Microscope Olympus BX Camera Installation

Read the Edited Video Transcript for ‘Microscope Olympus BX Camera Installation’

Hi, this is Chad with Munday Scientific. Today, we’re going to answer a few common questions about adding a camera to your Olympus BX microscope.

Most Olympus BX scopes are configured with a tilting head like this one. It’s a great scope and a solid configuration, but if you want to add a camera, there are a couple of ways to do it—and we get this question a lot. So Mike is going to join us and help demonstrate a few options.

First, you’ll need a camera adapter and a camera. The adapter simply screws into the camera. Olympus adapters typically have a focus ring and a lock screw. We’ll cover those features in more detail shortly, but just note that you need to back the lock screw off to adjust the focus.

Now, one option is to replace the tilting head with a trinocular head. The trinocular head has three settings:

• All the way in: 100% of the light goes to the eyepieces.
• Halfway (split): Light is split between the eyepieces and the camera.
• Fully out: 100% of the light goes to the camera.

There’s a nice little click-stop feature that helps it lock into the correct position.

To swap out the head, use a 3mm Allen wrench to loosen the screw, then replace it with the trinocular head. Once it’s installed, just move your eyepieces over, like this, and then attach your camera adapter.

Mike, can you show that?

Once everything’s in place, connect the camera to your computer system and you’re ready to go.

Continue Reading ‘Microscope Olympus BX Camera Installation’ for Focusing the Camera and Eyepieces

We cover this in another one of our videos, but I’ll go over it quickly here:
When you bring your specimen into focus through the eyepieces, you may notice that the image on the camera doesn’t match in sharpness. To correct that:

1. Focus the microscope using the eyepieces.
2. Look at the camera image on your screen.
3. Back off the adapter’s lock screw and gently rotate the focus ring while watching the screen.
4. When the image comes into focus, lock it down.

Now your camera will be parfocal with the eyepieces—meaning both will be in focus at the same time.

Let’s move on to another method that I personally prefer. While the trinocular head is great, it can compromise ergonomics—especially if you’re not at the ideal height or don’t have an adjustable desk.

U-TRU Port

A great alternative is to use a U-TRU port. This is a camera port that allows you to keep your ergonomic head in place, and it works with most Olympus heads. The only exception is the U-TTLBI (the tilting, lifting binocular head)—it won’t work with the U-TRU. For that one, you’ll need a different setup, which we’ll show you in a moment.

To use the U-TRU, insert your eyepieces as usual, attach your camera adapter to the port, and secure it with a single locking screw—same process as before.

U-TRU S Straight Through Port

There’s also a variation called the U-TRU S, which is a straight-through port. Let me grab that real quick…

Here it is. Notice how this version comes straight out the back. We often add a riser to it, which gives extra height—ideal if you’re a bit taller. With the riser, your camera can go directly out the back for a cleaner, more streamlined look.

To install it, just add the riser, then mount the head just like we did earlier.

An added benefit of the U-TRU is that you can rotate it to either side. If you don’t want your camera extending straight out the back, you can swivel it left or right. Here’s why that matters:

U-TTLBI

Many BX scopes use the U-TTLBI head I mentioned earlier. Let’s install the U-TRU on it, and I’ll show you something important.

(Scott walks in.)
Mike, go ahead and show Scott real quick—he’s heading out for the day.

Now back to our example. With this head, the back sticks out too far, so you can’t mount the U-TRU straight back—it simply won’t fit. Mike, show the angle here.
See? If you try to mount it backwards, the length of the head blocks the camera. So in that case, you must rotate the U-TRU to the left or right to make it work.

Conclusion ‘Microscope Olympus BX Camera Installation’

That covers most of the head and camera port options for Olympus BX scopes. Hopefully, we covered the specific configuration you’re working with.

If we didn’t, feel free to reach out by emailing .
You can find all of the components mentioned—camera adapters, cameras, U-TRU ports, trinocular heads—at microscopemarketplace.com.

If you have any questions, give us a call at 919-775-5596.

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