Polaroid MicroCam User manual

MicroCam
User Guide
(ENGLISH VERSION)

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Introduction
The Polaroid MicroCam is designed to
provide instant photographic capability to
a wide variety of light microscopes. The
camera is simple to operate, and is easily
attached to the microscope’s viewing
tube, in place of the eyepiece. (Note: The
camera also can be attached to the
phototube, if preferred.)
The camera can make automatic
exposures ranging from 1/60 sec. to 161⁄2
minutes; it also can be set for manual
operation to make longer exposures. A
display on the control panel shows the
camera status, and alerts you if the
camera is out of film or if the illumination
is too bright or too dim for an automatic
exposure.
The camera uses Polaroid color and
black & white AutoFilms. After exposure,
the camera ejects the print, which
develops automatically in normal room
lighting. The pictures are fully developed
in four to five minutes.
Free technical assistance
If you need additional information or
assistance, call toll-free at 1-800-225-1618,
Mon.-Fri., 8AM to 8PM (Eastern time). Or,
write to the Polaroid Resource Center,
784 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA,
02139.
If outside the U.S.A., contact the
nearest Polaroid Office (addresses on
back page).
English 3

The numbers throughout the text refer to
the illustrations at the back of the book.
The camera (Illustration 1)
aFilm holder
bFilm door latch
cControl panel
dViewfinder
eMicroscopefitting
fRemote shutter button
gSocket for power supply
hFilm counter (on back of film holder)
iAdapter for 29mm microscope tube
The camera fits microscope photo or
viewing tubes with a diameter of 22.5mm;
the adapter enables the camera to be
attached to a 29mm tube.
jPower supply
This provides power for the exposure
system and film processing rollers. The
camera requires a 12V 1.2 amp power
supply. Insufficient power may cause the
developer rollers to turn too slowly
(resulting in photographs with uneven
density or incomplete images); this also
may cause the display and/or exposure
system to function erratically. Too much
power can damage the camera.
The camera is shipped with either a
120V, 60 Hz power supply (PID 618091),
or a 100-240V, 50/60 Hz power supply
(PID 618089). Replacement power
supplies also are available: 120V, 60 Hz
(PID 618092); 100-240V, 50/60 Hz (PID
618090).
The microscope
Good photomicrographs are dependent
on good microscopy. Unless the
microscope is properly adjusted to
provide a good visual image, you cannot
produce a good photomicrograph. You
should be fully familiar with your
microscope, and how to adjust it for
photography. See pages 9-12 for basic
microscopeinformation.
Attach the camera to the microscope
The camera should be attached to the
stationary (non-adjustable) viewing tube
or to the photo tube, if preferred.
1Remove the eyepiece from the
microscope viewing tube (2).
2If necessary, attach the 29mm adapter;
slide the adapter all the way over the
camera’s microscope fitting (3), then
screw it on.
3Orient the camera as shown (4), and
insert the fitting into the microscope tube.
Check that the camera is firmly seated.
If the camera rotates on the tube,
tighten the thumbscrew to hold it in
position.
4Plug the power supply into an appro-
priate electrical outlet and then into the
camera (5).
4 English

The control panel (6)
kAutomatic/manual selector: Press to
highlight the desired mode (Automatic/
manual).
lON/OFF switch (O/l).
mFilm selector: Press repeatedly to high-
light the correct film type (331/337/339).
nLighten/Darken control: This control is
used to adjust the exposure before
rephotographing the same subject. Press
the white arrow ∆to increase exposure
(lighten pictures), or the black arrow ▼to
decrease exposure (darken pictures).
When both arrows are pressed
simultaneously, the exposure returns to
“normal” (x1.0). This control is not used
in the manual mode.
oDisplay: Shows the exposure setting and
messages, as described below.
Exposure settings
When the shutter button is pressed, the
display shows the exposure time and the
Lighten/Darkensetting:
This sample shows
an exposure time of
12 seconds. The L/D control is set at
“normal” (no adjustment).
In this sample, the
exposure time has
been increased to 15 seconds; the white
arrow ∆was pressed to multiply the time
by 1.3.
Messages
The camera will “beep” and display a
message if it cannot operate:
The film pack is
empty.
The microscope
illumination is too
bright for an automatic exposure.
The microscope
illumination is too
dim for an automatic exposure.
The voltage is too low
for proper camera
operation. Check that the power supply
cord is properly connected; have the line
voltage tested. A blank display
indicates that there is
no power to the camera. Check that the
power supply is connected and that the
camera is turned on. (The electrical outlet
or power supply may need service.)
“System error”: Turn
the camera off, wait
about five seconds, then turn it on again.
12.0 × 1.0
15.0 × 1.3
339=0
Note: The camera is shipped with the
display set to show information in
“symbols.” It can be changed to a
“word” display (in any of several
languages) as follows:
Turn the camera on. Press and hold
the mode (A/m) and film type
(331/337/339) buttons simultaneously.
The current language will be
displayed. Press the white arrow ∆
repeatedly until the desired language
appears in the display. Release the
mode and film type buttons.
< 1/60
> 16:30
*..*..*..*..*..*..*
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
English 5

Load the film
1Release the latch to open the film door
(7). Check that the steel developer rollers
are clean before loading the film. Clean
the rollers with a soft, lint-free cloth
dampened with water, if necessary (8).
Rotate both rollers as you clean and
inspect them. Never scrape the rollers
with anything metallic, nor with your
fingernail. Do not use cleaning solvents.
2Hold the film pack by the edges as shown
(9), and insert it into the film holder. Then
push the pack all the way in. (The pack
will fit only one way; do not attempt to
force it into the film holder.)
3Close the door (10). The display will show
Press the remote
shutter button (11) to
eject the dark slide. As the dark slide (or a
picture) is ejected, it is covered briefly by
a black shade that prevents light from
affecting the image as it starts to develop.
The shade also holds the picture in the
slot. Do not tamper with this delicate
shade. After the dark slide (or picture) has
been ejected, grasp a corner and remove
it from the slot (12). The shade will snap
back inside.
After the dark slide has been ejected,
the film counter will show “1", indicating
that the first frame is ready for exposure.
When the film pack is empty, a white dot
will appear (13), and
will be displayed.
To remove an empty film pack
Release the latch and open the door.
Grasp the tab on the end of the film pack
and pull out the empty pack (14).
Polaroid AutoFilms
Type Film speed Description
339 ISO640/29°Color print film; ideal for photographing
specimens where color is needed to
provide information.
331 ISO400/27°Panchromatic, medium-contrast B&W
print film; well-suited for situations where
filtration for contrast enhancement is
useful.
337 ISO3200/36°High-speed panchromatic, medium-
contrast B&W print film; ideal for low
light situations and subjects that require
filtration for contrast enhancement.
Each film pack contains 10 sheets of self-developing film.
Sheet size is 41⁄2x 41⁄4in. (11,4 x 10,8cm); image area is 4 x 3 in. (10,2 x 7,6cm).
Note: Black & white films produce a reversed (mirror) image.
↑ ■↑
339=0
6 English

Operation
1Place the specimen on the microscope
focusing stage, and focus and frame the
image.
2Adjust the microscope illumination for
photography; Koehler illumination is
recommended for compound
microscopes. If you are using neutral
density filters over the light source when
viewing, remove them before taking
pictures. Check that the light is turned up
to the brightest setting, often called
“photo” or “overvoltage.” (This setting is
not suitable for viewing; overuse will
shorten the bulb life.)
3Attach the camera to the microscope and
look through the camera viewfinder.
Observe the crosshair in the center of the
viewfinder while using the microscope
focusing knobs to refocus the specimen if
necessary.
Note: If you wear glasses to correct for
distance, you should wear them when
using the microscope camera.
4Check the camera control settings and
adjust as needed.
5Press the shutter button (11). The display
will show the exposure time for a few
seconds, then the camera will begin the
exposure. (The display will “count-down”
during the exposure).
6After the exposure is complete the
camera will eject the developing picture.
Handle the picture by its wide border. Do
not bend or squeeze the picture while it
develops, and never cut pictures or take
them apart. See
Caution .
Allow pictures to develop for 4-5
minutes before judging the exposure or
color balance.
If the camera is unused for more than 15
minutes it turns off automatically.
Lighten/darken control (15)
A picture that is too light is overexposed;
use a shorter exposure time. If the
camera is set for Automatic mode, press
the Darken arrow ▼to decrease the
exposure time.
If a picture is too dark, it is
underexposed; use a longer exposure
time. Press the Lighten arrow ∆to
increase the time.
The picture series (16) shows a normal
exposure (x1.0), and the results of
adjusting the exposure time by a factor of
x4.0, x2.0, x.50 and x.25.
English 7

Exposure too short or too long
The camera will make automatic exposures
as short as 1/60 second. If the microscope
illumination is too bright, the camera will
“beep” and the display will show:
Place a neutral
density filter over the
microscope illuminator to increase the
exposure time. Do not turn the light
down, as this will cause a color shift with
color film.
Automatic exposures can be as long as
161⁄2minutes. If the light is too dim, the
camera will “beep” and show:
Check that the light is
turned up to the
brightest setting, and that the neutral
density filter (if used) has been removed.
If there still is not enough light, you must
make a manual exposure.
Manual operation
Set the camera for manual mode. Press
the shutter button to start the exposure,
and watch the display as it shows the
elapsed time. Press the button a second
time to end the exposure.
Special exposure techniques
Exposure meter
The camera has a built-in exposure meter
that is used in Automatic mode. When
you press the shutter button, the meter
measures the light from the specimen,
calculates the exposure time and then
displays the time for a few seconds
before beginning the exposure. You can
cancel the exposure before it starts by
pressing the shutter button a second
time, and use the exposure indicated
when making manual exposures.
Reciprocity correction
When set for Automatic mode, the
camera will automatically adjust the
exposure time to compensate for
reciprocity failure. With Type 339 color
film, it also adjusts the filtration. The
camera contains a built-in color
conversion filter that moves into position
when needed. The filter adjusts the color
temperature of the tungsten/halogen
microscope illuminator (2800-3400°K) to
more closely match the color balance of
the film (5500°K). Additional
light-balancing filtration will not be
necessary for most situations.
< 1/60
> 16:30
8 English