How to Use Digital Blue QX5

(See separate powerpoint on the use of the software)

QX5 an be use in the stand or off the stand

• Most small items are best viewed on the stage; easies to keep focus and take a picture.

Place specimen on stage

Using the scope off the stand is useful for looking at surfaces of rocks, large objects

or the body (e.g. skin, tongue)

Focusing

• Just turn this knob up or down until the object comes into focus. Note- it is often hard to focus at 200x, especially for younger kids.

• Always start at 10x and work to higher mag, it is also useful to see what an object looks like at increasing magnification.

Focus knob

Magnification

QX5 had three lens- 10X, 60X, 200X. Make sure they click in place. Start at lower magnification first and then try higher.

The specimen will not be in perfect focus when you switch from low to high mag. So you will have to readjust the focus slightly.

Rotate this wheelfor different Mag

Lighting

• Lighting can make a critical difference to the quality of your images and different specimens require different lightening to bring out the best contrast.

• With QX5, you can illuminate from below or above with built-in light sources. You can also illuminate at an angle with an hand held LED flashlight. These options are described in the next few slides.

Controlling top and bottom illumination through miXscope software

(see separate powerpoint on software)

Lamp Control

Bottom IlluminationSpecimen must be transparent to some extent. Particularly good for stained specimens.

Vitachrome stained amoeba from Carolina Biological, 200x. Internal stained membranes are seen well by trans (bottom) illumination

Top Illumination

• Most widely useful illumination for school kids. Good for larger non-transparent objects- rocks, plants, bugs, etc.

Top Illumination

• Adding a black or white background can be cool. (Just put white or black construction paper below the specimen on the stand).

Enhanced Top Illumination

• A brighter light source can improve the image, particularly at 200x when the image often looks dark and grainy (not enough light to the ccd camera).

• I bought several small and cheap LED flashlights which are easy for kids to use and work great. Here, the light is shining down on the sample at a ~45 deg angle.

More light = better image(especially at 200x)

Fly eye at 200x

QX5 top illumination QX5 top illumination+ LED flashlight

Side (Oblique) Illuminationwith a LED flash light

• Small or transparent objects can be hard to see, since there is between the specimen and the bright little contrast illuminating light. Illumination with a LED flash light from the side (oblique illumination) can improve contrast (turn QX5 lamps off). Here the background will be dark, but light scattered from the object will be bright.

Side Illumination with a LED flash light

• Here, the flash light is held parallel to the stage. You can move it around to try to get the best image (dark background and bright specimen).

Pond Water- Top Illumination and Side Illumination(Contrast is improved and swimming organisms can be more easily seen)

QX5 Top Illumination QX5 Illumination- OFFLED Flash light- side illumination

Daphnia (60x)

QX5 Top Illumination QX5 Illumination- OFFLED Flash light- side illumination

Problems• Most common

problem with kids is that the lens is not in clicked in place. If it is in an “intermediate” position, then no image will be seen. Make sure that the

lensIs in the right position

Problems• We have had problems

with the light source flickering. You can unscrew the lamp holder and try to push the bulb into position. Otherwise, obtain a new bulb by calling Digitial Blue.

• Top bulb shown here. Bottom bulb can be accessed through screws below stage (not shown)

Screw at the back of QX5. Pull out to replace/tighten bulb.