what's the diffience produced by martinmicroscope

 What's the difference?

Dedicated Microscope Digital Still Cameras:  Dedicated microscope digital cameras typically cost more for less resolution, but they have the advantage of being directly controlled by a computer.  They typically provide a better preview image, often with focusing aids, and the ability to acquire the image directly into various imaging software though a TWAIN or plug-in interface.  The consumer DSLR cameras are catching up, though.  Read on!

Consumer Hand Held Digital Still Cameras:  they at Martin Microscope Company got into the consumer camera arena quite early with the development of our MM99 adapter in 1999, originally for the popular Sony Mavica cameras.  As far as we know, they were the first to make and market a professional microscope adapter for a consumer digital camera.  Since then, they've recommended consumer hand-held cameras for routine micrography, especially as a replacement for instant film.  They are also recommended for their versatility, being useable both on and off of the microscope, and for the ease with which they can be moved from one microscope to another.  The images are normally stored on internal memory cards from which they must be downloaded to the computer.  This can present a problem if the image files need to be named as they are saved, and also may be  inconvenient if the images need to be manipulated or measured immediately upon being captured.  The exception to this is the Canon line of digital cameras that include PC/ Mac control software.  Now, in 2010, most consumer point-and-shoot digital cameras have been cheapened to the point that they no longer have lens filter threads to which to attach a microscope adapter, nor do they offer a tilting LCD which is useful when the camera is mounted vertically.  The DSLR cameras now dominate the consumer camera market, and of all the DSLR's we've tested, the Canon EOS series is tops for microscopy .