To capture a good original image requires a camera or data acquisition system that is appropriate to the specimens under observation. This means cameras can vary in price and sophistication. Low light level fluorescence applications will require high quality, cooled CCD cameras. On the other hand, bright field applications can often use less expensive, room temperature CCD cameras.

The images to the left illustrate these points. The left column shows the unprocessed images; the right column shows images that have been processed with MicroTome or HazeBuster.

Image 1 was captured with a SIT camera. It shows fluorescently stained neurons and neural glial cells. The image was averaged 32 times to reduce the camera noise.

Image 2 shows red blood cells in transmitted mode. The CCD camera used for this application cost less than $700.00

Image 3 is a DIC image of growth cones.

Image 4 shows fluorescently stained blood vessels in a rat embryo heart. The image was captured with a popular point scanning laser confocal microscope.

See "What is the Best Camera for Deconvolution" for more details.