Imaging gear used by Macroinvertebrates.org

[SReynolds]

The images presented on the website macroinvertebrates.org are spectacular. I've spent almost two years working on-and-off on imaging aquatic invertebrates, and remain envious of the best that can be achieved. I was able to contact the imaging specialist who put the images together to find out what it takes to accomplish - and the answer is 'quite a sophisticated and expensive piece of equipment'. It's an automated robotic camera that may take over 1,000 shots of one subject in 3 axes and combine them into one image using software that performs image stacking and stitching. It's called a GIGAmacro. That makes me feel better - not possible for me to match its performance, but still satisfied with the occasional really good shot I can get with my microscopes. Macroinvertebrates.org has a blog; this link describes a little about the techniques used.

gigamacro.jpg (90.84 KiB) Viewed 277 times

Flat-headed mayfly of the Haptageniidae family, from Lewis Creek in Starksboro Vt, image taken with Wild M7A, stack of 4

2024-10-19-09.00.09 ZS DMapa.jpg (107.38 KiB) Viewed 277 times