Using a digital microscope camera ProgRes® C14plus in Biology (entomology) for insect photography at Natural Resources, Ottawa, Canada

The main aim of the application

entomological photography of insects

The requirements to the microscope camera

• good colour reproduction
• high-resolution images
• consistent quality for Z stack layers
  (sometimes up to 100 layers!)
• ease of use
• dependability

The workstation & environment

Microscope:        
• Nikon microscopes (E800 and SMZ1500)
• Prior motor drive and software
• Image-Pro Plus imaging and Z stacking software

The advantages

Good colour reproduction, high resolution, consistent quality for Z stack layers (sometimes up to 100 layers!), ease of use, dependability, lack of dead pixels. We have a similar system by another microscope company with a comparable camera that does not perform nearly in the same superb fashion as the ProgRes® C14plus (and the predecessor ProgRes® C14) since their initial purchase. The only thing missing (and on all our digital cameras) is an on/off button. The fact that my ProgRes® C14plus stays on for hours/days at a time and the quality of the images have not deteriorated in any noticable way demonstrate the good design and manufacture. The ProgRes® C14plus and its predecessor the C14 have also lasted for years and are continuing to perform flawlessly. Another advantage of the ProgRes® camera line is the excellent support provided by the Jenoptik group, who have always responded quickly, efficiently, and not only addressed our needs but provided solutions to the few questions or needs we have had.

The description of the application

Photography of very small insects (often below 1mm), both as dry mounted and slide mounted specimens, for scientific study and publication. I have to take many Z stack layers (from 20 to 90), combine them in second party EDF software, and then hand edit. This hand editing is necessary for two main reasons: first, the whole insect specimens often have legs, wings and antennae that cross and are in many focal planes; second, the insects mounted on slides are cleared and therefore semi-transparent. Although the EDF software field is expanding with new and improved applications, none (so far) can handle our difficult specimens. The sharpest, most consistent (exposure, colour, saturation, tone etc.) photographic layers make both the simple layer combining process and the hand editing process much easier. The ProgRes® C14plus is certainly the best camera in its class that I have used. I just wish the software and hardware could manage the maximum sized images that the ProgRes® C14plus can produce.

Jennifer Read, Entomological Technician,
Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, CANADA