improvised magnifier/microscope

[dgstr8]

I just wanted to pass on an old photograper's macro trick that works for me... If you have a standard or wide angle removeable lens from an old film camera, you can use it as an improvised microscope by looking through it "backwards". In other words, hold the outer end of the lens (not the end that attaches to the camer) up to your eye in one hand and bring the object that you wish to view up to the opposite end of the lens with the other hand. The object will come into focus at around 1/2 inch away from the lens. You can greatly reduce shaking/wobbling etc by bracing the lens holding hand against your cheek and bracing the object holding hand against the lens holding hand. The degree of magnification that you get is related to the focal distance of the lens that you use. Wide angle lenses (like a 28 mm lens for a 35 mm camera) give more magnification than a standard lens (eg 50 mm). The optical clarity will be much better than what you get with a cheap microscope and the magnification is higher than you get with a loupe. And the price is free is you have an old 35 mm camera kicking around!