Computer programs and apps

Lots of microscopists now use a digital camera, and there are lots of computer programs and apps to make life easier and improve your photomicrographs. You may be able to find reviews on the Internet.

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Remote control (tethering)

These programs let you connect your camera to your computer, and then focus and compose your image on the computer screen, adjust white balance, exposure, etcetera, and take photos without touching the camera.

Image stacking

Depth of field is extremely small in photomicrographs. If you take a series of photographs focused at different planes in your specimen, these programs will pick the sharpest bits from each image and combine them into a new image with good depth of field.

Image stitching

If your specimen is too big to take in a single photograph, you can take a set of of slightly-overlapping photos that cover the whole specimen, and then use one of these programs to join them together.

Photo editing

These programs let you improve your photos by rotating, cropping, adjusting contrast, adjusting brightness, lightening shadows, setting white balance, adjusting colour balance, retouching, sharpening, etcetera.

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