Well, Marlo,

Since micro shells are your quarry, something like this light might be handy,...
if you don't mind the big price tag. The goosenecked illuminators can be placed
very close to the subject(s) and positioned for desired light-and-shadow
effects. I suspect that there will be enough light unless you will be using
very high magnification levels and shooting very small shells.

The 6700K light temperature is close to daylight quality, if I recall correctly.
An article that I posted some time back deals with different light sources and
their effects on shell color. It can be browsed at
http://cowrys.org/research/colors.htm . Otherwise, most of this illuminator's
remaining selling points probably don't apply to micro shells.

I'm not sure if any of your micros have high gloss finishes, like the cowries,
but if some do, you may be interested in a second article about using a
thin-line light source to bring out the sculpture of the micros. It is at
http://cowrys.org/research/layout.htm

Good luck with the micros...


Bob Dayle

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Quoting marlo <[log in to unmask]>:

> Thanks for reply, Bob.
>
> For all the reasons you noted I'm searching for an alternative.  The
> Mikelite looks like one, but I'm concerned as to whether it will provide
> enough illumination for some digital photography via microscope of my micro
> shells.  Check this out and see what you think.
>
> http://www.mikelite.com/BenchModels.htm
>
> Marlo
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bob Dayle
> Sent: Monday, December 26, 2005 9:20 PM
>
> Marlo,
>
> I don't know the MikeLite name, per se, but the place where I work uses
> dozens of microscopes with attached lights, which I have been known to use
> to look at cowries (thus, this becomes a shell-related item). Some are
> similar to what you describe, a halogen lamp in a base unit with ~1 meter
> fiber optic cable to a ring-shaped fixture with set screws to affix it to
> your 'scope.
>
> The lamps are rather troublesome because, as a halogen lamp is wont to do,
> its wire terminals get really, really hot,...
>
> So, having said all of that,... What's your question?
>
>
> Bob Dayle
>
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