Microscope to Camera Couplers

What is a Video Coupler?

Many microscopes have been purchased with a trinocular port in the viewing head which was designed primarily for mounting a camera.  The current trend is to mount video cameras for group viewing and for instant digitized images.

Optem's line of Video Couplers can be segregated into Direct or Standard and further categorized as a single magnification or zooming.  An added variation of the Standard permits the addition of two viewing devices (e.g. 2 video cameras or a video camera and a digital camera)

Ideally, one wants to place the camera sensor at the normal focal plane of the output port of the microscope for maximum resolution.  Occasionally, that image is buried down inside a non-removable tube and must be relayed to the outside, or the camera sensor is much smaller than the available image and too much of the image data is wasted. In this case a minification system is required. 

Your first choice is "Direct or Standard?".  The Direct series places the sensor at the normal microscope image plane while the Standard series relays the image to a secondary plane.

If you can use the Direct Series, it is the most cost effective, stable, and optically pure method of making the connection.

The Standard Series provides the means of overcoming mechanical restrictions while allowing the superimposition of reticles on the image.  The zoom and multi-port couplers require the relay technique.

The second choice is "which magnification or coupler to order?"  All camera sensors are smaller than the field of view of the normal eyepiece,  therefore, without optical assistance, a significant portion of the image data will be lost. 

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