Cooled camera delivers red-hot performance: Nikon Instruments launches new high resolution microscopy camera, the DS-Ri1

Nikon Instruments Europe today unveiled the DS-Ri1 camera, the latest addition to its market-leading range of Digital Sight cameras for microscopy. The DS-Ri1 camera has been specifically designed as a multifunctional solution for both high resolution colour and fluorescent image capture and analysis.

Key features include a rapid acquisition rate in full frame pixel stepping mode that significantly improves image resolution. Fast focusing is effortless, with a speed of 19fps in “live” mode. This can be further increased when binning is applied or the region-of-interest mode is employed. In addition, the DS-Ri1 also boasts enhanced colour fidelity for applications that require accurate reproduction and colour analysis. Noise is reduced and images are further improved thanks to the cooled CCD chip which runs at 10oC below ambient temperature.

The DS-Ri1 joins the Digital Sight family which already includes a range of seven camera heads and two controllers. These allow users to build a unique solution for any application, imaging challenge or budget. “Nikon’s DS-Ri1 is an important addition to the Digital Sight family and is the ideal camera for multi-technique applications where high resolution, excellent colour fidelity and large pixel count images are important to an end-user” said Dr Peter Drent, General Manager (Biosciences) at Nikon Instruments Europe.

As a result of the large native pixel size and supported cooling, the DS-Ri1 can tackle simple fluorescence imaging and documentation. This makes it perfect for low magnification systems, like Nikon’s SMZ series microscopes or Nikon’s new AZ100 multizoom. However, the pixel-stepping mechanism allows for huge, high-resolution brightfield images to be captured, making it ideal for higher magnification systems. Additionally, the new DS-Ri1 supports 12 bit per channel output for 36 bit color images.

The DS-Ri1 interfaces directly with DS-L2 and DS-U2 controllers and can be connected to PCs via USB2 interfaces for simple installation and easy configuration. The DS-Ri1 offers ’Scene Mode‘ support for the DS-L2 standalone controller. Made popular by Nikon’s Coolpix series of consumer cameras, ‘Scene Mode’ helps set standard settings that are ideal for different types of imaging. When interfaced to a PC, the ‘Scene Mode’ option is accessible but can also be disabled for high-bit depth, ’raw format’ imaging at up to 12 bits per channel.

The DS-Ri1 can be controlled with Nikon’s industry-acclaimed NIS-Elements software through a familiar GUI control screen shared with all the Digital sight family of cameras, adding powerful, camera-specific controls for the DS-Ri1.