I have to take photographs of GFP newborn and adult m
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Dear Colleagues,

I have to take photographs of GFP newborn and adult mice to support a microscopy paper.This is to show GFP throughout the coat of the newborns, and in the tail tips and feet of the adults.

Normally mice are photographed with a 60mm f# 2.8 lens on a Nikon D70S with sync flash at 1/60th or 1/125th sec with an ISO of 100 or 200 set on the camera CCD. That, however, is for normal room lighting – plenty of photons. 

We don’t want to go above ISO 800 because of noise, yet need to freeze the movement of the mice.

Has anyone done this, and can advise on exposure, whether to use sync flash as well as the UV source.

I have been advised to anaesthetise the mice and photograph out of the cage. We'd prefer not to anaesthetise, but there may be no option.

Any advice, or if you can direct me to someone who has done this. All input gratefully received.

Thanks,
Jeremy Sanderson
Bio-Imaging, MRC Harwell.