Budget camera for microinjection/fluorescence microscopy

[Jens]

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Dear List,

I am looking for a budget camera (under 1K) for a microinjection/routine fluorescence rig. I will do the microinjection in phase contrast and need some fluorescence capability to check for microinjected fluorescent beads and fluorescent cells. I am not too sure if CMOS or CCD are better for the job. Port-wise USB, Firewire or GigE would be all fine. A higher frame rate capability (e.g. 25 fps) would be great as well as a resolution around one megapixel. Ideally it should be supported by either Matlab or Micromanager.
Which model/company provides the best bang for the buck in your opinion?

I would appreciate your suggestions!

Thanks!

Jens

--------------------------------------------------------------
Jens B. Bosse Ph.D.
Enquist Lab
Department of Molecular Biology
and
Princeton Neuroscience Institute
Princeton University
301 Schultz Lab
Washington Rd
08544 Princeton, NJ, USA

Phone: [phone]
Email: [hidden email]
Web: http://molbio.princeton.edu/labs/enquist/

[Craig Brideau]

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I've used a USB2.0 machine vision camera from Edmund Optics for histology
stains for around $800. It offers binning which lets you trade resolution
for speed:
http://www.edmundoptics.com/imaging/cameras/board-level-cameras/eo-usb-2-0-board-level-cameras/2947

ThorLabs offers an even cheaper camera which I have used for transmitted
light to good effect on another system:
http://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=4024

The main limit of these cameras is somewhat reduced sensitivity and low bit
depth, but for phase contrast it should be 'good enough'.

Craig Brideau


On Mon, Mar 31, 2014 at 9:47 AM, Jens-Bernhard Bosse <[hidden email]>wrote:

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> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> Dear List,
>
> I am looking for a budget camera (under 1K) for a microinjection/routine
> fluorescence rig. I will do the microinjection in phase contrast and need
> some fluorescence capability to check for microinjected fluorescent beads
> and fluorescent cells. I am not too sure if CMOS or CCD are better for the
> job. Port-wise USB, Firewire or GigE would be all fine. A higher frame rate
> capability (e.g. 25 fps) would be great as well as a resolution around one
> megapixel. Ideally it should be supported by either Matlab or Micromanager.
> Which model/company provides the best bang for the buck in your opinion?
>
> I would appreciate your suggestions!
>
> Thanks!
>
> Jens
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> Jens B. Bosse Ph.D.
> Enquist Lab
> Department of Molecular Biology
> and
> Princeton Neuroscience Institute
> Princeton University
> 301 Schultz Lab
> Washington Rd
> 08544 Princeton, NJ, USA
>
> Phone:  [phone]
> Email:  [hidden email]
> Web:    http://molbio.princeton.edu/labs/enquist/
>

[Johannes Schindelin]

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Hi Jens,

On Mon, 31 Mar 2014, Jens-Bernhard Bosse wrote:

> I am looking for a budget camera (under 1K) for a microinjection/routine
> fluorescence rig. I will do the microinjection in phase contrast and
> need some fluorescence capability to check for microinjected fluorescent
> beads and fluorescent cells. I am not too sure if CMOS or CCD are better
> for the job. Port-wise USB, Firewire or GigE would be all fine. A higher
> frame rate capability (e.g. 25 fps) would be great as well as a
> resolution around one megapixel. Ideally it should be supported by
> either Matlab or Micromanager.

We dabbled with TheImagingSource cameras (supported by Micro-Manager, and
through Micro-Manager in Matlab, of course). The quality was decent, but I
would recommend the Firewire version because our USB model seemed to have
some problems with heat when switched on for eight hours or so. That might
be fixed in the meantime, though.

Another budget option might be IIDC machine vision cameras (supported by
Micro-Manager: http://www.micro-manager.org/wiki/Dc1394 -- limited Windows
support).

Having said that, in our project we were lucky to get ahold of an Orca
that was not currently in use, and the quality of the images is noticably
better. So we currently use neither of the cameras mentioned above.

Ciao,
Johannes

[Knecht, David]

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Does this adapter support binning with any of the cameras?  We find binning important for fluorescence and the adapter with the Sony XCD700 does not seem to support binning.  Dave

On Mar 31, 2014, at 12:27 PM, Johannes Schindelin <[hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote:

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Hi Jens,

On Mon, 31 Mar 2014, Jens-Bernhard Bosse wrote:

I am looking for a budget camera (under 1K) for a microinjection/routine
fluorescence rig. I will do the microinjection in phase contrast and
need some fluorescence capability to check for microinjected fluorescent
beads and fluorescent cells. I am not too sure if CMOS or CCD are better
for the job. Port-wise USB, Firewire or GigE would be all fine. A higher
frame rate capability (e.g. 25 fps) would be great as well as a
resolution around one megapixel. Ideally it should be supported by
either Matlab or Micromanager.

We dabbled with TheImagingSource cameras (supported by Micro-Manager, and
through Micro-Manager in Matlab, of course). The quality was decent, but I
would recommend the Firewire version because our USB model seemed to have
some problems with heat when switched on for eight hours or so. That might
be fixed in the meantime, though.

Another budget option might be IIDC machine vision cameras (supported by
Micro-Manager: http://www.micro-manager.org/wiki/Dc1394 -- limited Windows
support).

Having said that, in our project we were lucky to get ahold of an Orca
that was not currently in use, and the quality of the images is noticably
better. So we currently use neither of the cameras mentioned above.

Ciao,
Johannes

David Knecht, Ph.D.
Professor and Head of Core Microscopy Facility
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
U-3125
91 N. Eagleville Rd.
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT 06269
860-486-2200
860-486-4331 (fax)

[David Baddeley]

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If you're willing to push the budget to ~1100, we've been very happy with the Thorlabs high sensitivity CMOS (DCC1240M  http://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=4024). The read noise is a bit high (estimated ~ 20-30 electrons), and somewhat non-uniform, but the QE is very good - we've even managed to get single molecule signals out of it.

cheers,
David
On Monday, 31 March 2014 2:41 PM, "Knecht, David" <[hidden email]> wrote:
 
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Does this adapter support binning with any of the cameras?  We find binning important for fluorescence and the adapter with the Sony XCD700 does not seem to support binning.  Dave

On Mar 31, 2014, at 12:27 PM, Johannes Schindelin <[hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote:

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Hi Jens,

On Mon, 31 Mar 2014, Jens-Bernhard Bosse wrote:

I am looking for a budget camera (under 1K) for a microinjection/routine
fluorescence rig. I will do the microinjection in phase contrast and
need some fluorescence capability to check for microinjected fluorescent
beads and fluorescent cells. I am not too sure if CMOS or CCD are better
for the job. Port-wise USB, Firewire or GigE would be all fine. A higher
frame rate capability (e.g. 25 fps) would be great as well as a
resolution around one megapixel. Ideally it should be supported by
either Matlab or Micromanager.

We dabbled with TheImagingSource cameras (supported by Micro-Manager, and
through Micro-Manager in Matlab, of course). The quality was decent, but I
would recommend the Firewire version because our USB model seemed to have
some problems with heat when switched on for eight hours or so. That might
be fixed in the meantime, though.

Another budget option might be IIDC machine vision cameras (supported by
Micro-Manager: http://www.micro-manager.org/wiki/Dc1394 -- limited Windows
support).

Having said that, in our project we were lucky to get ahold of an Orca
that was not currently in use, and the quality of the images is noticably
better. So we currently use neither of the cameras mentioned above.

Ciao,
Johannes

David Knecht, Ph.D.
Professor and Head of Core Microscopy Facility
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
U-3125
91 N. Eagleville Rd.
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT 06269
860-486-2200
860-486-4331 (fax)

[Jens]

*****
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http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
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*****


We decided to give the Thorlabs high sensitivity CMOS camera as USB3 version a try (http://www.thorlabs.com/thorproduct.cfm?partnumber=DCC3240M). Mainly because of the mentioned high QE, higher resolution and high frame rate, as well as a trigger support.

Thanks for all the recommendations on this topic!

Jens


On Mar 31, 2014, at 3:09 PM, David Baddeley <[hidden email]> wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> If you're willing to push the budget to ~1100, we've been very happy with the Thorlabs high sensitivity CMOS (DCC1240M  http://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=4024). The read noise is a bit high (estimated ~ 20-30 electrons), and somewhat non-uniform, but the QE is very good - we've even managed to get single molecule signals out of it.
>
> cheers,
> David
> On Monday, 31 March 2014 2:41 PM, "Knecht, David" <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> Does this adapter support binning with any of the cameras?  We find binning important for fluorescence and the adapter with the Sony XCD700 does not seem to support binning.  Dave
>
> On Mar 31, 2014, at 12:27 PM, Johannes Schindelin <[hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote:
>
> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> Hi Jens,
>
> On Mon, 31 Mar 2014, Jens-Bernhard Bosse wrote:
>
> I am looking for a budget camera (under 1K) for a microinjection/routine
> fluorescence rig. I will do the microinjection in phase contrast and
> need some fluorescence capability to check for microinjected fluorescent
> beads and fluorescent cells. I am not too sure if CMOS or CCD are better
> for the job. Port-wise USB, Firewire or GigE would be all fine. A higher
> frame rate capability (e.g. 25 fps) would be great as well as a
> resolution around one megapixel. Ideally it should be supported by
> either Matlab or Micromanager.
>
> We dabbled with TheImagingSource cameras (supported by Micro-Manager, and
> through Micro-Manager in Matlab, of course). The quality was decent, but I
> would recommend the Firewire version because our USB model seemed to have
> some problems with heat when switched on for eight hours or so. That might
> be fixed in the meantime, though.
>
> Another budget option might be IIDC machine vision cameras (supported by
> Micro-Manager: http://www.micro-manager.org/wiki/Dc1394 -- limited Windows
> support).
>
> Having said that, in our project we were lucky to get ahold of an Orca
> that was not currently in use, and the quality of the images is noticably
> better. So we currently use neither of the cameras mentioned above.
>
> Ciao,
> Johannes
>
> David Knecht, Ph.D.
> Professor and Head of Core Microscopy Facility
> Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
> U-3125
> 91 N. Eagleville Rd.
> University of Connecticut
> Storrs, CT 06269
> 860-486-2200
> 860-486-4331 (fax)