Anyone know of an optics forum?

Anyone know of a forum out there where the main focus is optics. Pun intended. I'm trying to figure out how to make a non-electric handheld microfiche viewer. I've also got questions about fiber optic cable.

Maybe someone here can help me with this. I'm trying to find a way to either view or project microfiche without using electricity. So far what I've found is this

How to View an Eclipse

Anyone have any ideas on how to use that method to view microfiche?

Back in the seventies we made some using 15X magnifiers or surplus 6 X 30 (21mm FL) binocular eyepieces. They covered about 5/8th inches square on the cards pretty well in strong light. They looked similar to this commercial model.

Microfiche viewer and/or projector

Thanks for your reply whiskypapa3. I was thinking this thread would go un-answered.

That commercial model is what I would like to do. How did you build yours? Do you have any designs or drawings?

Let me explain what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to figure out a way to make a non-electric handheld microfiche card viewer and/or projector that is very lightweight and doesn't take up much room. I'd like to take it with me while hiking or traveling so weight and volume are very important.

Re: Microfiche viewer and/or projector

Try Usenet:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=sci.optics

and

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=sci.optics.fiber

HTH
Adam

Re: Microfiche viewer and/or projector

Have you looked at Edmund Scientific? Depending on the amount of magnification you need, they might have what you need.
For instance, they sell magnifiers such as are used to look at photographic film/negatives/slides. One provides 8x magnification.

http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp?pn=3035674

There's also a part of Edmund dedicated to optics....
http://www.edmundoptics.com/
I believe they have some basic primers in there, or check a basic physics book.

When I was involved with an IR laser system, I got to witness some of the optics guys do their work. The tools and equipment that were required for experiments were quite pricey. It seemed that it would be much more difficult to be an optics hobbyist than a 'tronics hobbyist.

Steve K.

Re: Microfiche viewer and/or projector

Thanks for all the links everyone. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Steve K,
I'm taking those slide magnifiers into considersation as you suggested. I'm just wondering if will cause eye strain after awhile though. Because of that consern I'm also considering a device that will project the microfiche onto a small screen about the size of a sheet of typing paper. I'm considering a design like a normal movie projector.

Light source------>Microfiche-->Lens--------------->Screen

The light source would be either the sun or a flashlight. The lense would be either a credit card sized plastic fresnel lens or a magnifying glass. And the screen will be either a wall or a piece of paper or some other improvized screen.

I think that set up might work.