Dear Peter,

> The TCS 4D imaging software with its OS9-based work-horse seems absolutely
> adequate, as far as I am aware from our users. With this software it is
> also possible to do preliminary image processing such as making maximum
> intensity and averaged projections through the focus stack. Many people
> here use photoshop as our main 2D post-processing software. Very few
> really need the 3D routines, which in our case reside on an Indy computer
> to avoid blocking time on the heavily-used confocal microscope. The Leica
> 4D "flat-field" files are written in RAW data format, so can be imported
> directly into programs such as Photoshop and converted there to TIFF in
> colour.
For 2D measurements and analyses most people here use Optimas (you can also
customize this software by macros written in ALI, the internal scripting
language based on C++). More or less only for 3D we use Imagespace on the
Indy but this is not customizable, no macro language.
Possibly better would be in this field, Imaris, also running on PC, but it
is more expensive than Imagespace as far as we remember. It may also be
scriptable? In any case one has to keep in mind, that by just buying the
confocal the work is not done. You need good tools for data processing as
well not only for acquisition.
We wouldn't recommend Imagespace and Indy any longer because PCs are very
fast today and you can get good software for them (look at
http://www.imaris.com/)
We would recommend DTAF instead of FITC if it is possible in your case,
(Doesn't bleach so fast).
Good luck,

Jim Chalcroft and Robert Streif   MPIN Histo&Imaging group

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> ----------
> From:         Peter Flett[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Reply To:     Confocal Microscopy List
> Sent:         Monday, May 15, 2000 10:52 PM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      imaging software
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> We are currently using a Leica TCS 4D confocal scope.  We were
> wondering if anyone else uses the same (or similar) system, and
> specifically what imaging software is available.  We are using
> eukaryotic cells grown in monolayers, and labelling (so far) with
> rhodamine and FITC.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Peter Flett, Ph.D.
> Department of Microbiology,
> University of Guelph,
> Guelph, Ontario
> N1G 2W1
> Canada
>