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Scale measurements on macro photos

Started 5 months ago | Questions
SigmaTog
SigmaTog Senior Member • Posts: 1,114
Scale measurements on macro photos

How can I place scale measurements on macro photos Please ?
I am getting into 5x macro with the Canon MPE65 lens which I like a lot & I have ordered a 10x microscope objective.
I want to crop some images & add a scale measurement to the photos ?
Are any of the free to down load programs able to do this ?

ANSWER:
This question has not been answered yet.
3D Gunner Senior Member • Posts: 1,025
Re: Scale measurements on macro photos
1

GIMP for example. The problem is to learn how to use the software to get what you want.
In principle it is enough if you mention the image size in width.
You can also mount a piece of a ruler on the outside of the image, or inside.
To get a higher precision after cropping, it is better to shoot a part of a ruler together with each set of images taken at a certain magnification.

I have made a rough example, but the ruler inserted in the image can be made much more attractive, with finer markings, can even be provided with tenths of a millimeter (even with microns) and with additional mentions.

35mm image wide

BBbuilder467 Veteran Member • Posts: 7,057
Re: Scale measurements on macro photos

SigmaTog wrote:

How can I place scale measurements on macro photos Please ?
I am getting into 5x macro with the Canon MPE65 lens which I like a lot & I have ordered a 10x microscope objective.
I want to crop some images & add a scale measurement to the photos ?
Are any of the free to down load programs able to do this ?

Without a transparent ruler in the frame, I wouldn't know what image size I had, and I'm not sure I could tell if I cropped.

I think I can add text with anything, but I'd have to figure out the scale on my own.

3D Gunner Senior Member • Posts: 1,025
Re: Scale measurements on macro photos

BBbuilder467 wrote:

Without a transparent ruler in the frame, I wouldn't know what image size I had, and I'm not sure I could tell if I cropped.

I think I can add text with anything, but I'd have to figure out the scale on my own.

It is very easy to do. I'll show you how to do it. I'm waiting for a digital ruler in vector format so I can give a quality example (with divisions of a hundredth of a millimetre).

SigmaTog
OP SigmaTog Senior Member • Posts: 1,114
Re: Scale measurements on macro photos

3D Gunner wrote:

BBbuilder467 wrote:

Without a transparent ruler in the frame, I wouldn't know what image size I had, and I'm not sure I could tell if I cropped.

I think I can add text with anything, but I'd have to figure out the scale on my own.

It is very easy to do. I'll show you how to do it. I'm waiting for a digital ruler in vector format so I can give a quality example (with divisions of a hundredth of a millimetre).

That will be interesting to see.

3D Gunner Senior Member • Posts: 1,025
Demo: Scale measurements on macro photos
2

I took today the pictures needed for a demo on how to insert a ruler into an image, or add outside of it. In this case, in the final image the ruler is added below the image.
1.- With the camera setup with the macro system, take a picture of the desired object.
2. - With exactly the same optical setup, a reference ruler, a caliper for example, is photographed.
3.- In the first image we have the reference photo, the graded scale photo on the caliper and a digital graded scale.

4.- On a background larger than the images, the images are superimposed so that through transparency you can see the digital scale superimposed on the photo with the scale on the caliper.

5.- Position and resize the digital scale so that the scales on the two scales (photo and digital) overlap.

6.- Remove the caliper photo from the image and position the digital scale where necessary.

The image wide is ~7,15mm

7. Any crop must be made with the reference image superimposed over the caliper photo, in order to be able to center the digital scale later.

Other ways can be followed to achieve the same result. I did the processing in Photoshop, but it can also be done in GIMP or other photo editing software.

SigmaTog
OP SigmaTog Senior Member • Posts: 1,114
Re: Scale measurements on macro photos

Thank you for this demonstration.
Where does the "digital graded scale" come from please ?

3D Gunner Senior Member • Posts: 1,025
Re: Scale measurements on macro photos
1

The "digital ruler" is a highly modified part of a model of a tipometer used by printing companies.

I made another montage with a more subtle ruler inserted into the image.
It's fun, but it takes time to play with them.

I can give you one with 20 units (be considered cm or mm), by example, at maximum resolution (not vector), on original design, in PSD format, if you wants.

Guito55 Regular Member • Posts: 201
Re: Scale measurements on macro photos
1

SigmaTog wrote:

How can I place scale measurements on macro photos Please ?
I am getting into 5x macro with the Canon MPE65 lens which I like a lot & I have ordered a 10x microscope objective.
I want to crop some images & add a scale measurement to the photos ?
Are any of the free to down load programs able to do this ?

If you're using a 10x objective you're only going to need to measure this once, right? Your magnification and focusing distance won't change. I would take a photo of a transparent scale ruler & superimpose as needed. Or maybe (likely) I'm missing something.

Ah I think I understand with the cropping/scale vs actual measurements reading other replies. We've usually just adjusted the ruler image and added text for how much that represented. It looks like you have a promising lead in this thread.

SigmaTog
OP SigmaTog Senior Member • Posts: 1,114
Re: Scale measurements on macro photos

3D Gunner wrote:

The "digital ruler" is a highly modified part of a model of a tipometer used by printing companies.

I made another montage with a more subtle ruler inserted into the image.
It's fun, but it takes time to play with them.

I can give you one with 20 units (be considered cm or mm), by example, at maximum resolution (not vector), on original design, in PSD format, if you wants.

Thank you, I would like to see this please.

3D Gunner Senior Member • Posts: 1,025
Re: Scale measurements on macro photos
1

SigmaTog wrote:

3D Gunner wrote:

The "digital ruler" is a highly modified part of a model of a tipometer used by printing companies.

I made another montage with a more subtle ruler inserted into the image.

I can give you one with 20 units (be considered cm or mm), by example, at maximum resolution (not vector), on original design, in PSD format, if you wants.

Thank you, I would like to see this please.

You can download a two-layer TIFF file (similar to a PSD), where you have a ruler with 30 "units", 20 sub-units each, stretched over a 14,000 pixel wide format. For very large enlargements, 10x for example, manual changes can be made to the thickness of the marks, plus other modifications.
It can be printed at a small size, 1:10 (10 units = 1 cm, 30 units = 3 cm), to be photographed for reference sizes at different magnification ratios.

https://we.tl/t-il0nd9EYJx

SigmaTog
OP SigmaTog Senior Member • Posts: 1,114
Re: Scale measurements on macro photos

3D Gunner wrote:

SigmaTog wrote:

3D Gunner wrote:

The "digital ruler" is a highly modified part of a model of a tipometer used by printing companies.

I made another montage with a more subtle ruler inserted into the image.

I can give you one with 20 units (be considered cm or mm), by example, at maximum resolution (not vector), on original design, in PSD format, if you wants.

Thank you, I would like to see this please.

You can download a two-layer TIFF file (similar to a PSD), where you have a ruler with 30 "units", 20 sub-units each, stretched over a 14,000 pixel wide format. For very large enlargements, 10x for example, manual changes can be made to the thickness of the marks, plus other modifications.
It can be printed at a small size, 1:10 (10 units = 1 cm, 30 units = 3 cm), to be photographed for reference sizes at different magnification ratios.

https://we.tl/t-il0nd9EYJx

Thank you very much, looks great.

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