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By Peter Torrione

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Scope Photography Rig

Quality cameras for microscope and telescope photography can run $500. But you can also use your family digital camera, attaching it to the eyepiece with a simple mount made from PVC pipe.

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Steps

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Step #1: Prepare the PVC coupling.

Scope Photography Rig

PVC pipe couplings are strong, easy to work with, and won’t mar the eyepieces. For the telescope mount, I used 1" ID (inside diameter) pipe coupling. Its actual ID measured about 1.3" and it had a ridge in the middle, so I used a lathe to remove the ridge and enlarge the ID to fit around the telescope’s standard 1¼" eyepiece. Some patient filing with a half round file will also get you there.
With the microscope, first try holding the camera up to the eyepiece with a tripod to make sure the image can come through. I used a ¾" pipe coupling, which I cemented into a 1" pipe coupling for greater strength, though that’s not necessary.
I drilled and tapped holes for two ¼-20 nylon screws to hold the scope’s eyepiece in the PVC coupling. This can also be done by hacksawing a slot in the coupling axially (lengthwise), and then tightening it around the eyepiece with an adjustable hose clamp.
Just for looks, I painted my couplings with Krylon plastic bonding spray paint, but it’s not necessary.

Conclusion

This project first appeared in MAKE Volume 20, page 121.

Peter Torrione

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