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Microscope CP Images and Movies

NickHubbell

It’s a trap!
Ok, here is a very bad short movie showing real time movement of Drosera intermedia 'Cuba'.

Drosera movement.

Photos appear later on this page.
 
Interesting movie, Nick.

How long did this process take?
 
That is a real time 1 minute, 2 second video.
 
Here is a short movie of an U. gibba trap resetting itself. You can see the trapped air bubble move as well as the trap door reset. This short movie represents one hour.

U. gibba trap resetting.
 
Here are a few shots at 60x and 200x.

U. gibba branch 200x:
U_gibba_branch.jpg


U. gibba trap with debris 60x:
U_gibba_debris_trapped.jpg


U. gibba outside surface showing branch connection 200x:
U_gibba_outside_trap_200x.jpg


U. gibba second view of outside surface 200x:
U_gibba_trap_outsidesurface.jpg


Venus Flytrap Digestive Glands 200x (Sample a bit dry):
VenusFlytrapDigestiveGlands.jpg


Venus flytrap exterior trap surface 200x:
vftsurfaceext.jpg


Drosera intermedia trap upper surface 200x:
Drosera_spatulata_leafsurface.jpg
 
I soooooo love the gibba trap resetting!!! Seams like it needed more time on it though. Did you then trigger the trap after it reset?
Andrew
 
Here are two shots of the same trap. This is the trap from the above quicktime movie. The photos were taken at different times. The first photo was taken before the trap was triggered and the air bubble sucked in. The second photo shows the air bubble. You can see the trap door in the set and triggered possitions in the two photos.

U_gibba_trap_bottom_not_triggered.jpg

This photo shows the trap in the ready stage. The trap door has not been triggered and can be seen as the inside darkend arc at the mouth.

U_gibba_trap_airbubble.jpg

Here you can see the air bubble that was sucked in when the trap was triggered. Notice that the dark inside arc from the first photo is now gone?

These are from different angles. However, I do believe they show that the trap was in the ready stage (first image) and that it has been triggered (second image).
 
Image of Drosera spatulata seeds:

D_spatulata_seeds200X.jpg
 
  • #10
A few more images:

Drosera intermedia 'cuba' 60x:
D_intermedia_cuba_seed60X.jpg


Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa seeds 60x:
S_purpurea_venosa3_seeds60x.jpg


Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa seeds 200X:
S_purpurea_venosa2_seed200x.jpg


Sarracenia leucophylla 'red' hood 60X:
S_leuco_red_exthood60X.jpg
 
  • #12
Outstanding movies and photos, Nick. You should send copies of them to the National Geographic Society so maybe they would take the hint and do a feature on cps. Actually, if I remember correctly they did one about 15 years ago, with a few photographs and little informational text, and of course I can't find the magazine that it was in.
Anyway, looking at your work (and I know that it took a lot of effort and patience) made me think I was looking at NGS material. 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Alan
 
  • #13
Wow, that is amazing photography!!

I thnk I have to take a better look at what setup I am using. I can't get my cammera to focus properly down the eyepeice. What setup are you using?

Kepp the pics comming!!

George
 
  • #14
Great pictures Nick,

I'm assuming they were all taken using the USB QX3+ Computer Microscope?  If that's the case, I expect one of my kids might get one of the 'toys' as a present
smile.gif


Cheers

Vic
 
  • #15
Yes, these were taken with the USB QX3+ Computer Microscope.

There are several reviews of the product online. Most are not good as I believe many thought this was a "real" microscope and have compaired it to one.

There are three things that I wish were better:
1. A more persice stage: samples move about as the stage is very shaky during focus and things move out of view. However, they can be bought back into view.
2. Fine Focus: Course is hard to adjust.
3. A better depth of field. It would be nice to fucus on more of the sample depth at 60X and 200X.

Other than that, at $55 shipped, its not a bad item to have if you like to look at things up close and take a photo of it. I believe the next option up costs $250 and from there $720 to several thousand dollars.

The QX3 Plus does not come with Macintosh Drivers. I am using a freeware program called miXscope 1.3 for Mac OS X. The company is suppose to sell a Mac OS 9 software package, but it costs more to get it. I do not know if there is a freeware program for Mac OS 9. Drivers and software for Windows is included.

Now, for my personal thoughts on the QX3 Plus:

I like it, it has given me the chance to view the carnivorous plant world in a new light. I have enjoyed using it. The camera does allow for creating movies and time lapse photography.

My next microscope purchase will probably be a stand alone microscope with 1000X magnification and an adapter for my digital camera.

More info on the Digital Blue QX3 Plus: http://playdigitalblue.com
Please note that there are two versions of the QX3. There is the original from Intel called the Intel Play QX3, and the Digital Blue QX3 Plus. Intel no longer sells the scope and it can only be found new as the Digital Blue QX3 Plus. There is not much difference, but the QX3 Plus has some improvements.
 
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