Prenolepis imparis, St michaels, jan reese, talbot, waxwing, facedarker
20X Lens Tests. I am posting 3 pictures taken with a "new" 20X Mitutoyo Plan Apo Infinity Corrected Long WD Microscope Objective attached to an old 200mm Pentax lens. This allows me to start getting into some extreme stack territory. That said this lens new is over $2000.00 U.S. However, I found a scratched one on Ebay for $300.00. I have no idea what its life was before but the outside surface of the whole lens was deeply scratched there were actual dings in the rim of the lens and a HUGE scratch (gouge really) in the lens itself along the edge. I could see under my scope that there was at least some dust inside the lens too! But, 300 is 300 and I know that many times scratches and such don't have as much impact in these stacked shots as one would imagine. So, here are the results with a tiny tiny chrysidid wasp, a male flying ant of some kind we are using in a study, and the corner of a head of a small Halictus tectus. All told, I am satisfied that I got my monies worth, but would be interested in hearing from others regarding any signs of lens flaws that they can see or advice on approaches to using this lens...the long working distance is fantastic.
Love for Other Things
It’s easy to love a deer
But try to care about bugs and scrawny trees
Love the puddle of lukewarm water
From last week’s rain.
Leave the mountains alone for now.
Also the clear lakes surrounded by pines.
People are lined up to admire them.
Get close to the things that slide away in the dark.
Be grateful even for the boredom
That sometimes seems to involve the whole world.
Think of the frost
That will crack our bones eventually.
- Tom Hennen. Original public domain image from Flickr