Just a couple of $0.02 worth:
 
The answer to question 1 depends on the lens you use and the
magnification. I doubt that any lens could give a better resolution
than about 0.2 um so pixel size should be about 0.1 um. This would be
a pretty safe sampling rate. Of course, you could actually measure the
point spread of the microscope and calculate the appropriate zooms for
your system. This need only be done once and a table posted by the
machine!
 
With regard to question 2, the answer is that the lower numerical
aperture of water immersion lenses will not give such good z
resolution. Therefore your beads will be smeared in the z
dimenension...
>
 
Regards Mark Cannell
 
> A few quick questions:
>
> 1.  With regard to Ulrich's questions about resolution,
> what's the idiot-proof calculation for optimal zoom with a
> given objective/wavelength?
>
> 2.I have a Zeiss 40X water immersion objective that has
> worked great until just recently.  I was looking at some
> 1um latex beads on my MRC 1000 and the beads appeared
> oblong/ovoid.  This didn't happen with my 63x oil and I'm
> wondering what I've missed.  Anyone got any ideas or had
> this happen to them?
>
> 3.  I have a BioRad MRC 1000 that I will (hopefully) be
> upgrading to a 1024 soon and I'd like to start getting info
> on video hookups.  Anybody out there have any systems that
> they've been REALLY happy (or REALLY disappointed) with?
>
> Also - I'd like to send out a big "YO" to all the Vancouver
> course alums...  They were all so nice to me and, as I'm a
> very shy, introverted sort, it made all the difference in a
> big strange city (is anyone misting up yet?).....
>
> Thanks ahead-o-time,
>
> Lu
> Lucia P. Barker, Ph.D.
> Microscopy Branch
> Rocky Mountain Laboratories
> 903 South 4th Street
> Hamilton, MT  59840
>
> Phone:  (406)363-9252
> FAX:      (406)363-9371
>
> E-mail:  [log in to unmask]