When you see something under the microscope, do you ever wish you could share it with someone? You might be wondering, can you attach a camera to a microscope?
The answer is yes. It’s possible to attach a camera to a microscope in a few different ways. You can take photos using your phone, a camera specifically for a microscope, or a high-quality DSLR camera.
If you’re interested in microscope photography, you might be wondering what digital cameras are available for attaching to a microscope.
There are several options for taking photos of what you see under the microscope, including using a phone mount or attaching an eyepiece camera, charge-coupled device (CCD) camera, or a digital SLR (DSLR) camera.
But with these different options, you might be wondering which one to choose and how they actually work with your microscope. So, read on if you’d like to know more about the best camera options for microscopes that will suit your needs.
Below, I’ll cover each camera option for microscopes, explaining how they attach to your microscope and providing a few examples.
Camera options for microscopes:
- Phone mount
- Eyepiece camera
- Charge-coupled device (CCD) camera
- DSLR camera
Camera options for microscopes
If you want to share photos of your microscopic discoveries, you’ll want a camera or the option to attach one. Some microscopes include a camera. And for others, you can either attach an eyepiece camera, a phone adapter, or a DSLR camera adapter. The camera options in this article are compatible with the brands I previously reviewed in this post about the best compound microscopes. Read on to find out which microscope camera option will work best for you.
This post contains affiliate links — see my disclosure policy.
Phone mount
If you are looking for the simplest and most versatile option for attaching a camera to your microscope, you can easily attach your smartphone with a simple phone mount.
Some smartphone mounts are made by specific microscope brands, like the Swift phone adapter, while others are designed to be universal so they fit many different brands of microscopes.
Phone mounts:
Eyepiece camera
An eyepiece camera is a camera that directly attaches to the microscope eyepiece and connects to a computer via USB, requiring no adapters. You can either purchase a compound microscope, like AmScope, that comes with an eyepiece camera or buy an eyepiece camera separately for AmScope, Swift, or OMAX microscopes.
Eyepiece cameras:
Charge-coupled device (CCD) camera
A charge-coupled device or CCD camera for microscopes provides a higher quality image because these cameras typically offer higher megapixels (MP) than eyepiece cameras at 10 MP and above. These connect to a computer via USB.
To attach a CCD camera, you will need a microscope-specific c-mount adapter. Trinocular microscopes typically include a c-mount adapter. But for binocular microscopes, you will need to purchase one.
CCD cameras:
Digital SLR (DSLR) camera
You can capture the highest quality photos and videos with a digital SLR (DSLR) camera, like a Canon or Nikon.
They require two adapters to attach them to the microscope: a microscope-specific c-mount adapter and a camera-specific SLR adapter. The c-mount will come with trinocular microscopes but not with binocular microscopes. However, it’s best to use a DSLR camera with trinocular microscopes because of their weight and extra adapter.
DSLR camera adapters:
The DSLR I recommend and own is the Canon Rebel T7. It is a very beginner-friendly high-quality DSLR camera. Because it is a DSLR, you can use it for other purposes besides taking photos with your microscope.
DSLR camera: Canon Rebel T7
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Benefits of attaching a camera to a microscope
Allows you to take photos and videos
Attaching a camera to a microscope provides the obvious benefit of being able to take photos so you can share your findings with others. But you can also take videos, which, when it comes to microorganisms, is a great way to capture them because they are such dynamic creatures. Pond microbes move around in fascinating ways, which photos simply can’t convey.
Helps with eye strain
When you look through a microscope for any amount of time, it quickly begins to strain your eyes. So, unfortunately, you may find that you can’t spend too much time with your beloved microscope because of eye strain. But attaching a camera allows you to look at your phone or computer screen instead, reducing the strain from looking through the microscope eyepiece.
Improves ergonomics
Looking through the microscope eyepiece causes you to lean over, leading to poor posture. But with a camera attached, you can keep your head up and shoulders down while looking at the phone or computer screen. No more leaning over the microscope.
How do you attach a camera to a microscope?
You can attach a microscope camera to either a binocular or trinocular microscope head. But the microscopes with trinocular heads have an extra ocular tube specifically for attaching a microscope camera or DSLR.
It is possible to attach a camera to a binocular microscope head. But you may run into issues if the camera weighs too much and causes the microscope to topple over. So, keep in mind the weight consideration and know that you may need to provide support for a heavier camera.
For phone cameras, you will need to purchase a phone mount to stabilize your smartphone, making it easy to take photos through the eyepiece.
Eyepiece cameras attach directly to the microscope eyepiece without the need for an adapter.
Charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras and DSLR cameras require an extra component called a c-mount adapter to attach them, which you may need to purchase if your microscope does not come with one. Additionally, DSLR cameras require an SLR adapter.
Choosing your microscope camera
Getting a camera for your microscope can enhance the experience of microscopy because it allows you to share what you discover in the microbial world. Also, if you are an educator, having a camera on your microscope will enable you to display the view through the microscope onto a computer screen, which you can then project for your class to see.
You’ll have to consider what matters most for your purposes. If you want to save money and have a simple way to take photos, a phone adapter may be best. However, if you’d prefer to display the microscope view on a computer screen, you’ll need an eyepiece camera or a CCD camera. And if taking the highest quality photos and videos is your priority, opt for the DSLR camera. Remember to ensure you have the appropriate adapters for CCD and DSLR cameras.
Happy microbe hunting and microscopy photography!
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