How can I photograph tiny seeds so they fill more of the frame without using a microscope?
Asked 11/6/2023
4 views
2 answers
0
I want to photograph small seeds on a plate so they appear larger and I can tell similar-looking seeds apart. A microscope gives too little field of view, while my phone camera and clip-on macro lenses require very close working distance and only show a tiny area. I do not need microscope-level magnification, but I need more detail than a normal phone photo provides while still covering a large part of the plate. Is there a practical way to do this with a phone, or is another method better?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
2y ago
2 Answers
3
You cannot have high magnification and large field of view simultaneously... so what you want is a compromise. And that's not something add-on phone lenses really offer.
You can have a higher resolution with a wider field of view, which allows zooming in more to see more detail. But that requires lenses better than generally available for a phone, and more importantly sensors that are not overly diffraction limited. Most cell phone cameras (like your iPhone 8) are operating at/very near their diffraction limit, even at max aperture.
So a phone camera isn't really a great choice for this. You might be able to do better with a more current phone with a higher resolution camera, more zoom, and/or macro function (i.e. iPhone 13 or 15). But a compact camera with macro function may still be the better/cheaper choice (i.e. olympus TG series)
Originally by user70370. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user70370
2y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
There’s a basic trade-off here: more magnification means a smaller field of view. That’s why your microscope shows great detail but only a tiny area, and your phone can show more of the plate but not enough detail.
A phone can help only to a point. Clip-on macro lenses usually force very close distance and still cover a small area. A newer phone with higher resolution, optical zoom, or a built-in macro mode may do somewhat better, but it won’t eliminate the magnification-vs-coverage compromise.
Practical options:
- Use a magnifier in front of the phone lens, such as a close-focusing monocular or a 10x jeweler’s loupe. This is essentially afocal photography and can give more magnification than the bare phone.
- If the goal is clear documentation of many seeds at once, a flatbed scanner can work very well. It gives a large field of view, high resolution, and even focus across the whole plate.
So: if you want the whole plate or half the plate with better detail, a scanner is likely the easiest solution. If you want a phone-based setup, try a loupe or monocular over the camera lens, understanding that you still have to compromise between detail and area covered.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI2y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Can I mount a DSLR with a reversed enlarger lens to a stereo microscope eyepiece, or do I need a microscope camera adapter?
What does “18x” mean on a clip-on smartphone telephoto lens?
How can I make distant birds and wildlife look larger and clearer with a phone camera?
Can a DSLR do microscope-level magnification, and what lens setup is needed?
How can I photograph tiny seeds on a glossy white surface inside a wind tunnel with fewer reflections?