Smith DIC und Diatomeen

[bill2penn]

Thanks Daniel and Anne!
This is so fun.
Here's a new species of Entogoniopsis that I discovered in the Dosados Canyon Marca Shale deposits.
Stacked image taken with Leitz NPL Fluotar ITC 100X/1.32. The form didn't quite fit in the frame.
Bill

[Peter V.]

Hello Bill,

fine images, especially the image of Entogoniopsis with the 100 ICT is great! I think you will have a lot of fun to explore the diatom world with your new toy. 

Regards Peter

[Peter V.]

Hello Bill,

I like this image very much, so I think that it is worth to remove the "dirt" and the sensor spots. (I hope it is ok that I did that)

Regards Peter

[bill2penn]

Hello Peter,
Very nice edits! I'm too lazy most of the time to do that.

Here's a few freshwater forms from a local pond. Stacked image using Leitz NPL Fluotar ICT 40X/0.70.
Bill

[JaRo]

Hi Bill,
huge congratulations on your new equipment. I believe you will have a lot of fun with it! The photos are already quite good (my first diatom DIC-images looked a lot worse...).
I would also recommend to clean the sensor of your camera physically. If you do a lot of image stacking, which I think you will, the dirt spots really accumulate in every photo...
What works well (but is a bit scary) is Disco-film or Sensor-film. These are water based polymer solutions you can apply on the sensor and then pull off with the dirt after a few hours when they are dry... I have also used this to clean optics. (https://www.sensor-film.com/cleaning.html)
Otherwise these Amazon sensor cleaning swabs also work but to my experience there is always some little residue left afterwards...
Best,
Jan

[bill2penn]

Hi Jan,
Thanks for the comments. I am not eager to try cleaning the sensor again. I had a terrible time about a year ago. Every time I "cleaned" it, it became worse! In addition to the sensor "dirt" there is also "dirt" in the Orthomat-W optical train that I use to connect the camera. This really shows up when there is not much light getting through, like with the 100X ICT. I am getting a more intense lamp so that should help that issue.

Meanwhile, here's a 100X ICT image of one of the Cretaceous forms from Dosados Canyon, Trinacia interlineata. Note that I did "edit" the background to hide all the spots.

Bill

[A. Büschlen]

Hallo,

mich interessiert worin ihr das "Besondere" am Leitz Smith ITC erkennt? Bitte versteht mich richtig das ist keine Kritik! Aber gibt es sichtbare Vorteile gegen über anderen DIC? Das optimale Ergebnis mit DIC hängt ja bekanntlich von verschieden Faktoren ab.

Grüsse Arnold Büschlen

[bill2penn]

Hello Arnold,

In the end my choice of the Smith Fluotar ICT as my DIC system was almost totally based on the fact that I already have a well-equipped Leitz Orthoplan as my main microscope. I have a great imaging system consisting of a converted Orthomat-W optical train to digital camera adapter (see https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=45851) along with a Variotube magnification changer. These two systems together allow me to smoothly zoom 1X-5X so I can easily fill the sensor window for imaging.
I had considered other DIC systems, especially the newer Olympus infinity system, but any of these would have required me to purchase, in addition to the DIC system, an entirely new microscope AND an imaging system.
There are not many ICT images of diatoms posted on the internet, while there are many images using Zeiss or Olympus DIC, so I did not quite know what to expect from the Smith Fluotar ICT system. However,after only using my system for two days, I can say that I am extremely happy with the images it produces.
I think I made the correct choice for me. It may not be the correct choice for someone else.

Best regards,
Bill

[bill2penn]

Benetorus fantasmus from Cretaceous Marca shale in Dosados Canyon. Stacked image using Leitz NPL Fluotar ICT 100x/1.32. I also cleaned up the background as suggested by Peter.
Bill

[A. Büschlen]

Hallo Bill,

ah, du hast mit dem DIC deine vorhandene Einrichtung am Orthoplan ergänzt!
Danke für deine Erklärungen.

Grüsse Arnold

[Rene]

Great stuff Bill, images and material! Got a SEM one from your Marca Shale material, pretty much similar to the one in your last image. Gorgeous stuff, I can't think of recent species that look alike.

Best, René

[Rene]

apologies, that was not a DIC image, not even a Leitz image. So far for the heading 

[Beatsy]

Benetorus fantasmus from Cretaceous Marca shale in Dosados Canyon. Stacked image using Leitz NPL Fluotar ICT 100x/1.32. I also cleaned up the background as suggested by Peter.
Bill

Wow! That's a very unusual looking form Bill. Nice one. If I'd seen that, I'd have thought I'd applied the Debes' too thick 

Cheers
Beats

[JaRo]

Wow! That's a very unusual looking form Bill. Nice one. If I'd seen that, I'd have thought I'd applied the Debes' too thick 

Cheers
Beats

Hi,
it really is! That's what I thought at first as well. Nice photo, but much adhesive. That it actually looks like this is amazing...
And I can really feel the joy you're having, Bill. Seeing all those diatoms in DIC for the first time with your own eyes can hardly be beaten. (Maybe by living things in DIC  )
Best regards,
Jan

[bill2penn]

Rene beautiful SEM images!

Beats and Jan, yes I have been known to use too much adhesive at times. And yes, this is a lot of fun!

Here's two more forms from Dosados Canyon. Stacked image using Leitz NPL Fluotar ICT 100X/1.32: Meretrosulus gracilis and Benetorus morenoensis

Best regards to all,
Bill