The NightOWL II uses an ultrasensitive back-illuminated (backlit) CCD camera with high quantum efficiency over the entire visible to near-infrared spectrum. Efficient cooling of the array (absolute -80 to -90°C depending on the room temperature) ensures very low noise, so that long exposure times can be used to integrate the signal over time and detect even weak light signals. The sensor dimensions are 13.3 x 13.3 mm, and captured images have 1024 x 1024 pixels, 13 µm width, providing high imaging resolution.
The NightOWL cabinet is extremely light-tight, preventing any interferences from ambient light. NightOWL is the first imager with a motor-driven camera inside the cabinet. Optimum resolution and focus of the sample are achieved by automatic positioning of the camera according to the actual sample size. The camera can be moved from a height of 50 mm to 725 mm allowing focussing on every sample size up to 250 mm. For close-ups a macro table can be used. The camera is set up with flat field and height correction. This calibration eliminates non-uniformities caused by variations in the optical path due to height, illumination or lens effects.
The conditions required to image living organisms can be very different depending on the application. To cover a broad range of applications, Berthold Technologies provides a very flexible system and a wide variety of accessories, including:
These devices may even be switched on and off through the software and the built-in sockets. This option enables the researcher to add more features into the cabinet.
The flange option provides light-tight access to the inner part for tubing, cables or even fibre optics, e. g. for special illumination of plants. The flange can be customized for special purposes.
The user-friendly IndiGO™ software controls the instrument and makes image processing easy. It provides the following innovative features:
