Height-adjustable apparatus to point a camera straight down (microscope)?

yodermk said:

I have a Canon MP-E 65 lens and would like to use it like a microscope. How would I go about getting it on a height-adjustable apparatus where it is pointing straight down?

I'd also need the equivalent of a microscope slide and under-light, but can probably jig something up.

Is there something inexpensive I can buy to do all this?

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yodermk said:

I have a Canon MP-E 65 lens and would like to use it like a microscope. How would I go about getting it on a height-adjustable apparatus where it is pointing straight down?

I'd also need the equivalent of a microscope slide and under-light, but can probably jig something up.

Is there something inexpensive I can buy to do all this?

Thanks!

--
If it's a *Single* Lens Reflex, why do I need so many lenses?

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briantilley said:

yodermk said:

I have a Canon MP-E 65 lens and would like to use it like a microscope. How would I go about getting it on a height-adjustable apparatus where it is pointing straight down?

I'd also need the equivalent of a microscope slide and under-light, but can probably jig something up.

Is there something inexpensive I can buy to do all this?

Click to expand...

I'm not sure about the "inexpensive" part, but it sounds like you're looking for what is known as a Copy Stand. Here are some examples at B&H:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Copystands/ci/711/N/3715154809

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Ellis Vener said:

How portable do you want it to be?

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Cliff Fujii said:

It all depends on how much hassle you are willing to put up with. You can get the $800 Kaiser RS1 Copy Stand with RA1 camera arm and then purchase an RRS macro rail for fine adjustments. You can probably find a Nikon copy stand that is not as elegant as the Kaiser solution but is much cheaper and can be found on eBay. You'll still need the RRS Macro rail for fine adjustments.

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Cliff Fujii said:

with that being said, I think the lowest cost option is to get a tripod that the column can be reversed. With the camera attached to the reversed column, you can true your setup and make copies. If your camera can be tethered, then you can attach a tethering cable to the camera along with an iPad which will make framing and focusing easier. You'll still need the macro rail for fine adjustments unless you like torturing yourself.

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yodermk said:

Cliff Fujii said:

It all depends on how much hassle you are willing to put up with. You can get the $800 Kaiser RS1 Copy Stand with RA1 camera arm and then purchase an RRS macro rail for fine adjustments. You can probably find a Nikon copy stand that is not as elegant as the Kaiser solution but is much cheaper and can be found on eBay. You'll still need the RRS Macro rail for fine adjustments.

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Yeah don't want to pay anywhere near $800 but looks like some copy stands are not much more than $200.

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yodermk said:

yodermk said:

with that being said, I think the lowest cost option is to get a tripod that the column can be reversed. With the camera attached to the reversed column, you can true your setup and make copies. If your camera can be tethered, then you can attach a tethering cable to the camera along with an iPad which will make framing and focusing easier. You'll still need the macro rail for fine adjustments unless you like torturing yourself.

Click to expand...

By "reversed" do you mean the column goes upside down with the head on the bottom, or that flips out horizontally? I already have one of the latter, and with that I can aim the camera straight down, but it's not easily adjustable and I'm concerned about its stability. Still, maybe I should try that a little more before buying a copy stand.

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yodermk said:

I do have a Manfrotto macro focusing rail.

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yodermk said:

Maybe I don't get how that would make the camera point straight down though -- in the "normal" position, I can't get it to point straight up...

If it can indeed point straight down, that may be a winner.

Click to expand...

yodermk said:

Cliff Fujii said:

It all depends on how much hassle you are willing to put up with. You can get the $800 Kaiser RS1 Copy Stand with RA1 camera arm and then purchase an RRS macro rail for fine adjustments. You can probably find a Nikon copy stand that is not as elegant as the Kaiser solution but is much cheaper and can be found on eBay. You'll still need the RRS Macro rail for fine adjustments.

Click to expand...

Yeah don't want to pay anywhere near $800 but looks like some copy stands are not much more than $200.

yodermk said:

with that being said, I think the lowest cost option is to get a tripod that the column can be reversed. With the camera attached to the reversed column, you can true your setup and make copies. If your camera can be tethered, then you can attach a tethering cable to the camera along with an iPad which will make framing and focusing easier. You'll still need the macro rail for fine adjustments unless you like torturing yourself.

Click to expand...

By "reversed" do you mean the column goes upside down with the head on the bottom, or that flips out horizontally? I already have one of the latter, and with that I can aim the camera straight down, but it's not easily adjustable and I'm concerned about its stability. Still, maybe I should try that a little more before buying a copy stand.

I do have a Manfrotto macro focusing rail.

Click to expand...

yodermk said:

Maybe I don't get how that would make the camera point straight down though -- in the "normal" position, I can't get it to point straight up...

Click to expand...

yodermk said:

If it can indeed point straight down, that may be a winner.

Click to expand...

Ellis Vener said:

yodermk said:

Cliff Fujii said:

It all depends on how much hassle you are willing to put up with. You can get the $800 Kaiser RS1 Copy Stand with RA1 camera arm and then purchase an RRS macro rail for fine adjustments. You can probably find a Nikon copy stand that is not as elegant as the Kaiser solution but is much cheaper and can be found on eBay. You'll still need the RRS Macro rail for fine adjustments.

Click to expand...

Yeah don't want to pay anywhere near $800 but looks like some copy stands are not much more than $200.

Ellis Vener said:

with that being said, I think the lowest cost option is to get a tripod that the column can be reversed. With the camera attached to the reversed column, you can true your setup and make copies. If your camera can be tethered, then you can attach a tethering cable to the camera along with an iPad which will make framing and focusing easier. You'll still need the macro rail for fine adjustments unless you like torturing yourself.

Click to expand...

By "reversed" do you mean the column goes upside down with the head on the bottom, or that flips out horizontally? I already have one of the latter, and with that I can aim the camera straight down, but it's not easily adjustable and I'm concerned about its stability. Still, maybe I should try that a little more before buying a copy stand.

I do have a Manfrotto macro focusing rail.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

yodermk said:

Ok. I just have a pan/tilt head now, but if I need another tripod I need another head. Was looking at the monoballs a few months ago but never bought one. Maybe I should look at all their uses and reconsider!

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yodermk said:

Ok. I just have a pan/tilt head now, but if I need another tripod I need another head. Was looking at the monoballs a few months ago but never bought one. Maybe I should look at all their uses and reconsider!

Click to expand...

Ellis Vener said:

Durst enlargers have a vertical column.

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jeffcpix said:

The Canon MP-E 65 is a true macro -- in that it does not focus at infinity

http://learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2013/mpe65mm_lepp.shtml

"As the magnification is increased, the working distance between the lens and the subject is reduced, from 5 inches at 1x to 2 inches at 5x."

" As the photographer chooses higher magnification, the lens is lengthened from about 3-7/8 inches at 1x to nine inches at the maximum extension, 5x."

Alignment of the camera and subject is critical -- so I would suggest looking into a system that uses a mono-rail. And for really critical focus, nothing beats having micrometer control of both stages. If you're really serious, I'd suggest considering a Sinar P outfit -- but with your camera and lens mounted on the rear standard and your subject placed on what would be the lens 'standard'. Here's a link to a modification which shows how to mount a camera to the rear standard without using the Sinar adapter (which can be hard to find)

https://www.photigy.com/the-dslr-to-large-medium-format-diy-build-nikon-d800e-on-sinar-p-camera/

Of course when you use a heavy outfit like the P pointing down, you need a sturdy tripod. Sinar did make a clamping stand set, which clamps onto a desk but like most things Sinar, it can be pricey.

http://glennview.com/jpgs/sinar/tripod/clampunit/norma/small_4.jpg

I use the P (with additional rails and standards) to digitize negatives and transparencies using a Zig-Align mirror system to get everything plano-parallel. I've also used the Sinar clamp set to make a vertical copy stand for digitizing prints (using a vacuum easel).

You may be able to 'jerry-rig' something -- but if you're serious, it's worth the additional cost of doing it correctly from the beginning thereby making the whole venture far less frustrating.

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