Multi-Channel Capture

Image-Pro can control multi-wavelength fluorescent light sources for acquisition of multi-channel images sets, including time resolved image sets.

The Multi-Channel Capture module is required for light source control.

Configuring a light source

  1. Open the Application Options Panel

To configure a light source, select the File Menu, then select Options, which you find at the bottom of the file management view. The options dialog will open.

  1. Select the Capture Options

The options dialog is organized as a set of categories, which are displayed on the left of the dialog. Click on the Capture category.

  1. Configure the Options

The Capture options contain a set of controls.

Select the Enable Control check box, then select your light source from the Model drop down list.

Ensure that the Port setting is correct for your device.

If you are using a manual microscope, select the Manual option from the Model drop down list.

Close the application options dialog.

  1. Display the Live Preview panel by selecting the Capture ribbon, then clicking on the Live button.

The Live Preview panel opens. Channel Buttons are displayed at the top. Unconfigured channels are labelled SETUP, indicating that setup of the channel is required.

  1. Select the Configure Channel section of the Live Preview panel by clicking on any of the unconfigured channels, or alternatively select the Settings tab of the Live Preview panel and scroll down to the Configure Channel section.

Configure each of the fluorescence channels in the Configure Channel settings

  1. Select a channel from the Channel drop down list.
  2. Select the appropriate excitation wavelength from the Ex λ drop down list.
  3. Select the appropriate dye name from the Dye drop down list. The name of the dye will be used to name the selected channel, and the dye’s emission color will be used to color the selected channel. Clicking on the channel name (in the Channel drop down list) allows you to edit the channel name. Clicking the Color button allows you to edit the channel color.
  4. Click the Apply Button. The channel button will update to display your changes.

Configuring a transmitted light channel in the Configure Channels settings

  1. Select a channel from the Channel drop down list.
  2. Select Manual Control from the Ex λ drop down list.
  3. Select the appropriate transmitted light modality from the Dye dropdown list, for example DIC, Phase or Bright-Field.
  4. Click the Apply Button.

Working with Channels

Select a channel button at the top of the Live Preview panel to activate that channel. The light source will be activated at the appropriate excitation wavelength. If the channel requires manual control, an Activate dialog is shown.

Select the Preview tab of the Live Preview panel to adjust the light source Power setting, and camera settings. Power and camera settings made when a channel is selected become associated with that channel.

Selecting a second channel deactivates the first channel and activates the newly selected channel. Selecting an active channel deactivates the channel. If channels that require manual control are deactivated, a Deactivate dialog is shown.

Acquiring Multi-channel Image-Set

Each channel button is composed of two elements, the channel selection component (the upper section of the button, represented by the channel’s emission wavelength color) and a drop-down menu of options (the lower section of the button, represented by the channel name).

The menu of options contains three check boxes.

Acquire: When this option is selected the channel will be included in any captured image sets.

Deconvolve: When this option is selected the channel will be acquired with the Real Time Deconvolution settings applied. The Real Time Deconvolution Module is required to see this option.

Auto-Expose: When this option is selected the exposure time associated with the channel will be replaced with an automatically calculated exposure time based on the brightness of the image. The light source will be activated, and the exposure time will be calculated before the acquisition of the image set begins.

Clicking the Capture button will initiate the acquisition of an Image-Set composed of all the channels for which the Acquire option is selected.

Clicking the Record button will initiate the acquisition of a time resolved image set composed of all the channels for which the Acquire option is selected. To configure the settings for time resolved image sets such as frame rate and duration, select the Record Movie Options from the Settings tab of the Live Preview panel.

Acquiring a Channel Asynchronously

In some cases, you may wish to acquire a channel to a time resolved image set, but to not acquire it at the same rate as other channels.

To change the frame rate of a channel, select the Configure Channel settings from the Settings tab of the Live Preview panel.

Select the Channel from the drop-down list.

Edit the Acquisition Rate settings. The options are:

Every Time Point: The selected channel will be acquired at every time point.

Every N Time Points: The selected channel will be acquired every N time points.

Once at the Start: The selected channel will only be acquired for the first time point.

Once at the End: The selected channel will only be acquired for the final time point.