Microscope camera: how to choose one and what you need for photomicrography

Most people looking for a microscope camera share the same frustration: the photo taken with a phone held against the eyepiece comes out off-centre, vignetted and different every time. In a laboratory or in quality control, that's no good for documenting a sample, comparing batches or showing a colleague what you're looking at. In a classroom, having thirty pupils queuing up to look down one eyepiece doesn't work either. Serious photomicrography starts when the image leaves the microscope in a stable way, appears on a screen and is saved at the same quality every time.

The good news is that you don't need the most expensive camera in the range to achieve this. What you do need is to answer a few questions first.

What to decide before looking at megapixels

With a computer or without?

This is the question that separates the models most clearly. Many current Euromex cameras work as standalone units: they connect via HDMI to a monitor, TV or projector, are operated with a mouse and save photos and video to an SD card. This is very practical at an inspection station, in a classroom or in a clinic, where you don't want to rely on a PC or install software.

If, on the other hand, you need more advanced analysis, annotations or image stacking, you'll want a camera that also connects to a computer via USB with software such as ImageFocus Plus or ImageFocus Alpha. Most of the models below can do both.

Who is going to view the image?

A single technician in front of a monitor is not the same as a group wanting to follow the observation at the same time. For the first, HDMI is enough. To share the image between several users without setting up complex networks, WiFi connectivity makes all the difference: some cameras send the image to several smartphones, tablets or computers simultaneously.

Live resolution and capture resolution

This is where the most common mistake is made. Almost all HDMI cameras show the live image at 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels), but capture photos at a higher resolution. If your work involves observing and measuring on screen, live resolution is what counts. If you're going to print, publish or crop details from the photo, look at the capture resolution.

Smoothness: frames per second

If you'll be moving the stage, focusing live or giving demonstrations, an image at 60 fps feels smooth, whereas at 15 fps you'll notice some lag when moving the sample. For photographing prepared slides, however, smoothness matters far less.

Mounting on the microscope

The most convenient option is a trinocular microscope, which leaves the eyepieces free while the camera is working. Several models use a C-mount and come with their own adapter lens, and some are compatible with all Euromex microscopes and with most Zeiss, Leica, Olympus and Nikon models. If you're unsure about your particular instrument, get in touch: we have been selling microscopes and advising on microscopy since 2008.

Euromex microscope cameras compared

When you don't need the most expensive option

If your aim is to view the sample on a monitor in real time, show it to others and save the odd reference photo or video, a 4K 16 MP camera is more than you'll make use of. The HD-Mini does exactly that: it works without a computer, displays the image at 1920 x 1080 pixels and 60 fps via HDMI, captures photos and video to the SD card and lets you take measurements with its built-in software, operated by mouse. It is suitable for biological, metallurgical and stereo microscopes, and for an inspection station or a demonstration it is all you need.

Nor do you need a high-end model if you want several people to follow the observation on their own devices. The CMEX-5 WiFi-4 sends the image over WiFi to several smartphones, tablets or computers running iOS, Android and Windows at the same time, and also works via USB or LAN at 30 fps. It includes adapters for most monocular, binocular and trinocular microscopes, which is useful when a school or centre uses a mix of different instruments.

The top-end option does pay off when the photo is the end product of the work: reports with high-resolution images, publications, defect documentation where specific areas need to be enlarged, or RAW or TIFF files for later processing.

Which camera suits each use

Quality control and real-time inspection

Here smoothness is key, because the part is constantly being moved. The HD-Ultra delivers a live image at 60 fps via HDMI with a 6 MP Sony sensor, captures at 3264 x 1836 pixels and can be connected to a PC via USB-2 with ImageFocus Plus. It comes with a C-mount and a 0.37x lens. If you need higher capture resolution to document defects, the HD-Pro goes up to 3840 x 2160 pixels in capture mode while keeping 60 fps via HDMI, and when connected to a computer it works with ImageFocus Alpha.

Workstation with no monitor available

If you don't want to tie up one of the lab's monitors, or you need a set-up that can move from bench to bench, the HD-Pro with 13-inch screen comes with its own HD display. It allows calibrated measurement with a mouse and saving to an SD card and, with ImageFocus Alpha on a PC, annotations and image stacking in Z and in X-Y.

Teaching and demonstrations

For projecting in a classroom, any HDMI camera that works without a computer makes the lesson much simpler. The HD-Mini or the HD-Ultra cover this use well. If pupils are going to follow the image on their tablets, the CMEX-5 WiFi-4 is the natural choice.

Laboratory on a tight budget

The HD-Lite combines a 5 MP sensor, capture at 2592 x 1944 pixels, HDMI and USB-2 output with ImageFocus Plus, an included mouse and a C-mount with 0.45x lens. Its live image runs at 15 fps, so it is better suited to prepared slides than to inspection of moving parts.

High-quality photomicrography and scientific documentation

When the image is the product, the UHD-4K-16 is the benchmark: a 16 MP Sony sensor in 1/1.1-inch format, photos in JPEG, TIFF or RAW, 4K video in MP4 and HDMI 2.0 output at 4K or 1080p at 60 fps. It connects to a PC or Mac via USB-3, network or Wi-Fi and includes a 32 GB SD card and a C-mount with 1x lens. Its version with a screen, the UHD-4K-16 with 13-inch screen, reaches 5440 x 3060 pixels via USB-3. One step down, the 4K UHD Sony offers 3840 x 2160 pixels, video up to 60 fps and image capture in 40 ms.

If you already have a camera and want to get the most out of it (illumination, focusing, white balance), we recommend our practical guide to photomicrography.

Why buy from Letscopes

We are an official distributor of Euromex, the Dutch manufacturer, and have its official technical service in Spain. Products carry the manufacturer's warranty of 10 to 15 years depending on the product. Shipping is free on all orders to Spain, France and Italy and is dispatched within 24/48 hours.

Our recommendation

• Viewing on screen, measuring and saving the basics without a computer: the HD-Mini.
• Sharing the image with several users on their own devices: the CMEX-5 WiFi-4.
• Smooth inspection and good capture resolution, the most sensible balance for most laboratories and industry: the HD-Pro.
• Top-quality photomicrography, with RAW and 4K video: the UHD-4K-16.

If you're not sure which one suits your microscope, drop us a line with the model you use and what you want to document, and we'll help you choose.