We too have the Leica SP head and like it very much.  It is a clever design
and we have found the ability to carefully test for and select emission
wavelength to be very useful. Optimizing light gathering is also very
helpful.
We have used it for over a year now and are happy with it.  Nina Allen
>Mike
>There are companies that make their living by making filters that let through
>only certain wavelengths. It is a real art and both Chroma and Omega should be
>complemented for these filters.  However the ability to use a slit to
>build your
>own bandpass filters is truly a fantastic achievement and also  very
>useful for
>optimizing performance. The cutoff is better defined than a conventional band
>pass filter. You have the control of building your own filter that has a
>sharper
>cut off and better liaght transmitted.  The Bandpass filter together with
>sequential scanning allows one to control the emitted light and thus you can
>optimize  the light gathering efficiency of the system. It is really a better
>system.
>If you understand dichorics and bandpass filters used with flow cytometers,
>Confocal microscopes, microscopes  and other laser based equipment your
>will see
>the fantastic achievement in design that this Leica SP head offers. Being a
>government employee I can not recommend any commerical equipment, but I do
>appreciate technological performance.
>Bob Zucker
>
>Robert M. Zucker, Ph.D
>U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
>National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory
>2525 NC Highway 54,  MD 72
>Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709
>tel: 919-541-1585 fax 919-541-4017
>e-mail: [log in to unmask]


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Nina Stromgren Allen
Professor, Department of Botany;
Director, Cellular and Molecular Imaging Facility
Box 7612, Department of Botany
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7612
Phone:  919-515-8382 (Office), 515-3525 (Lab), 515-2727 (Department Secretary)
Fax: 919-515-3436