sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Well, what else can I do when it's snow packed outside? Took a few grains of Sea Salt and placed them on a piece of blue paper that I tore out of a magazine for a background.

To my surprise I was able to see the color dot matrix of what appeared to be solid blue of the paper. This image was taken with at about 8X magnification using a microscope objective and bellows extension.

Thanks in advance to those who view and your comments, suggestions and critique are always highly appreciated.

(Download)

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

ok!
I just came across an old post on a different site about mounting a microscope objective lens in reverse for greater magnifying power. This of course works with regular camera lenses, but I had ever heard of doing that with microscope lenses before.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Mark, my setup is quite simple and very inexpensive. I got an AMSCOPE 4X Finite objective that they sell for $21.00 https://www.amscope.com/accessories/objective/4x-plan-achromatic-compound-microscope-objective-lens-1.html

The reason that I chose a "FINITE" is that there is no "tube lens" required meaning that you do not need to couple it with another lens. You simply attach it to a set of extension tubes so you will need an adapter to go from the extension tube to a RMS thread (Royal Microscope Society). I paid $9.00 for my adapter and I already had a set of extension tubes and a bellows.

Using a bellows extends the magnification of the objective although it also affects the light so I need to compensate it with the shutter speed (the microscope objectives are a fixed aperture). This objective has an NA of 0.1 which is equivalent to f-20.

A "INFINITE" objective must be connected to another lens. You'll see a lot of infinite type objectives
when you look at objectives. Typically an infinite objective is coupled to a 200mm camera lens that is used as the tube lens or something similar. To use an infinite objective you would need an adapter to go from your lens filter size to RMS threads.

newtoyou Loc: Eastport

You answered the question I had. Fine tuning.
Saw the dentist today. So, tomorrow.
Bill

newtoyou Loc: Eastport

I am doing this too. The bellows look to be the ideal means of focus. Reversing the lens led to changing tube length to maintain focus. I used fixed tubes, only an approximate focus, as with the mite. There is a rubber grip ring on the objective end that lets the lens be reversed easily, so will look into this. Thanks
Bill

newtoyou Loc: Eastport

That is not Morton's salt, is it? It usually has more uniformly square crystals. The experimentation with the microscope lenses goes well, your bellows should be the final piece to this. Enjoy.
Later, Gary.
Bill
PS, interesting that the magnification was high enough to see how color is realy printed. It's 'pixilated', if that is the right word.

EnglishBrenda Loc: Kent, England

Sand is an interesting subject too.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

sippyjug104, Thank you for the prompt to expand my equipment .... I came across this thread
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12147

The cone adapter from ebay is with shipping about $25 so along with the lens objective you suggested the investment for me will be about $50. I bought a M42 old Bellows about a year ago.

RMS Thread to M42 Adapter for microscope objective cone
https://www.ebay.com/itm/RMS-Thread-to-M42-Adapter-for-microscope-objective-cone-/362436879258

EnglishBrenda Loc: Kent, England

Snow crystals, that will keep you busy and cool.

napabob Loc: Napa CA