Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Overview of Electron Microscopy01:25

Overview of Electron Microscopy

The wavelengths of visible light ultimately limit the maximum theoretical resolution of images created by light microscopes. Most light microscopes can only magnify 1000X, and a few can magnify up to 1500X. Electrons, like electromagnetic radiation, can behave like waves, but with wavelengths of 0.005 nm, they produce significantly greater resolution up to 0.05 nm as compared to 500 nm for visible light. An electron microscope (EM) can create a sharp image that is magnified up to 2,000,000X.
Overview of Microscopy Techniques01:22

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...
Imaging Biological Samples with Optical Microscopy01:18

Imaging Biological Samples with Optical Microscopy

Optical microscopy uses optic principles to provide detailed images of samples. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek designed the first compound optical microscope in the 17th century to visualize blood cells, bacteria, and yeast cells. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes with enhanced magnification and resolution.
In optical microscopy, the specimen to be viewed is placed on a glass slide and clipped on the stage...
Two-Dimensional Microscopy in Microbiology01:29

Two-Dimensional Microscopy in Microbiology

Two-dimensional (2D) microscopy encompasses a range of optical techniques that capture images within a single focal plane, offering detailed representations of microscopic structures. These techniques are essential in biological and medical research, enabling the visualization of cellular and subcellular structures with different levels of contrast and specificity.There are several major types of 2D microscopy, each with strengths and applications.Bright-Field MicroscopyBright-field microscopy...
Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy01:37

Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) provides a better resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing the point spread function (PSF). PSF is the light intensity distribution from a point that causes it to appear blurred. Due to PSF, each fluorescing point appears bigger than its actual size, and it is the PSF interference of nearby fluorophores that causes the blurred image. Various approaches to achieving higher resolution through SRFM have recently been developed.
Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy01:26

Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy

Phase-Contrast Microscopes
In-phase-contrast microscopes, interference between light directly passing through a cell and light refracted by cellular components is used to create high-contrast, high-resolution images without staining. It is the oldest and simplest type of microscope that creates an image by altering the wavelengths of light rays passing through the specimen. Altered wavelength paths are created using an annular stop in the condenser. The annular stop produces a hollow cone of...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Facility Dog Programmatic Effects on Individuals Working in High-Stress Environments.

Military medicine·2025
Same author

Going with the Flow (or Not).

Biophysical journal·2019
Same author

The Lateral Organization and Mobility of Plasma Membrane Components.

Cell·2019
Same author

mTORC2 Activity Disrupts Lysosome Acidification in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus by Impairing Caspase-1 Cleavage of Rab39a.

Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)·2018
Same author

Rapid, directed transport of DC-SIGN clusters in the plasma membrane.

Science advances·2017
Same author

Beyond attachment: Roles of DC-SIGN in dengue virus infection.

Traffic (Copenhagen, Denmark)·2017
Same journal

Quantification of cell viability by automated analysis of live cell imaging.

Methods in cell biology·2026
Same journal

Flow cytometry evaluation of cytotoxicity exerted by effector immune cells against tumor cells.

Methods in cell biology·2026
Same journal

Time-lapse confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis of FOOD formation.

Methods in cell biology·2026
Same journal

Screening and identification of protein-protein interaction using proximity labeling.

Methods in cell biology·2026
Same journal

Quantitative high-content profiling of mitochondrial morphology with automated statistical analysis and integrated data visualization.

Methods in cell biology·2026
Same journal

Super-resolution imaging of cell death in Drosophila tissues via expansion and pan-expansion microscopy.

Methods in cell biology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

Single Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy on Planar Supported Bilayers
20:00

Single Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy on Planar Supported Bilayers

Published on: October 31, 2015

Electronic cameras for low-light microscopy.

Ivan Rasnik1, Todd French, Ken Jacobson

  • 1Physics Department, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Methods in Cell Biology
|August 13, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This chapter explores electronic cameras for microscopy, detailing performance parameters and features. It highlights charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras, especially slow-scan CCDs, for optimal image quality in low-light microscopy applications.

Keywords:
Complementary metal-oxide semiconductorFrame rateGainLow-Light ImagingQuantum efficiency

More Related Videos

Fluorescence Lifetime Macro Imager for Biomedical Applications
06:01

Fluorescence Lifetime Macro Imager for Biomedical Applications

Published on: April 7, 2023

Excitation-Scanning Hyperspectral Imaging Microscopy to Efficiently Discriminate Fluorescence Signals
07:34

Excitation-Scanning Hyperspectral Imaging Microscopy to Efficiently Discriminate Fluorescence Signals

Published on: August 22, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 9, 2026

Single Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy on Planar Supported Bilayers
20:00

Single Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy on Planar Supported Bilayers

Published on: October 31, 2015

Fluorescence Lifetime Macro Imager for Biomedical Applications
06:01

Fluorescence Lifetime Macro Imager for Biomedical Applications

Published on: April 7, 2023

Excitation-Scanning Hyperspectral Imaging Microscopy to Efficiently Discriminate Fluorescence Signals
07:34

Excitation-Scanning Hyperspectral Imaging Microscopy to Efficiently Discriminate Fluorescence Signals

Published on: August 22, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Microscopy and Imaging Technology
  • Electronic Camera Systems

Background:

  • Electronic cameras are crucial for microscopy, with performance parameters dictating image quality.
  • Charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras are preferred for high-performance microscopy systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce electronic cameras and their performance evaluation parameters.
  • To describe key features of different camera formats for microscopy.
  • To explain how camera properties optimize image quality in low-light conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Discussion of various electronic camera types, including CCD, electron multiplying CCD, and intensified CCDs.
  • Analysis of performance parameters such as signal-to-noise ratio and spatial resolution.
  • Evaluation of camera suitability based on application requirements like frame rate and light levels.

Main Results:

  • Slow-scan CCDs offer superior signal-to-noise ratio and spatial resolution for fixed specimens.
  • Electron multiplying CCD cameras are suitable for dim specimens requiring video-rate imaging.
  • Intensified CCDs and variable integration time video cameras offer flexibility for high-speed gating and varied light levels.

Conclusions:

  • Camera selection depends on specific microscopy needs, including specimen brightness, required frame rate, and illumination conditions.
  • Understanding camera parameters and features is key to optimizing image quality, particularly in low-light microscopy.
  • Different CCD camera types provide tailored solutions for diverse microscopy applications, from fixed specimens to dynamic imaging.