It is probably safe to say that microscope photography, also referred to as photomicrography, has made viewing microorganisms and tissues that much easier especially for people with no access to the instrument.  Some decades ago, in order for students, microscopy enthusiasts and other professionals to view what a researcher has seen through the eyepiece of the microscope, they had to make do with an artist’s sketch or rendition.  While this provided people with an idea of what a specimen will look like under a microscope, it was a rather ineffective method of presenting a sample for the rest to view.

Later on, as microscopy optical systems developed, so did the techniques used in microscope photography.   Photographic plates made of glass were used and images of specimens were taken using large films.  To top it off, bulky cameras were required to perform the task.  This type of technology did indeed produce some satisfactory images of specimens on film but they lacked the convenience and high resolution offered by today’s optical systems.  With the advent of more sophisticated and better designed microscopy and cameras, producing images of microscopic specimens has become much simpler.  Viewing, editing and sharing images and even video clips of these images have also become possible.

Using microscopes and cameras
There are two basic elements to consider when attempting to use a microscope for photography.  These are: a) the camera and b) the microscope itself.  These two components also have to have the correct mechanical, optical and even electronic adaptability in order to work.  For basic camera work such as those involved in the use of 35 mm SLR cameras, microscope photography is much more uncomplicated, involving only the proper setup of the instruments needed.  However, when using other devices such as digital cameras and video cameras, connectivity becomes an issue.  As long as the correct setup of the instruments involved is ensured, using microscopes with cameras should not present a huge challenge.

Types of microscopes used for photography
Virtually any type of microscope may be used in photography, provided it has a removable eyepiece and an efficient focusing mechanism.  In most cases, it is the lens of the microscope that is used for photomicrography and not that of the camera.  The role of the camera is simply to capture the image that the microscope provides.  Here are several kinds of microscopes that may be used effectively for photography:

Compound light microscopes
From low to high power magnification requirements, the basic compound microscope is an excellent instrument to use for taking photographs of a variety of specimen, ranging from fiber, skin samples, tissues, small samples of solid materials and fluids.  Compound light microscopes offer magnification power of at least 10X (using only the objective lens) to 100X.  It is also capable of providing high power magnifications of up to 100X.

Stereo or dissecting microscopes
The stereo microscope, also referred to as the dissecting microscope, does not provide the same high magnification power that compound light microscopes and other types of microscopy do.  Instead, it makes up for image quality what it lacks for magnification capability.  This type of microscope is a good instrument to use for photography because it is capable of producing high contrast images with true, life-like quality.  This is because stereoscopy is synonymous to 3D, where images appear with more depth.  Other types of microscopy techniques usually present the image as flat and 2-dimensional.

Petrographic microscopes
Petrographic microscopes are special purpose microscopes used to observe and analyze rocks and mineral samples, particularly metamorphic and igneous materials.  It uses polarized light in order to produce a color image of the specimen which allows the observer to distinguish the different components in a sample.  Many of the pictures and images we view today regarding petrography and related fields such as geology and anthropology are produced by photography used with petrographic microscopes.

Digital microscopes
The digital microscope is one of the latest additions in the array of microscopy techniques currently available.  This type of instrument offers one of the best in image processing, providing high contrast and high resolution images.  This is also the type of microscope that works well when used for photography.  Generally, the types of camera used with digital microscopes are digital cameras as well, since they are more capable of translating the digital image produced by the microscope into the digital image captured by the camera.  Again, the lens that works in this type of setup is the one in the microscope while the digital microscope camera uses a CCD chip to convert the image of the object.  If the quality of the microscope lens is not top quality, the capabilities of the digital camera will not be maximized, which makes it important that the two instruments are compatible. Read more on this subject