Zeiss AxioCam HSc High Speed Color CCD Microscope Camera

Rapid time lapses: high-speed imaging stretches feasibility to its limits

Here the AxioCam HS offers a wide range of functions.

•  Additional adjustment of the frame (ROI) enables the acquisition speed to be increased even more
• The overlapping of readout and exposure in Continuous Mode enables reliable, precise imaging of very rapid time lapses, e.g., when observing interactions in the living cells of microorganisms.

Superb image quality even with weak signals

Very high acquisition speeds and short exposure times do not have to mean putting up with poor image quality. With 660 x 494 pixels, the AxioCam HS offers adequate resolution for applications in Live Cell Imaging with higher magnification objectives.

• 9.9 µm x 9.9 µm pixels enable the acquisition even of weak signals, which can be digitized by a 12-bit AD converter with high dynamic range. The high signal quality with a dynamic range of 1:1800 makes it possible to subsequently intensify weak signals and bring out the differences in contrast.
• The additional Peltier cooling minimizes dark current and background noise and also enables long exposure times.
• The AxioCam HS has no cooling fans, and therefore works vibration free

Specifications:

• Sensor: Sony ICX 414, progressive readout
• CCD basic resolution: 660 (H) x 494 (V) = 330 K pixels
• Pixel size: 9.9 μm (H) x 9.9 μm (V)
• Sensor size: 6.5 mm x 4.9 mm, equivalent to 1⁄2″
• Spectral sensitivity: HSc approx. 400 up to 720 nm with BG 40 IR blocking filter
• Dynamic range: Typical SNR 65 dB = 1 : 1800
• Full well capacity: Typical 32 Ke
• Readout noise: Typical 17 e
• Dark current: Typical 0.7 LSB/s, equivalent to 5.4 e/pixel/s
• Readout clock speed: Max. 24.57 MHz
• Speed optimized readout mode: Max. time resolution by overlapping exposure and readout for time lapse acquisitions
• Frame rates:
• Approx. 60 frames/s in basic resolution up to approx.
• 200 frames/s at binning 5 x 5 at 1 ms respectively, higher frame rates with combinations of binning and ROI
• Raw data rate: Max. 28 MB/s or 1.6 GB/minute (appropriate PC main memory capacity required)
• Data recording: Inline recording of raw data directly to hard disk at all frame rates (available from 12/2005)
• Exposure time: From 0.25 ms up to 60 s
• Color optimization: Available for color model, default white point 3200 K
• Gain: Analog gain 2x, digital gain 16x
• Binning Options:
• 1 x 1 660 x 494 60fps
• 2 x 2 328 x 246 108fps
• 3 x 3 216 x 164 143fps
• 4 x 4 160 x 122 174fps
• 5 x 5 124 x 98 198fps
• Sensor subarea readout (ROI): Freely adjustable
• Digitization: 12 bit AD converter
• Interface: FireWire (IEEE 1394 a), several cameras on one bus possible
• Control signals: Trigger In/Out, TTL compatible, programmable polarity, adjustable trigger delay for shutter synchronization
• Housing: Aluminum, blue anodized, cooling fins, 11 cm x 8 cm x 4.5 cm, 350 g
• Optical interface: C-Mount adapter
• Free back focal depth: Max. 5 mm
• Protective cover glass: BK 7 for HSm, annealed, IR filter BG 40 for HSc, annealed respectively
• CCD cooling: Single stage thermoelectrical cooling (Peltier) for decrease of dark current and thermal decoupling of the CCD sensor, heat dissipation by means of the housing, no fan required
• Dark current compensation: Adaptive compensation algorithm in camera driver
• Power supply: 10 … 33 V DC / 4 W power supply by the FireWire cable (IEEE 1394 a) from the PC, no external power supply required
• Environmental conditions: +5° up to +35° Celsius, max. 80% air humidity, non condensing , free air circulation required