Micrograph

As a photomicrograph field of photography is called, in which objects from an image scale of about 1: 1 and greater are shown photographically. In contrast, there are photographs, with smaller image scales as 1 to 4 are created, which are called macro photography: 2 or 1.

A particular difficulty in photomicrography is the very shallow depth of field. For digital images of stationary objects is possible by stacking multiple shots with different focus levels ( "focus stacking"), to produce an image with increased depth of field. There are special software, such as the open source program CombineZM.

The photomicrograph is professionally for documentation in the fields of biology (especially histology), mineralogy and materials used.

Photomicrography using a microscope

Photomicrography can also be defined as " photograph of the object, which was taken with a camera connected to a microscope ."

Microscopes with phototube

In this research microscopes usually a phototube is provided, to which the camera housing is connected without the lenses. In this case, the intermediate image of the film or the sensor surface ( CCD / CMOS) camera fully light, the ocular optical system is not participating in the recording. This arrangement has many advantages:

• The quality of the image is not degraded by additional optical elements,
• The camera is mechanically rigidly connected to the microscope,
• The eyepiece remains for the selection of image details free
• When using bayonet catches the camera body can be changed in a few seconds,
• By adjusting via intermediate rings different recording formats can be used.

Most offer manufacturer of research microscopes also camera body that are specifically tailored to their own brands and thus allow a better control of the exposure. Further developments of the photomicrograph consisting of the transmission of digitized images to a workstation for software-driven, automated image analysis - not only of the frames, but also throughout the series, such as histological sections.

Microscopes without phototube

In microscopes without phototube but it is quite possible to have a camera ( even without further adjustments) to keep directly to the eyepiece and trigger with a steady hand. Particularly important is the alignment of the optical axis of the camera lens to the Mikroskopokulars. Each camera is not suitable for a host of low-cost models, this is possible. A lack of visual adaptation is usually only get a smaller, vignettiertes on corners and edges ( shadowed ) image.

A somewhat better but more expensive solution is to use a tube adapter to the connected camera is inserted in place of the eyepiece in the tube. The adapter handles the mechanical and optical matching between the microscope and the camera. This avoids blurring and vignetting of the image, the resulting photo quality is much higher.

Electron

While scanning electron microscope images can not be directly included, as is possible with transmission electron microscopes. Classic photographic plates, sheet film or 35mm film be used. Modern devices are equipped with CCD cameras, which can record the images on a scintillator directly in the microscope. There are magnifications of up to about one million at resolutions up to 0.05 nm distance.