Meiji EMZ 8TR trinocular scope

Ray Cover · May 29, 2013

Hey everyone,

I am thinking about getting one of the Meiji EMZ 8TR trinocular scopes for the school here. I have been using a camera off to the side to do demos with but I am thinking about getting a good trinocular scope to teach with.

The thing at appeals to me about the 8TR is that all three view ports (both eye ports and the camera port is open at all times) Before spending the cash on one I wanted to see if there was anyone out there who has actually used one and could give me a review pros and cons.

Also Does anyone know where to find a good used one and what a used one should cost. I found one for around $1,200. New they are around $1,500.
If its in super good shape the $1200 didn't sound too bad to me.

Any input will be appreciated.

Ray

Sam · May 29, 2013

I had one and sold it. I think for $650. Good scope but the working distance is too much for me. It's about 1" or more greater than the standard EMZ-5 and I was stretching to see through the scope.

I never got as far as using the camera port.

Ray Cover · May 29, 2013

Thanks Sam,

I am guessing the work distance could be fixed with a .3 or .4 objective lens rather than a .5 objective. My main purpose is for a dedicated teaching scope not my everyday scope so that probably would not be as much of an issue for me anyway. Were the optics as clear as on the regular EMZ?

Ray

Sam · May 29, 2013

As I recall the optics were fine. A different objective might be the solution. Ideally you should have the scope, different objectives, and camera hooked up so you could test the various configurations and find the sweet spot. Be prepared for the video output to be different than what you're seeing through the scope. Sometimes it's minimal and sometimes it's huge depending on the size of the sensor in the camera. I wish I knew more about how these variable work together. You might contact Edmund Optics. They probably know more about microscopes than anyone.

Beathard · May 29, 2013

Ray have you tried the camera attachment for the EMZ-5 that GRS sells?

Ray Cover · May 29, 2013

No I haven't. How does it work?

Beathard · May 29, 2013

Sam would know a lot better than I. They use it at GRS Training. Here is a link. http://www.grstools.com/optical_tools/camera-equipment/003-687.html

Ray Cover · May 29, 2013

A home made version of this is what I am using now.

Sam · May 29, 2013

One of the instructors at GRS cropped the eyepieces so he was seeing the same view as the class when using a Meiji EMZ-TR8. I think it might have been Marcus Hunt. FWIW, the cameras we used were 1/2" CCD cameras. If I'm not mistaken, a smaller sensor works like a smaller sensor in a DSLR, in that it has an effective greater magnification, and larger sensors have a wider view.

Ray Cover · May 29, 2013

Thank you Sam that is helpful info. Mine is a 1/3" and I get decent magnification but the issue I am having is this. Since my camera is slightly off to the side students are not seeing exactly the same angle that I am under the scope. There are times viewing shinny surfaces that I have glare on either the camera or the scope. In other words to move the object so they don't have a glare I do and vice versa. A film of modeling clay helps this but its a pain to do that all the time.

Sam · May 30, 2013

I know what you mean, Ray. It's been an irritation we've had to tolerate for years with side mounted cameras. The GRS camera mount at least gets the camera as physically close to the scope as possible and shoots as directly down as possible, but it's still not a perfect setup. I've tested a lot of CCD cameras and the smaller sensor cameras don't have enough dynamic range to keep a shiny surface from completely burning out on the screen. Even some of the later generation digital models with large sensors do this, which is why I've always preferred the older analog CCD cameras with 1/2" sensor. It doesn't make sense at all. The digital cameras should outperform the old analogs, but many don't (I personally have never tested one that does). Blaine Lewis at New Approach School is using a digital CCD camera and getting good results with it, but it's HD and I believe VERY expensive.

mrthe · May 30, 2013

i had make some experiments , maybe not very professional, i have attached a logitech c-910 full hd webcam to one of the eyepiece on my double head NSK scope and the image is very very good,but like i have see maybe not a " professional" set-up, but work very well if i want show what i see in my scope mch more better than the conventional scope eyepiece cams that are selled for much more money but well i have the McGyver syndrome hehe

bersis · Mar 1, 2015

Im planing to get one meiji..im searching between the models these days..i think i will go for emz13..sometimes i feel like i need more magnification..it has 70x w/o aux..

Meiji EMZ 8TR trinocular scope

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