Microscopy Links

Forums

Amateurmicroscopy.net - forum, image galleries and more. Some of the best photomicrography to be seen on the web

Yahoo Microscopy Forum - a great source of technical information and assistance

General Resources

Micro Contrasts - methods for the optimisation of light microscopy. A site worth checking out for ideas.

Microscope Forum - site by Ron Neumeyer containing a broad range of resources

Microscopy from the Very Beginning - a very useful summary of microscopical practice and technique from Zeiss

Microscopy UK, - a site providing almost all you are likely to need relating to microscopy, including excellent monthly on-line magazine

Modern Microscopy - an online journal

Molecular Expressions - optical microscopy primer

Olympus Microscopy Resource Center

Robert Hooke - a site dedicated to the great man

Microscopes - Documentation

AO (American Optical) Spencer Microscope Manuals and Catalogs

Watson - Savona Books - not only provide useful publications, but also host a valuable resource for Watson microscope information

Zeiss (Jena) Manuals - Follow the "Zeiss Anleitungen" link on the left-hand side of the page, and there is the Manual archive, sub-divided into different categories of literature. Thanks to Kevin Sunley on the Yahoo Forum for spotting this.

Current Zeiss Products from Zeiss

Zeiss Manuals - a variable collection of Zeiss manuals

Here is a link to the Zeiss GFL Manual

Leitz - Image Forming and Illumination Systems (~20 Mb) - More excellent resources from Gordon Couger

The Book of the Watson Microscope (27.25Mb)

Handbook for the Watson Service II Microscope (2.08 Mb)

Microscopes for Students & Research (Watson Catalogue 1936) (4.23 Mb)

Watson Microscopes & Accessories 1912/13 (34.1 Mb - thanks to Goof Zijderveld)

Watson Microscopes & Accessories Part 1 (1945/48) (85.1Mb)

Watson Microscopes & Accessories Part 2 (1945/48) (46.5 Mb)

Olympus FH Manual (3.46 Mb)

Olympus FH Fine Focus (2.56 Mb) - rough notes compiled by my dad for dismantling the FH fine focus mechanism

Bits and Pieces

Hardware

Brunel Microscopes Ltd. - Instruments, lab equipment, stains, reagents etc

C & H Sales Co - all sorts of useful surplus, including fibre optic light guides

LSDiodes - Where I get 24000 mcd LEDs

Middlesex University Teaching Resources - more useful bits & pieces

The LED Light.com - high intensity LEDs. Luxeon stars etc.

Software

CombineZ - Free software from Alan Hadley for combining "stacks" of images taken at slightly differing focus positions in order to enhance depth of field. Only the in-focus parts of each image are combined

Helicon Focus - similar in function to CombineZ, but not free (apart from a free 1 month trial). It is worth trying alternative stacking programs in that where one does not produce good results, another may. UK agents are Brunel Microscopes Ltd.

Zerene Stacker - This is my preferred stacking program, written by Rik Littlefield, moderator at www.photomacrography.net . Again, not free, but an excellent program written with macro photography and photomicrography in mind.