Re: Recommendations for commercial multi-photon system purchase

Posted by Bogdan Stoica on
URL: http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/Re-Recommendations-for-commercial-multi-photon-system-purchase-tp3499069.html

Hi fellows,

I am also in the last stages of choosing a confocal/multiphoton system for
our laboratory. After seeing multiple demos i am thorn between an Olympus
FV1000MPE system and an Leica SP5 II. Our needs are to be able to do both
confocal images on fixed and live in vitro cells and live in vivo rodent
brain imaging. Both systems come with a UV, visible Argon four lines (488
etc), laser diode 560 and 633 and IR laser (Chameleon for Leica and Maitai
for Olympus), a complete set of Apo objectives as well as the famous 25x NA
1.05 from Olympus and the "equivalent" 20x from Leica. The microscopes are
inverted and the system also includes 2 NDD for Leica and 4 NDD in the case
for Olympus.
Fro what I could see the Leica software appeared more user friendly and I
would give their system a better feel for confocal imaging and manufacturers
potential upgrades- the system I am pricing does not include the AOBS
feature, "white laser" or resonant scanner but those could be added later.
On the other hand the Olympus seems a better choice for multiphoton imaging
and an easier system to tinker with. The tech support and managers for both
companies seemed outstanding to me here in the Washington DC-Baltimore area.
I found interesting that I was not able to find any info on "how much" such
a system should cost and after intense "negotiations" the quites range on my
case around the ~700k mark with Olympus a little bellow and Leica a little
above.
I was wondering if people who recently had to make a similar decision can
offer me some guidance both on the merits of their systems once they were
installed as well as on the price, support etc.
Thank you very much,

Bogdan