Inverted Microscope System Offers Continuous Autofocus for Time-Lapse Imaging

A motorized, inverted microscope with a comprehensive, integrated autofocus solution provides optimal imaging.

The new system has zero-drift autofocus and it will be a significant advance for investigators doing time-lapse experiments. The system's next-generation autofocus system is designed to operate continuously so that it maintains focus even when the events being observed happen very quickly and experiments occur over a short timescale.


The IX81-ZDC2 Zero Drift provides the crispest, sharpest, and brightest images under time-lapse conditions. It can be used with a broad range of objectives including high-transmission lenses and objectives. The autofocus system is integrated into the company's Olympus IX81 microscope stand, known for its rigidity, stability, and reliability (Olympus America Inc. Center Valley, PA, USA).

The ZDC2 Zero-Drift autofocus system utilizes a nondestructive infrared laser to continuously maintain the sample position and focus during short or long-term time-lapse imaging, even while adding reagents. A Class 1 785-nm laser diode is used to locate either the water/glass interface (for oil- or water-immersion objectives) or the air/glass interface (for nonimmersion lenses). Samples can be mounted on coverslips, multiwell tissue-culture plates, glass-bottom culture dishes, or other glass substrates.

The laser can be turned off during periods when image acquisition is not occurring.

The system can also maintain multiple focus planes for multiposition time-lapse imaging in multiwell plates or other multisample formats. Further, the system uses an autofocus routine that is significantly faster than conventional software-based algorithms and is unaffected by changes in morphology, contrast or fluorescence intensity of the cell. The equipment is optimized for use with total internal reflectance fluorescence (TIRF) and other advanced applications.

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Olympus America Inc.