Tanypteryx writes:
Yes, my objectives are lower power than that. Mitutoyo Infinity Corrected Long Working Distance Objectives
I want a 5X, 10X, and 20X. It is surprising, though how much you can enlarge a very small subject when you have high resolution optics mounted on a good camera.
We have a very nice Nikon compound scope that I want to use to photograph small pond life, but people are often surprised to find out that some of the shots we get were not from that scope but instead we from our Mitutoyo 20x mounted in front of a 150mm macro lens.
My plan for my personal imaging system will be to mount the Mitutoyo objectives in front of my 200mm micro-Nikkor on a Nikon D810. The whole thing will be mounted on a Stackshot which I already have. STACKSHOT 3X EXTENDED MACRO RAIL
This will all be mounted on a 300 lb steel optical bench for horizontal shooting or on heavy duty steel vertical carriage system for shooting vertically.
You had me at field planarity.
We are using a Leica system with objectives that have color correction specific to fluorescent spectroscopy and top of the line field planarity and a floating optical bench that weighs a ton. Both the stage and objectives are motorized which makes a world of difference. If you are curious, here is the brochure for the range of Leica objectives used in biological research:
https://www.leica-microsystems.com/...ective-Brochure_EN.pdf
Your expertise definitely outdistances mine when it comes to optics, but it is something I can geek out on. I wish we had access to SEM or TEM, but maybe some day in the future. One can only hope.