Transparent lens cover

P

PolecatApollo

Suspended / Banned
Messages
3
Edit My Images
No
Hello, I'm making a small video camera that will be used underground. The lens is only 1cm in diameter. Unfortunately the lens will almost certainly come in to contact with rocks and old prototypes were scratched during the first use.

The idea is to make or buy changeable lens covers at a reasonable price. I tried cutting bits of perspecs to size but it gives the image a smudgy white appearance. I've ordered some iPhone lenses which might fit over the lens, but I've not received them yet. I could try other transparent materials but I may not have the means to cut it to size. Anybody got some ideas on what material I could try?
 
How wide-angle is the lens? A lens hood might be a better approach if the lens is not too wide
 
maybe try a screen protector used on mobiles, cut to size.
 
Ordered some microscope slides. Great idea thanks.

The GoPro lens link is just what I’m after, had it been made for the smaller camera I’m using. (Runcam 2 nano)

Camera is 160 degrees or so, bit on the wide side but that is still a good idea. Or sone sort of guard around the lens.

Tried the phone covers. Unfortunately I could never cut it without it shattering. Even with my tile knife. Perhaps there’s different materials to the ones I bought.
 
tijuana taxi said:
Microscope slide cover slips might work
Click to expand...

It may be many decades since I did my histo pathology and made many 1000's of slides but back then the cover slips were so very fragile and it took a deft hand to avoid breaking them!

PolecatApollo said:
Ordered some microscope slides. Great idea thanks.
Click to expand...

Ref above & microscope slides are not that tough a type of glass.......just dropping a small distance onto any hard surface could break them. So the impacts you refer to I doubt they would survive.

PS though of course by their nature they are very clear indeed ;)
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the heads up on the micro slides being fragile. The ones ordered are very cheap so not much lost if they do turn out to break easily. I’ll do some tests.

Ordered some of the cast acrylic discs too thanks. I’ll see how I get on with them and look in to how to cut polycarbonate in the meantime.

Good ideas thanks
 
A above, I don't think either a microscope slide (the main piece of glass) or a conventional cover slip (the smaller, thinner piece of glass that sits on top of the specimen) will be suitable. The slide is pretty thick and fragile; the clover slip is very thin but very fragile. However, plastic cover slips do exist, e.g.:

http://www.agarscientific.com/plastic-coverslips

("These coverslips 22 x 22mm and 0.18mm thick are made from clear, virtually unbreakable rigid vinyl co-polymer of PVC and acetate with a refractive index of 1.54."). They probably scratch pretty easily, though. A phone protector would probably be easier to source. Like Chris, I'd probably think about a lens hood - a sleeve around the lens that protects from impact with all but the smallest, sharpest objects by keeping the front element as recessed as possible (you'd have to experiment with how far you can recess the lens witout vignetting).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top