To all shells maniacs,
I know that the good tool for micro digital picture exist. It is an Intel
product. It is disign for children as a didactic toy and I think it is what
we need too, to take numeric pics.You can find some info about it on the
Intel site (http://www.intel.com) it is named : "QX3 digital microscope". I
never tried this tool becose I did not found it in France. So if somebody
catch any info about it, and where and how I can by this tool, I am
interested.

Roger Le Béon from the "Côte d'Azur".
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Patty Jansen" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 12:50 AM
Subject: digital pictures of microshells


> Yes John (and others),
>
> This can be a magnificent way of taking pictures of microshells
>
> Since discovering this, about two months back, I have taken literally
> hundreds of pictures of microshells, some of which will be published in
the
> upcoming issue of Australasian Shell News.
>
> The method is very simple. Because digital cameras, even the more
expensive
> models, come with very limited (pathetic?) optics, you cheat and use the
> optics of the microscope instead. Because the digital camera has such a
> narrow lens, you can actually hold it right up to the eyepiece of the
> microscope. Then you wriggle around until you get a good view of the shell
> on the screen and simply press the button. Of course you have to turn the
> flash off, and also the more light you can get on your subject the better.
> I actually make sure the shell is in full unfiltered sunlight, and place a
> piece of white paper to reflect the light back onto the 'shadow' side. It
> also helps to turn off the automatic light meter to allow you to take
> pictures at the maximum  f-stop for better depth-of-field. I use the
> automatic focusing feature without any problems. Just make sure the
> microscope is in focus (i.e., the eyepiece that you are actually going to
> take the picture through). For the background, I made a piece of black
> 'blue-tack' by mixing some ink with it. It still looks rather tacky, but
> because it is all dark and contrasts with the shell, it is easily replaced
> by a background colour of your choice in a graphics editing package. I
> found this much easier than trying to achieve a completely black
background
> in the photograph by trying to balance a 2mm shell on top of a pin, in the
> right position without any of the pin showing (AARGHHH, I don't have
> patience for that!)
>
> regards
>
> Patty
>
>
> Dr. Patty Jansen
>
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