Re: Infrared DIC with a Nikon DS-5Mc

[Lachlan Walsh]

Dear list,

I am trying to set up infrared DIC on our physiology scope and I am
having trouble getting the Nikon digital sight DS-5Mc cooled colour
camera to work with infrared. I get a very faint signal. I can get a
good image with another much older camera.

My question to the list is whether this camera can detect near infrared
light?
Does it have an infrared filter which is blocking all the light, and if
so, can this be removed without any detriment to its image quality?

Thank you,
Lachlan

[Jacqueline Ross]

Hi Lachlan,

We also have a Nikon Digital Sight DS-5Mc colour camera on one of our
microscopes. I just recently enquired about purchasing a Cy5 filter for
our microscope but I knew that some colour cameras have IR barrier
filters to protect the chip from heat so I decided to check before
purchasing the filter.

Sure enough, the 5DS-5Mc does have a barrier filter so is not
recommended for near IR.

In quotation marks below is the actual reply that I received yesterday
from Nikon through our local agent:

"The IR Cut Filter is built in to the DS-5Mc Camera, and as you aware,
it cuts 690nm a lot.
When compare to its sensitivity against Green Colour, its sensitivity to
Red Colour is only 1/30 to 1/50.
We have to say that DS-5Mc is not suitable to use for CY5 Application."

I don't think you would be able to remove the barrier filter but even if
you did, this reply indicates that the sensitivity is going to be
insufficient for imaging these longer wavelengths although normal red
fluorophores like Alexa 568, 594, etc. are fine.

We also have a monochrome camera (about 10 years old now!), that does a
great job of imaging Cy5, Alexa 647, etc. It has good sensitivity in
this range.

Kind regards,

Jacqui

Jacqueline Ross

Biomedical Imaging Microscopist
Biomedical Imaging Research Unit
School of Medical Sciences
Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences
The University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland, NEW ZEALAND

Tel: [phone] Ext 87438
Fax: [phone]

http://www.fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/sms/biru/

-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]]
On Behalf Of Lachlan Walsh
Sent: Wednesday, 5 August 2009 5:58 p.m.
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: Infrared DIC with a Nikon DS-5Mc

Dear list,

I am trying to set up infrared DIC on our physiology scope and I am
having trouble getting the Nikon digital sight DS-5Mc cooled colour
camera to work with infrared. I get a very faint signal. I can get a
good image with another much older camera.

My question to the list is whether this camera can detect near infrared
light?
Does it have an infrared filter which is blocking all the light, and if
so, can this be removed without any detriment to its image quality?

Thank you,
Lachlan

[Stephen Cody-2]

G'day Lachlan,

 

Nearly all scientific CCD cameras will come with an IR filter built in by default, unless you order one without the filter. Several years ago I  ordered a custom camera without the IR filter just in case someone wanted to do some cy5.5 imaging, then promptly forgot all about it. A while later we were struggling with lots of background visible to only the camera when attempting to do some polarising microscopy. After sleeping on it, I realised we were imaging heat from the lamp, and had to order a supplementary IR filter and place this in front of the camera.

 

So if you do order a camera without an IR filter, you probably want to order an IR filter at the same time.

 

Cheers Steve.

2009/8/5 Jacqui Ross <[hidden email]>

Hi Lachlan,

We also have a Nikon Digital Sight DS-5Mc colour camera on one of our
microscopes. I just recently enquired about purchasing a Cy5 filter for
our microscope but I knew that some colour cameras have IR barrier
filters to protect the chip from heat so I decided to check before
purchasing the filter.

Sure enough, the 5DS-5Mc does have a barrier filter so is not
recommended for near IR.

In quotation marks below is the actual reply that I received yesterday
from Nikon through our local agent:

"The IR Cut Filter is built in to the DS-5Mc Camera, and as you aware,
it cuts 690nm a lot.
When compare to its sensitivity against Green Colour, its sensitivity to
Red Colour is only 1/30 to 1/50.
We have to say that DS-5Mc is not suitable to use for CY5 Application."

I don't think you would be able to remove the barrier filter but even if
you did, this reply indicates that the sensitivity is going to be
insufficient for imaging these longer wavelengths although normal red
fluorophores like Alexa 568, 594, etc. are fine.

We also have a monochrome camera (about 10 years old now!), that does a
great job of imaging Cy5, Alexa 647, etc. It has good sensitivity in
this range.

Kind regards,

Jacqui

Jacqueline Ross

Biomedical Imaging Microscopist
Biomedical Imaging Research Unit
School of Medical Sciences
Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences
The University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland, NEW ZEALAND

Tel: [phone] Ext 87438
Fax: [phone]

http://www.fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/sms/biru/

-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]]
On Behalf Of Lachlan Walsh
Sent: Wednesday, 5 August 2009 5:58 p.m.
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: Infrared DIC with a Nikon DS-5Mc

Dear list,

I am trying to set up infrared DIC on our physiology scope and I am
having trouble getting the Nikon digital sight DS-5Mc cooled colour
camera to work with infrared. I get a very faint signal. I can get a
good image with another much older camera.

My question to the list is whether this camera can detect near infrared
light?
Does it have an infrared filter which is blocking all the light, and if
so, can this be removed without any detriment to its image quality?

Thank you,
Lachlan

--
Stephen H. Cody