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Hi

Can you rotate the camera?  If the "dirt" moves it with the camera or
the mount.  I it stays in same place it's somewhere in the microscope 
in both bright filed and epi-fluorescence it's got to be objectives or
somewhere above.

Good luck

Russ

Russell N. Spear
Sr. Research Specialist
Dept. of Plant Pathology
Univ. of Wisconsin
1630 Linden Dr.
Madison WI 53706

voice 608.263.2093
fax     608.263.2626

>>> Matthew Pearson <[log in to unmask]> 03/12/08 10:29 AM >>>
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This is not specifically a confocal question but a microscopy question
none the less.  We have a Zeiss axiovert 100M using a Hamamatsu Orca
camera.  There seems to be an image artifact somewhere in the optical
train.  When I have the live camera feed there are lots of small circles
with smaller rings inside.  Could this be dust that has collected
somewhere? I have tried cleaning every surface I can get access to but
it is still there! I get it whether doing bright field or fluorescence
and it is not dirty objective lenses.  It is not filters within the
condenser either as the same particles appear in the image irrespective
of the condenser position.  I have removed the camera and cleaned it,
still no look.  So I'm at a loose end really as to what it can be.  I
can only think it is something within the microscope body beneath the
objective housing and I don't really want to dismantle the whole thing!
Has anyone had similar problems in the past? 

Thanks,

Matt Pearson.


-- Imaging TechnicianCell Biology DivisionInstitute of
OphthalmologyUniversity College LondonEC1V 9EL020 7608
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