Help with recording image of record groove needed


I'm hoping that some of the scientifically savvy members of this forum might be of help resolving a professional dilemma. I work with a collaborative workshop that produces two and three dimensional art editions for artists who are invited to work with us. One artist we have a relationship with works with sound related projects and is exploring various ways to use the surface of a vinyl record as source material. One proposed project involves producing a video of a stylus tracing it's path through a record groove. Finding imaging/recording technology that works on this scale has proven difficult. Our workshop is part of a research university and we've exhausted most of our contacts with various science, engineering, and medical units of the college. Imaging explorations began with static images using scanning electron microscopes and atomic force microscopy. Once the project moved into video though, things have become difficult. We're trying to find a video recording technology that can be mounted underneath and behind the phono cartridge and create closely focused images of the record surface. Any ideas? If you can help, feel free to privately email me or answer in this forum. Thanks in advance.
photon46
Lots of luck! Consider the frame rate of video, or even slow motion photography. Then consider the frequency of audio.
The video image is the only thing we need to worry about now. Audio will be edited into the video separately. We're not even sure if the artist will want synchronicity between the visual imagery and the audio track.
[The video image is the only thing we need to worry about now. Audio will be edited into the video separately. We're not even sure if the artist will want synchronicity between the visual imagery and the audio track.]

I think you misunderstand. What Eldartford is telling you is that you'll never capture the movement of the stylus in the groove, because it is moving at frequencies (audio) which are much higher than the frame rate of the video equipment (neglecting the problem of the magnification required).

How are you going to capture the stylus tracing a groove which is modulating at 1kHz, if the video eqpt is only capable of capturing 60 frames/second (60Hz)? Never mind the frequencies up to 15kHz.

Actually, if you could focus on the stylus/groove, you would be getting a series of stills, which when played back would look like stop motion photography.
The artist isn't imposing a preconceived idea of how the video should look. I understand what limitations frame speed vs. stylus modulation impose. I rather suspect the effect, if possible to capture at all, would be like sequenced stop motion photos that would remind one of the films you see when an Olympic luger is hurtling down the luge run with a helmet cam. Very choppy, vertigo inducing cinema.
I should also add that in anticipation of frequency specific problems, we planned to use some of the test lps one can find with with silent grooves, low frequency tones, etc.