Fluorescence microscope survey

[John Runions]

Hi All,

This is a bit off the topic of confocal microscopy but I was wondering if people have recommendations for good and inexpensive fluorescence microscopes.  What I am interested in is something that might be a rung or two down the expense ladder from a research microscope.  We have research microscopes but are wanting to buy 1-2 microscopes that might be better for general use.  In particular, what about microscopes that come equipped with or that are suitable for running with LED illumination.

I will be happy to have vendors contact me off-list directly at my email address.

Thanks for your help.  John.

[Julian Smith III]

The best inexpensive fluorescence microscope I've seen in the last
several years is the Motic BA4000. Objective interchangeable with
Olympus BX series; otherwise, it's all Motic. Solid stand, bright
optics, very good fluorescence throughput. Quite possibly would work
find with LED, but I've not tried that. Would be my first choice for
"student" use.
Julian

John Runions wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> This is a bit off the topic of confocal microscopy but I was wondering
> if people have recommendations for good and inexpensive fluorescence
> microscopes. What I am interested in is something that might be a rung
> or two down the expense ladder from a research microscope. We have
> research microscopes but are wanting to buy 1-2 microscopes that might
> be better for general use. In particular, what about microscopes that
> come equipped with or that are suitable for running with LED illumination.
>
> I will be happy to have vendors contact me off-list directly at my
> email address.
>
> Thanks for your help. John.
> --
>
> (Sent from my cra%#y non-Blackberry electronic device that still has
> wires)
>
> *********************************
> John Runions, Ph.D.
> School of Life Sciences
> Oxford Brookes University
> Oxford, UK
> OX3 0BP
>
> email: [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
> phone: [phone]
>
> Runions’ lab web site
> <http://www.brookes.ac.uk/lifesci/runions/HTMLpages/index.html%21>
>
> Visit The Illuminated Plant Cell
> <http://www.illuminatedcell.com/ER.html> dot com
> Oxford Brookes Master's in Bioimaging with Molecular Technology
> <http://www.brookes.ac.uk/studying/courses/postgraduate/2007/bmt>
>

--
Julian P.S. Smith III
Director, Winthrop Microscopy Facility
Dept. of Biology
Winthrop University
520 Cherry Rd.
Rock Hill, SC  29733

803-323-2111 x6427 (vox)
803-323-3448 (fax)
803-524-2347 (cell)

[Barbara Foster]

Hi, John

I had a chance to work with the Fraen technology, which is being sold on smaller, lab-type Zeiss microscopes by Fisher Scientific.  The design is very clever, giving the user flexibility in choice of excitation/emission cubes (all LED) and even 1, 2, or 3-way simultaneous excitation.  The system is transmitted rather than the more conventional epi-fluorescence, but in "general use," should be fine.  I found them to be very well thought-out in terms of heat management and well engineered (ex: gold contacts, power supply that can control intensity of each LED separately, etc.).

Hope this is helpful!

(Caveat: No commercial interest. )

Best regards,
Barbara Foster, President and Sr. Consultant

Microscopy/Microscopy Education
7101 Royal Glen Trail, Suite A
McKinney TX 75070
P: [phone]  Skype: fostermme
W: www.MicroscopyEducation.com

NEWS! Visit the NEW and IMPROVED www.MicroscopyEducation.com! And don't forget:  MME is now scheduling customized, on-site courses through September.  Call me for a free assessment and quote.



At 06:24 AM 4/6/2009, John Runions wrote:

Hi All,

This is a bit off the topic of confocal microscopy but I was wondering if people have recommendations for good and inexpensive fluorescence microscopes.  What I am interested in is something that might be a rung or two down the expense ladder from a research microscope.  We have research microscopes but are wanting to buy 1-2 microscopes that might be better for general use.  In particular, what about microscopes that come equipped with or that are suitable for running with LED illumination.

I will be happy to have vendors contact me off-list directly at my email address.

Thanks for your help.  John.
--
(Sent from my cra%#y non-Blackberry electronic device that still has wires)
 
*********************************
John Runions, Ph.D.
School of Life Sciences
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford, UK
OX3 0BP

email:  [hidden email]
phone: [phone]
Runions’ lab web site
 
Visit The Illuminated Plant Cell dot com
Oxford Brookes Master's in Bioimaging with Molecular Technology

[Knecht, David]

I have been through this recently and tried to set up inexpensive fluorescence scopes for a lab course through an NSF grant.  I think the best option is something like the Nikon TS-100F (or Zeiss or Olympus comparable scopes) which is the small tissue culture inverted fluorescence scope.  I have been working with our Nikon vendor to put together a Micro-Manager controlled LED illumination system.  All together, the system will be around $10-12K with two fluorescence channels.  We don't have the problem of getting Thorlabs green and blue LED illumination into the scope at the same time quite solved, but hopefully by the end of the month (waiting for new Thorlabs filter holders).  Then we will be able to do transmitted and two channels of fluorescence sequentially for time lapse.   I will put up our web site with a complete description when this last problem is solved.     In the meantime, contact me off list for more details.  Dave

On Apr 6, 2009, at 11:51 AM, John Runions wrote:

Hi All,

This is a bit off the topic of confocal microscopy but I was wondering if people have recommendations for good and inexpensive fluorescence microscopes.  What I am interested in is something that might be a rung or two down the expense ladder from a research microscope.  We have research microscopes but are wanting to buy 1-2 microscopes that might be better for general use.  In particular, what about microscopes that come equipped with or that are suitable for running with LED illumination.

I will be happy to have vendors contact me off-list directly at my email address.

Thanks for your help.  John.

Dr. David Knecht    

Department of Molecular and Cell Biology

Co-head Flow Cytometry and Confocal Microscopy Facility

U-3125

91 N. Eagleville Rd.

University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT 06269

860-486-2200

860-486-4331 (fax)

[Christian-103]

David,

When your lab site does put it up, could you please post it here?  I think prescreening is a part of confocal.

Christian



--- On Tue, 4/7/09, David Knecht ATT <[hidden email]> wrote:

From: David Knecht ATT <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: Fluorescence microscope survey
To: [hidden email]
Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2009, 9:08 AM

I have been through this recently and tried to set up inexpensive fluorescence scopes for a lab course through an NSF grant.  I think the best option is something like the Nikon TS-100F (or Zeiss or Olympus comparable scopes) which is the small tissue culture inverted fluorescence scope.  I have been working with our Nikon vendor to put together a Micro-Manager controlled LED illumination system.  All together, the system will be around $10-12K with two fluorescence channels.  We don't have the problem of getting Thorlabs green and blue LED illumination into the scope at the same time quite solved, but hopefully by the end of the month (waiting for new Thorlabs filter holders).  Then we will be able to do transmitted and two channels of fluorescence sequentially for time lapse.   I will put up our web site with a complete description when this last problem is solved.     In the meantime, contact me off list for more details.  Dave

On Apr 6, 2009, at 11:51 AM, John Runions wrote:

Hi All,

This is a bit off the topic of confocal microscopy but I was wondering if people have recommendations for good and inexpensive fluorescence microscopes.  What I am interested in is something that might be a rung or two down the expense ladder from a research microscope.  We have research microscopes but are wanting to buy 1-2 microscopes that might be better for general use.  In particular, what about microscopes that come equipped with or that are suitable for running with LED illumination.

I will be happy to have vendors contact me off-list directly at my email address.

Thanks for your help.  John.

Dr. David Knecht    

Department of Molecular and Cell Biology

Co-head Flow Cytometry and Confocal Microscopy Facility

U-3125

91 N. Eagleville Rd.

University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT 06269

860-486-2200

860-486-4331 (fax)

[Armstrong, Brian]

It seems that a light engine would alleviate this problem and would make more sense in this application.

http://www.lumencor.com/

 

Re: the Nikon TS-100F, it is simply the cheapest scope in this class and therefore a good bargain, however the fluorescence on this scope via 50W mercury burner has poor fluorescence quality. Don’t purchase this scope thinking that you are acquiring a research class fluorescent microscope (I know several people that have made this error).

Cheers,

 

Brian D Armstrong PhD

Light Microscopy Core Manager

Beckman Research Institute

City of Hope

Dept of Neuroscience

1450 E Duarte Rd

Duarte, CA 91010

626-256-4673 x62872

http://www.cityofhope.org/research/support/Light-Microscopy-Digital-Imaging/Pages/default.aspx

---

From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Christian
Sent: Tuesday, April 07, 2009 7:40 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: Fluorescence microscope survey

 

David,

When your lab site does put it up, could you please post it here?  I think prescreening is a part of confocal.

Christian



--- On Tue, 4/7/09, David Knecht ATT <[hidden email]> wrote:

From: David Knecht ATT <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: Fluorescence microscope survey
To: [hidden email]
Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2009, 9:08 AM

I have been through this recently and tried to set up inexpensive fluorescence scopes for a lab course through an NSF grant.  I think the best option is something like the Nikon TS-100F (or Zeiss or Olympus comparable scopes) which is the small tissue culture inverted fluorescence scope.  I have been working with our Nikon vendor to put together a Micro-Manager controlled LED illumination system.  All together, the system will be around $10-12K with two fluorescence channels.  We don't have the problem of getting Thorlabs green and blue LED illumination into the scope at the same time quite solved, but hopefully by the end of the month (waiting for new Thorlabs filter holders).  Then we will be able to do transmitted and two channels of fluorescence sequentially for time lapse.   I will put up our web site with a complete description when this last problem is solved.     In the meantime, contact me off list for more details.  Dave

 

On Apr 6, 2009, at 11:51 AM, John Runions wrote:

Hi All,

This is a bit off the topic of confocal microscopy but I was wondering if people have recommendations for good and inexpensive fluorescence microscopes.  What I am interested in is something that might be a rung or two down the expense ladder from a research microscope.  We have research microscopes but are wanting to buy 1-2 microscopes that might be better for general use.  In particular, what about microscopes that come equipped with or that are suitable for running with LED illumination.

I will be happy to have vendors contact me off-list directly at my email address.

Thanks for your help.  John.

-- 

(Sent from my cra%#y non-Blackberry electronic device that still has wires)

 

*********************************
John Runions, Ph.D.
School of Life Sciences
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford, UK
OX3 0BP 

email:  jrunions@... 
phone: [phone]

Runions’ lab web site

 

Visit The Illuminated Plant Cell dot com
Oxford Brookes Master's in Bioimaging with Molecular Technology

 

Dr. David Knecht    

Department of Molecular and Cell Biology

Co-head Flow Cytometry and Confocal Microscopy Facility

U-3125

91 N. Eagleville Rd.

University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT 06269

860-486-2200

860-486-4331 (fax)

 

 

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[Serra Akinturk]

Hi all,

Does anybody experienced such an error in LSM 510:

''OBJREV: Time out unexpected error during hardware control task. An attempt to move revolver OBJREV to position 4 failed''

How can i fix it ?

Thanks alot.

Serra

 

[Csúcs Gábor]

Dear Serra,

There can be several reasons for this error message and correspondingly
the solution can be also different:
1) It may be a "simple" communication problem between your scope and the
controller. Check the connection and restart the system.
2) You may check (using both the software and the buttons on the
microscope) whether the objective revolver goes always to the required
position. If not, you may "help" it manually - this is however not a
permanent solution.
3) The "usual" problem with the objective revolver is that the sensor
which "feels" wheter the objective is in position gets dirty (oil etc.)
The service technician can either clean it or exchange it.

Cheers    Gabor

> Hi all,
> Does anybody experienced such an error in LSM 510:
> ''OBJREV: Time out unexpected error during hardware control task. An
> attempt to move revolver OBJREV to position 4 failed''
> How can i fix it ?
> Thanks alot.
> Serra
>  
>  
>

--
Gabor Csucs
Light Microscopy Centre, ETH Zurich
Schafmattstrasse 18, HPM F16
CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland

Web: www.lmc.ethz.ch
Phone: [phone]
Mobile: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [hidden email]

[Jean-Yves Tinevez]

Hi all,
Here is a question not directly related to hardware.
Do anyone is aware of a python library that can open evotec flex  
files? Even only for reading?
Thanks
jy



--
Jean-Yves Tinevez, PhD
Image Processing Facility head
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden
GERMANY
tel [phone]
fax [phone]
e-mail: [hidden email]

[cromey]

Another possibility:  your objective nosepiece is “between” lens nosepiece positions, in other words it does not recognize that it is locked into a specific position.  On our current 510, we have disabled the automated changing of lenses (prevents the inadvertent mixing of immersion media), so if the user hasn’t manually moved the lens to specific position, we sometimes see an error message similar to this one.

 

Doug

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Douglas W. Cromey, M.S. - Assistant Scientific Investigator

Dept. of Cell Biology & Anatomy, University of Arizona

1501 N. Campbell Ave, Tucson, AZ  85724-5044 USA

 

office:  AHSC 4212         email: [hidden email]

voice:  520-626-2824       fax:  [phone]

 

http://swehsc.pharmacy.arizona.edu/exppath/

Home of: "Microscopy and Imaging Resources on the WWW"

 

From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Serra Akinturk
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 3:46 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: question

 

Hi all,

Does anybody experienced such an error in LSM 510:

''OBJREV: Time out unexpected error during hardware control task. An attempt to move revolver OBJREV to position 4 failed''

How can i fix it ?

Thanks alot.

Serra

 

 

[Armstrong, Brian]

Hi Serra, we get this periodically and correct it by lightly moving the focus knob! That’s it.

(this assumes that your nosepiece is NOT between objectives which will also cause this error).

 

Brian D Armstrong PhD

Light Microscopy Core Manager

Beckman Research Institute

City of Hope

Dept of Neuroscience

1450 E Duarte Rd

Duarte, CA 91010

626-256-4673 x62872

http://www.cityofhope.org/research/support/Light-Microscopy-Digital-Imaging/Pages/default.aspx

---

From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Serra Akinturk
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 3:46 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: question

 

Hi all,

Does anybody experienced such an error in LSM 510:

''OBJREV: Time out unexpected error during hardware control task. An attempt to move revolver OBJREV to position 4 failed''

How can i fix it ?

Thanks alot.

Serra

 

 

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SECURITY/CONFIDENTIALITY WARNING: This message and any attachments are intended solely for the individual or entity to which they are addressed. This communication may contain information that is privileged, confidential, or exempt from disclosure under applicable law (e.g., personal health information, research data, financial information). Because this e-mail has been sent without encryption, individuals other than the intended recipient may be able to view the information, forward it to others or tamper with the information without the knowledge or consent of the sender. If you are not the intended recipient, or the employee or person responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution or copying of the communication is strictly prohibited. If you received the communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by replying to this message and deleting the message and any accompanying files from your system. If, due to the security risks, you do not wish to receive further communications via e-mail, please reply to this message and inform the sender that you do not wish to receive further e-mail from the sender.

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