MICSCAPE - Exploring the miniature world

Issue 260 : November 2017 (ISSN 1365 - 070x) Monthly, next issue December 13th 2017.

December 10th 2017. Happy 80th birthday to Richard Howey. Regular readers of Micscape will be familiar with the splendid variety of articles which Richard has shared over many years. My colleague Mol Smith and I offer our very best wishes on his birthday and a very sincere thanks for offering so much to the enthusiast microscopy community worldwide.

I've had the pleasure of liaising with Richard over the years helping him to share his wonderful breadth of articles. We've never met but his character shines through his articles and emails and regard it as a great privilege to know him as a friend.

Mol has compiled a webpage celebrating the wealth of Richard's work with a short biography. If any reader would like to thank Richard for his contributions and/or offer birthday wishes, he can be contacted here. David Walker, Micscape Editor.


Above. Greek diatom. Image by
Michael Reese Much.

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Please do not contact the above for image permissions. Each article contributor retains the copyright to their material so should be contacted directly via the link in the relevant article. Thank you.

Comments on Micscape and contributions welcomed.
Contributions: Any modern format welcomed i.e. pdf. doc/docx with embedded images, or html + jpegs.

Diatoms from Santorini - Michael Reese Much (USA) shares an attractive gallery of typical species collected while on vacation. PDF
Simple variable intensity LED illumination for the LOMO microscope and other brands - Howard Lazerson (USA) shares a project using good value commercial torches.

"I'm forever blowing bubbles". Part 2 - An eccentric gallery - Richard Howey (USA) shares further striking images of bubble formation.

Twenty-two years of Micscape magazine (a personal reflection). (The end of Micscape?) - Mol Smith (UK) the site's co-founder surveys the way the Web is changing and future role of Micscape. With a supporting footnote by the Micscape editor David Walker (UK).
Resolution part 3 - the 40X objective - Alejandro Ariel Garcia Arriaga (Mexico) continues his series illustrating the difference between resolving detail in a subject and the ability to observe a subject below the resolution limit of the objective in size, using Streptococcus bacteria as an example. PDF
The Foldscope: 'Deluxe Individual Kit' - a first look - David Walker (UK) describes and illustrates the new design of microscope and comprehensive field kit in the commercial version.
From the archives: A quietish autumn issue, so the contents of the November 2013 edition are presented below.

A simple, low cost, conversion of incandescent-lamp illuminator to a power LED - Dushan Grujich (Australia) shares an elegant conversion of the LOMO OI-32 lamp to an LED self-contained lamp for the microscope base. (In Acrobat pdf format.)

Wild M20 microscope - Michael Wilkman (Finland) shares some practical modifications and servicing tips for this classic microscope. (In Acrobat pdf format.)

Some common protozoa: an oxymoron - Richard Howey (USA) describes and illustrates some typical species and comments on the recent taxonomic debate on how best to classify this group.

The DIY seamless condenser (Update Pt 4). Adding subtle iris control for COL - Paul James (UK) discusses improvements to his versatile home made condenser.

A close up view of a Black Eyed Susan cultivar - Brian Johnston (Canada) explores this attractive plant on the macro and microscopic scale.

Ten tantalizers: Microscopes that continue to fascinate - R. Jordan Kreindler (USA) and Manuel del Cerro (USA) present ten microscopes that have a certain appeal; both successful and unsuccessful models. (In Acrobat pdf format.)

Microscope slides of “Larva of Anthomyia Caniculata, from Stomach of Girl. – Microscopical Transaction, 1844” - Brian Stevenson (USA) discusses some intriguing nineteenth century slide preparations. (In Acrobat pdf format.)

Some fascinating survivals - Peter Paisley (Australia) proposes that the preparer of some unascribed slides was Arthur Farre, 'a multi-talented medical and scientific luminary'. Includes a slide possibly used in a murder case. (In doc format.)

James How and Co. operated by George John Smith, 1835 – 1905 ... - Brian Stevenson (USA) discusses this company's and its later owner's products, which included prepared slides.  (In Acrobat pdf format.)

William's Little People - Peter Paisley (Australia) continues his in-depth study of the work of the Norman family of slide preparers. He discusses the entomological work of William Norman. (In doc format.)

Notes on the potential vibration problems observed with two mirrorless digital cameras if used for photomicroscopy (Sony NEX-5N and Panasonic GF2), and the value of an electronic first curtain shutter option - David Walker (UK) explores why two typical mirrorless camera bodies gave more serious vibration problems than a mirrored DSLR body without mirror lock when firmly coupled to a large Zeiss Photomicroscope or for stereo microscope work.

    Micscape 22nd anniversary issue. Thank you to our contributor Alejandro Ariel Garcia Arriaga who spotted that this issue would be our 22nd anniversary issue since we started in November 1995. Alejandro has created a fun animated gif in celebration, many thanks!

    We are delighted to receive contributions small or large from microscopy enthusiasts whether a novice or expert. If you have an image, tip or article, why not share it, this magazine is what you make it!

     

Archive
Look for that elusive article on our site:
Micscape Magazine past issues online
(read articles online using the original illustrated index for each month).
Article Library (browse articles by category)
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Contributor index (a list of all Micscape contributors to date)
News - special notices - misc.

External links. Updated June 2016. Below are some of our favourites, which includes sites with extensive links and/or resources for the optical microscopy enthusiast.

External Microscopy forums: Places to discuss the hobby or to raise queries.
www.photomacrography.net
forums, galleries, articles on macroscopy and photomicrography.

Yahoo groups: a 'P' denotes current and archived messages are public i.e. not limited to members.
Amateur Microscopy P (started November 2008)
Yahoo Diatom Forum P
Microscope P (>1500 members, very active)
Wild M20 microscope
microcosmo (for Italian speaking enthusiasts)
CombineZ P stacking software forum created by the software's author

Facebook groups:
Amateur Microscopy (>1000 members, very active)

Listservers:
Algae-L
'Forum for marine, freshwater and terrestrial algae'. Access to Archives possible for non-subscribers.
Diatom-L 'Research on the diatom algae.' Access to Archives for subscribers only. Link was current March 2016. Many online diatom resources point to an outdated Indiana Univ. listserver. (With thanks to Rob Kimmich for the current link.)

Mikroskopie-Treff.de (Extensive German microscopy forum; some English categories.)
Mikrobiologische Vereinigung München e. V. Wide range of articles and resources in German.
Le Naturaliste French based forum and image gallery for micro / macro but open to non French speaking international contributors.

Other sites (also see Societies and Clubs page.)
Royal Microscopy Society Journal, 'infocus' and other resources for members and the community.
Quekett Microscopical Club Journal, Bulletin and meetings for members.
Light Microscopy Forum links and articles
Little Imp Publications public domain books collated by Steve Gill formerly on CD and now free on Micscape.
Mikroskop Museum German website with resources on microscopes / makers .
Molecular Expressions awesome optical microscopy resources
Dennis Kunkel's SEM images stunning images
Diatoms Ireland - resource site by Leszek Wolnik
Leitz museum an illustrated resource compiled by Robert Allen
Microbe hunter a free monthly microscopy enthusiast magazine edited by Oliver Kim
Microscopies online magazine and Forum for French speakers
Micrographia articles, projects for the enthusiast
Microscopy Today
journal with online archive
Modern Microscopy
online journal by McCrone Group
Fun Science Gallery projects, articles on optics
Independent Generation of Research (IGoR) - Wiki style resource for citizen scientists to share their work.
G. Couger's microscopy links extensive links
Lens On Leeuwenhoek - extensive resource online by Douglas Anderson
Collected Letters of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek ('Alle de Brieven ..') transcribed and free online at DBNL.
A Cabinet of Curiosities a resource on Victorian microscope slides by Howard Lynk
Klaus Kemp's 'Diatoms' website - offers regional strews and arranged prepared slides of diatoms, an 8 form test slide, radiolaria, insect scales etc and prepares arranged slides on commission.
'Diatoms Ireland' resource by Leszek Wolnik
Historical makers of microscopes and microscope slides Brian Stevenson's extensive resource .
Victorian slide makers
Cambridge rocking microtome resources including manual
www.willemsmicroscope.com Dutch enthusiast Willem Cramer's website
David Jackson's Better Microscopy blog. Regularly updated free resources extending from his 'Better Microscopy' series of books.
Stefano Barone's Diatom Shop
sale of his own prepared and arranged slides of diatoms, radiolaria and forams.

Stefano Barone's 'Microworlds' blog regularly updated blog and diary where Stefano showcases and discusses the typical examples of the slides he has prepared.

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Micscape is a free magazine for enthusiasts funded by Microscopy-UK and dedicated to non-commercial microscopy.
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