The images used in the Minerals, Gemstones, and Closeup areas were all created using only a Videolabs Flexcam, or the Flexcam and a binocular microscope. The Flexcam (model Medcam) has c-mount interchangeable lenses, and a flexible 6' tether cable. It is shipped with a simple, but effective microscope adapter. The microscope, a MBC-10 was purchased from Max Erb Instruments (Burbank, California) and is of Russian manufacture.

The same MicroScope (slightly different name LOMO StereoScope) is also available from GEK, Inc., and they have a WEB site with further scopes and information. The price and quality are excellent.

The microscope is shown in photo 1, and was supplied with 2 sets of oculars, and changeable stage magnifications of 0.6X, 1X, 2X, 4X, and 7X. This provides coverage from 4.8X to 98X magnification. Most of the images used in these pages were between 4.8X - 32X magnification. Although the microscope comes with a self contained, variable, light source, it produces light that is predominantly orange-red in color.

Photo 2. shows the microscope with the camera attached. The microscope adapter sits on the ocular using it in the assembly. Focus can be achieved by either focusing the video camera lens of adjusting the microscope focus knobs. The camera electronics are located in the black colored base to the left of the microscope base. The camera provides either s-video or composite video output, and is connected to a Macintosh 8100 AV computer. Images are captured into Adobe Photoshop, and all post capture editing is done from within this software.

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