Zooplankton imaging and measurement using a digital single-lens reflex camera with macro lens

Abstract

An imaging system using a digital single-lens reflex camera with a macro lens and LED illuminator mounted on a glass folding table was examined for accumulating metadata on zooplankton samples. As a result of resolution tests of the imaging system using a stage micrometer (each division＝10 µm), resolutions at each magnification value, 0.15×, 0.37×, 1.3× and 2.6× were estimated as 89, 35, 10 and 5 µm approximately. The dark field images of zooplankton samples were high resolution/high color rendering enough to obtain metadata. The bright field images could be utilized for observations of pigments and oil sacs of copepods. We concluded that the imaging system is economical, easy to operate and is a useful system for zooplankton monitoring and metadata accumulation.