Dear list members,
I am a casual lurker to the list, and have not operated a confocal for
over 10 years.  Now our small imaging facility (3 persons, one SEM, one
TEM, numerous LM's + digital systems) is considering the addition of a
confocal system.  I would like to echo Dr. Gaener Rodger's request for
advice on this purchase.

My main question is:  why do most of the posts to the list surround just
three vendors (Leica, Zeiss, Biorad)?  What about Nikon, Olympus and I'm
sure there must be others out there??  Is there really that much
difference in performance such that 90% of users own one of the big
three? Or do other users just lurk like me, and not post?

My second question:  What is a good basic system for a newbie
(biologist) like myself, that would fit a very tight budget, and serve a
multi-user facility without many servicing/alignment requirements?  Our
campus already has a "high end" confocal; we just want a basic work
horse.

If these are considered sensitive issues, please respond off-line.

More info. on what we need:
We primarily handle biological specimens in contact with biomaterials,
but sometimes just look at the materials themselves.  Much of our work
is not cell culture, but rather tissue sections, or organisms on
surfaces.  In purchasing a confocal, we're looking for superior
fluorescence detection/discrimination over conventional fluor. LM (but
ours are old and need replacing anyway), superior resolution (especially
for microbes and intracellular localization), and of course the optical
sectioning for viewing colonized surfaces, thick sections, etc.  There
is a good deal of interest in 3D reconstruction and measurement, and
some very limited interest in 2-photon.  We need a new microscope with
some very good lenses including long WD lenses, and water immersion
lenses.  We also need a stage that will accomodate bulky specimens
(anything from teeth to petri plates to wide polymer products).

Thank you all for your expert opinions!
Karen

--
Karen S. Zaruba          [log in to unmask]
3M Company,
3M Center Bldg. 270-1S-01
St. Paul, MN  55144