Digital Camera Offers Extended Spectral Coverage for Microscopists

Roper Scientific Inc. has announced the release of the Photometrics CoolSNAPHQ imaging system for digital microscopy. The CoolSNAPHQ system utilizes a 1392 x 1040-pixel CCD cooled to -30 °C as well as state-of-the-art, low-noise electronics to deliver high-resolution, 12-bit images across the full spectral band, even into the near infrared. The system's high-performance camera, PCI card, and intuitive RS Image software can be installed within minutes, allowing researchers to begin capturing and displaying live-cell images almost immediately.

"The CoolSNAPHQ is the latest addition to our family of Photometrics CoolSNAP cameras," notes Scott Sternberg, life sciences marketing manager for Roper Scientific – the company formed by the union of Princeton Instruments Inc. and Photometrics Ltd. "The new system's superb sensitivity makes it an excellent choice not only for GFP imaging, but for Cy5 and Cy7 imaging as well."

The CoolSNAPHQ camera can provide 4096 levels of grayscale data for quantitative analysis while operating at either 20 MHz (high-speed mode) or 10 MHz (high-sensitivity mode). Built-in PVCAM compatibility lets researchers use numerous third-party programs across all major computer platforms and facilitates easier OEM systems integration. Every element of the camera has been designed with the microscopist in mind, from the CCD's megapixel array and 6.45 x 6.45-µm pixel pitch (perfectly matched to the resolution of optical microscopes) to the instrument's standard C-mount.