Scientific CMOS camera for fast low-light imaging

Hamamatsu has introduced the ORCA-Flash2.8 camera. It is the company's first high-sensitivity digital camera based on a next-generation scientific CMOS image sensor. Designed for low-light imaging at high frame rates, the camera combines high resolution, high sensitivity, high speed, and low noise at an affordable price

The camera's new scientific CMOS image sensor, the FL-280, has 2.8 megapixels and a pixel size of 3.63 x 3.63 µm, ensuring high resolution. The sensor’s wavelength sensitivity ranges from UV to visible, with peak sensitivity (over 60% QE) at about 450-500 nm. The sensor features low readout noise, typically 3 electrons r.m.s. The sensor’s design keeps the readout noise minimal even at very fast readout speeds, unlike traditional image sensors. The FL-280 sensor also has low dark current. Because of its intrinsically low dark current, the sensor requires cooling to +5°C only.

Built for high-speed imaging, the camera's readout speed ranges from 45 frames/second at full resolution up to 1273 frames/second with sub-array readout. Other features include external trigger functions, real-time corrections, and analog gain. It is suitable for a wide variety of applications including ratio imaging, FRET, FISH, TIRF microscopy, and real-time confocal microscopy. The camera will be shown at Analytica 2010 in Munich, Germany, from March 23 to March 26. Demo cameras will be available in May 2010.

More information here.

Three new TIRF microscopy objectives

Olympus has introduced three new high-performance TIRF objectives. The 150x ultra-magnification objective offers a numerical aperture (NA) of 1.45 for optimal magnification, resolution, light gathering ability and imaging performance, and the 60x and 100x oil immersion objectives have NAs of 1.49.

The 150x UAPON objective is optimized for single molecule TIRF applications. It delivers the high magnification and low background noise necessary for visualizing challenging specimens. The objective delivers crisp images from 340nm ultraviolet (UV) to near-infrared wavelengths and comes with a correction collar to help compensate for aberrations caused by coverglass thickness or variations in immersion media temperatures.

The 100x UAPON objective also is newly enhanced with a correction collar, and has been updated to include near-UV performance. The 60x APON provides the brightest high-resolution TIRF images available, thanks to its improved point spread function.

More info at http://www.olympusamerica.com/tirf_objectives.

Microscope illuminator for multicolor TIRF imaging

Olympus has released the cell^TIRF illuminator. The system has four motorized laser channels for simultaneous image capture and allows instant setting and confirmation of the precise TIRF angle. Each of the four individually controlled laser inputs is optimally focused and the angle of each can be adjusted so that all wavelengths have the same penetration depth. Calculated penetration depths can be preset for all four lasers and used with a single mouse click; the system will automatically adjust the angle of each laser to simultaneously capture TIRF from all four channels. In addition, one laser line can be adjusted for FRAP experiments, and users can easily switch to widefield view and then reestablish TIRF imaging in less than 500 ms.

More information here.