The FlexCam uses auto-gain, which is good and bad. Stereo-optical from Meiji, has colour CCD from Edmund, hooked to a Snappy from Play. SVMicro camera has a SCSI interface, and very high-qual images, but the delayed focussing in awkward. Meijis and 3 Unitron metal-scopes. Three interference scopes for measuring film thickness.
Qualified users are welcome to work on the public equipment.
The following information will hopefully help you. On a Mac you will want to use NIH Image, which is free and widely used. NIH Image can capture, process, and analyze images. It can also capture, process, and analyze images. Don't re-invent the wheel.