Search the CONFOCAL archive at
http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
The newer LUDL stages and Z drives are great. The small footprint of the
Mac5000 is nice too. The difference between Zeiss and LUDL is that during
acquisition of Z stacks we have to time the acquisition to adjust for
settlement of LUDL Z motor after it moves a step in Z. If we don't account
for the adjustment we see jumping when we play back the Z-stack. We do not
have this problem with the Axiovert 200m's z-drive, and I suspect you will
not see it on the motorized Axioimager stands either.
We bought all the LUDL parts (Mac 5000, focus encoder, joystick, scanning
stage, z-motor and filter wheels) as part of a package from a software
vender (MBF Bioscience, makers of SteroInvestigator and Neurolucida) and
then put it all together on the Axioimager A1. We are very happy with it.
There was no real cost benefit between all Zeiss + Marzhauser scanning stage
and MCU 28 controller and the LUDL setup. The big difference is that the
Axiovision software has more refined control over the hardware and does just
about everything we need, imaging wise. MBF bioscience makes a very specific
package and its software control is focused on stereology, which we feel
they excel at. For us, we had the A1 stand already, and wanted to run
StereoInvestigator and Neurolucida on it.
Maintenance wise: if the LUDL Z motor fails, the A1 scope is still
operational with manual z-control and there is easy access to the motor and
controller boards without disturbing the scope setup. If the Z-motor fails
in the Zeiss stand I believe the scope will be down until you, or a service
engineer can break down the scope to get to its internal boards. If you
ensure clean electrical current to the stand through at least a line
conditioner, and avoid soaking the system in water or culture media, the
Z-motor in the Zeiss stands should last a long time.
As for cameras, on the A1, we are using an Olympus Microfire color CCD
camera with the IR blocking filter in the emission filter wheel so we could
image Cy5, on our Axiovert 200M we have an AxioCam HRc for our histology
folks, and the Roper Cascade 512B for fluorescence imaging.
We purchased the Roper Cascade 512B EMCCD first, 3 years ago, and then built
a system around it; we tried software control from a couple different
venders, but found the Axiovision software to be the best match for what we
wanted out of the system. We have no driver issues with the Axiovision
software and the Roper camera any more, except that the method used for flat
field/shading correction is awkward compared to using the Zeiss camera. We
have close to 130 active users, mainly a mixed batch of biologists and
engineers on the system, the majority use the EMCCD with no complaints. We
have 40 users on the A1.
Cheers,
Jonathan M. Ekman
Imaging Technology Group
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
405 N. Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801 USA
Tel: 217-244-6292
Fax: 217-244-6219
_____
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Armstrong, Brian
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 5:21 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Thoughts on Axioimager line of Microscopes/ Imaging system
Hi John, I have always had a high opinion of LUDL products. Can you give an
idea of how much this A1 LUDL set up cost you? Is it more cost effective to
get the motorized components from Zeiss or LUDL?
Is your camera the Photometrics QuantEM? How are you liking the EM camera
(other than the problems with Axiovision driver compatability)?
Cheers,
Brian D Armstrong PhD
Light Microscopy Core Manager
Beckman Research Institute
City of Hope
1450 E Duarte Rd
Duarte, CA 91010
626-359-8111 x62872
http://www.cityofhope.org/SharedResources/LightMicroscopy
_____
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Jon Ekman
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 1:40 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Thoughts on Axioimager line of Microscopes/ Imaging system
I recently built an A1 using Ludl XY stage and Z motor, all controlled
through Ludl MAC 5000 controler. We use the system for stereology. If you
don't get the upgrade, the A1 is still a very flexible stand. Because we
cover a lot of disciplines here, our A1 was built to be capable of tiling,
z-stacking, time series, transmitted light imaging, polarized light imaging,
fluorescence imaging (Ludle 10 port filter wheels) and reflected light
imaging. If you go with the motorized versions and add the Axiovision
software for control along with Zeiss cameras I think you will be quite
happy.
We have an inverted Axiovert 200M that can do limited live cell work; it
also does everything the A1 does, except it only has five fluorescent
channels (no filter wheels) and uses Axiovision software. The key to success
with the Axiovision software is to buy the Zeiss cameras also. We have a
Roper EMCCD and a Zeiss Axiocam and there are features like shading
correction that are locked out of the multidimensional acquisition setup in
for the Roper camera making it harder to work with than the Zeiss camera.
You can still do shading correction it just takes more steps.
Both A1 and the Axiovert 200M are used quite heavily and require little
maintenance. When a part does break it can be exchanged at a significantly
reduced cost through a parts exchange program.
Cheers,
Jonathan M. Ekman
Imaging Technology Group
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign
405 N. Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801 USA
Tel: 217-244-6292
Fax: 217-244-6219
_____
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Farid Jalali
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 12:08 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Thoughts on Axioimager line of Microscopes/ Imaging system
Search the CONFOCAL archive at
http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
Hello All,
I would appreciate hearing thoughts on Zeiss' line of Axioimager imaging
systems. I've just found out that an A1 (most basic, for documentation) is
going into our tiny (2 scope) facility. However, I am thinking of asking for
an upgrade to the M1, motorized and apparently suitable for live cell
imaging, 3D deconvolution microscopy, FRET even. Is anyone out there using
their Axiovision's for live cell imaging, FRET, 3D acquisition and
deconvolution?
Any and all thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Farid
--
Farid Jalali MSc
Senior Research Technician/ Lab Manager
Dr. Robert Bristow Lab
Applied Molecular Oncology
Princess Margaret Hospital
Toronto, Canada
416-946-4501 X4351 (Princess Margaret Hospital)
416-581-7754 STTARR at MaRS Building
416-581-7791 STTARR Microscopy Suite
---------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
|
