Camera Options

Because different experiments may place different demands on the imaging device, our Prairie View software supports a wide range Photometrics CCD cameras.

EMCCD (electron-multiplying gain) cameras typically have a very high QE (>90%) in the visible spectrum and generally operate at faster frame rates than the interline transfer CCD cameras. Part of the reason for the speed, however, is due to the lower pixel resolution. The increased quantum efficiency (QE) allows you to image using a lower excitation power, reducing phototoxicity and photobleaching and prolonging the useful life of your sample. Also, the EMCCD cameras tend to be more responsive to the very near infrared spectrum (approximately 40% QE at 900nm on most models), allowing them to be used for IR-DIC in addition to fluroescent imaging.

Interline CCDs are found in the Photometrics CoolSNAP series of cameras, which produce very high resolution images. With a typical QE of greater than 60% in the visible spectrum, this line of cameras will perform well for most fluorescent imaging applications. However, the CoolSNAP series may not be the best choice for experiments with low signal levels (which may occur because the sample fluoresces weakly, or because a low excitation power is required to prevent phototoxicity of the specimen). Most CoolSNAP models have a 12 bits-per-pixel (bpp) digitizer, which produces less contrast resolution than the EMCCD models.

DOWNLOAD CAMERA CHOICE TABLE

If you wish to use external signals to control the camera's exposure time and frame rate, be sure to select a model that provides a full set of I/O connections.