CLPEX Chat Board

Our Forensics department just purchased the RUVIS in Sept '08. The specialist came to our lab and took I through the "basics" of use. Unfortunately we did not have in our possesion a 52mm to 58mm step up ring, so image capture was not possible. During his lecture, I asked him about an additional point of focus through the DSLR, and he did not have an answer. It seems logical that you would. He was not very well schooled in the camera end of things and was up front about that. Greatly appreciated, but it should be part of the program. Our issue...capturing sharp images. My process is as follows: establish a sharp image through the RUVIS, at set aperture. Attach the NIKON D2x, we used 3 different lenses, all with the same result, aperture priority, (equal to the RUVIS) manual focus. When looking throught he viewfinder, the image always appears and captures soft. (diopter is set, so that's not an issue). Does anyone have any suggestions as to what we are doing wrong or right? This is frustrating considering the cost involved. We also tried using a P and S, with the same reult. Hmmmmm???

It's not like I've ever laid hands on one of these, so bear with me. I'm just going off some other devices where photography is through an eyepiece. The eyepiece likely has its own adjustment that has nothing to do with focusing the device's lens but does have to do with how well the eyepiece presents that image to whatever is behind in the viewing position, each human viewer and imaging system having its own characteristics. And that adjustment may be and often is different for viewing by eye and photographing from the viewing position. So, I'm guessing that adjustment of the eyepiece focus may be the problem so that a sharp image is passed to the camera. Rather like adjusting a scope eyepiece diopter to the individual viewer.

Which one? Sirchie, Spex or other?

Would like to know because studying the system you are using might help to find the problem.

Is the dioptre we talk about the one one the D-SLR? AFAIK the RUVIS systems simply fit to the front of the camera and the dioptre setting should not affect the capture to film or sensor.

Hi Mitch,

I was having the same photographic issues that you were a while ago when I first started using our RUVIS. What you will want to do is mount your RUVIS on a tripod so you can see your print through the RUVIS. Once you have it set up do your fine focus adjustment on the RUVIS so your image is nice and crisp. Next you will want to focus your camera on the image that you see looking through the RUVIS (Don't mess with the focus on the RUVIS). Then you're going to screw the lens of the camera onto the eyepiece of the RUVIS (you may have to invest in a stepping ring for this). The image you see looking through the RUVIS eyepiece is an image projected on a screen so depth of field is not going to make a difference when taking your photo. A good lens to use on your camera is a fixed 35mm lens. Don't use any kind of zoom lens or anything like that it won't work for something like this. You should have nice clear, focused photographs using this method. I hope this helps you out.

Adam