magnified shots, and this discussion is really the logical part b to this thread... so thanks for chiming in!

Look for macro lenses or macro filters for your camera. They'll get you in closer but nowhere near as close as the 30x from Radio Shack can. I find the best thing to do with the Radio Shack microscope is to prefocus then slowly move into the bud. Go easy on coffee in the morning - a little shake of the hand moves you miles when looking through it. In theory using a macro lens you could focus on the surface where your eye would be on the microscope. You'd have to block out light coming in from the side. Tricky thing to do right.

macro lenses/filters... i'll have to look into that. you say in theory- have you never tried it? it would be very fun to make pics so close up, but i don't know if i want to go to school for a doctoral degree in photography in order to achieve that lol

I use the exact same one. focus on something on the table, then take off the plastic thing on the bottom. Look at your plants and instead of using the focus, pull your head back and forth.

that is perfect- always excellent, descriptive instructions from you, cloudflyer- thanks!

 

[natmoon]

Ok scratch the intel one ive found one that is much cheaper and newer,i dunno if you can find similar in america or not but here is a link to have a look at what im on about,im especially interested in making a time lapse video of a bud from start to finish as well as the super cool convenience of just plugging it into my pc and taking film and pics with it,anyway heres a link to what im on about in case anyone didnt actually know about them,i only saw them in a toys section a while back and though little of it really.


USB Microscope, 10x ~ 200x USB Microscope with adjustable focus and magnification : nov-usbmc

 

[LoveIt]

Ok scratch the intel one ive found one that is much cheaper and newer,i dunno if you can find similar in america or not but here is a link to have a look at what im on about,im especially interested in making a time lapse video of a bud from start to finish as well as the super cool convenience of just plugging it into my pc and taking film and pics with it,anyway heres a link to what im on about in case anyone didnt actually know about them,i only saw them in a toys section a while back and though little of it really.


USB Microscope, 10x ~ 200x USB Microscope with adjustable focus and magnification : nov-usbmc

here's a link to one you can get in the u.s.... unfortunately, usb 2.0 ports are required, and my powerbook can't have those upgraded- i just asked the apple store about that... i'm not giving up though, just have to keep googling for a bit.

 

[natmoon]

Thats a bit expensive for me seeing as it dont even have a lens but still cool to have a look at if you wanna get serious about microscopes i reckon some kind of usb scope is the way to go.
What about some time lapse bud drying
lol

 

[LoveIt]

yeah! lol that's a riot- the other funny thing is that i never thought i could be so well entertained by watching the grass grow until now...

 

[potroast]

For looking at trichomes, I've found that microscopes are too much power. A 20 power loop is all I need, and they cost about 20 dollars. I can gaze at the trikes on one bud, and quickly move to several others.

HTH

 

[cloudflyer]

LoveIt I know you have seen this before. Someone posted it a bit back and I kept it because it is a great picture. But just in case you dont have it.

 

[nongreenthumb]

Using the scope you have can be confusing and hard to get to grips with. I found that out myself. The hardest part with that one is staying steady enough to see something for long enough before you've shot past it. I got the hang of it in the end by just making sure everything was steady.

The problem I found with those are that the little light you get on the end is usually no where near powerful enough to see as well as you would like to.

Then we went over to the inlaws and the mrs was showing me this mini telescope she has, it was about 5 inches long and about half an inch in diameter. The bottom section was mostly glass which let loads of light in from the hps. It was only 30x magnification but I saw 100 times more with this than the 80-100x. The wider view through the scope was very helpful also.

 

[cloudflyer]

A while back I bought a real microscope to look at my plants with. 100x-2400x. Once you get to about 300 the heads and the whole trichomb except for a tiny outer clear edge, is black. It weird. Ever since I got it I have been looking at everything. With the one you have, go to 100x and look at a printed picture. Its weird how I can be looking at a picture of something brown but what I see in the microscope is colored dots that look nothing like what they make up.

 

[VirginHarvester]

This thread is just what I needed. I'm having trouble using the 60-100x from RS.

I have a 30x. much easier to use.

Victor, where did you get the 30x?

I use the exact same one. focus on something on the table, then take off the plastic thing on the bottom. Look at your plants and instead of using the focus, pull your head back and forth.

So removing the plastic piece definitely helps? It doesn't by chance expand your field of vision does it?

For looking at trichomes, I've found that microscopes are too much power. A 20 power loop is all I need, and they cost about 20 dollars.

Where to find one of these please?

Then we went over to the inlaws and the mrs was showing me this mini telescope she has, it was about 5 inches long and about half an inch in diameter. The bottom section was mostly glass which let loads of light in from the hps. It was only 30x magnification but I saw 100 times more with this than the 80-100x. The wider view through the scope was very helpful also.

Any idea what store or type of store carries these?


In all sincerity, if I don't learn how to use the RS scope better I need to find an alternative because I'm serious about wanting to harvest at particular trich development. Some I want to harvest at just all cloudy, some at part amber, maybe even a few branches at all amber. Right now I can't make anything out or it's just too narrow a field of vision for me... And man, you have to be dead steady with the RS scope.

 

[potroast]

Most hydro shops sell some loupes, and magnifiers. Or you can find them at optic shops that sell telescopes.

HTH

 

[VictorVIcious]

I did a search on line after visiting every store in town I thought might have one. Picked from the list. I ordered two. If your order was over $25.00 shipping was free. VV

 

[HumboldtHunny]

I agree the RS can be tough to use, but I simply clip off a piece of one of the smaller leaves on a bud I want to check, then place it on a white piece of paper and focus. I can look to my hearts content. The scope sits flat and everything is "crystal" clear (lol). No problemo, I really don't care about losing a 1/4 inch of one of the bud leafs. GL HH