BIO RAD 170-6555, Instruction Manual

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Software Reference
2.2 IMAGE MENU
To obtain the best image from which both image and band data files are derived, the Image menu offers a
number of setup controls and options.
Acquire
This selection initiates image acquisition. It requires you to specify the type of gel to be imaged:
Carbohydrate, DNA, or Protein, before bringing up the SE1000 Camera Control window.
Figure 8. SE1000 Camera Control Panel
Percent Saturation and Exposure time
Exposure Time is the length of time that the camera requires to acquire an image. Percent Saturation
sets a limit on the percentage of detectors and corresponding pixels that are saturated within a region.
If this is the first time a gel is being imaged, start by setting the Percent Saturation. Refer to Table 2 for
examples of typical Percent Saturation settings. After you have acquired the image, you may see areas
of yellow. This is an indication that saturation of the corresponding CCD detectors has occurred.
Saturation occurs when the individual cells or pixels in the CCD camera can no longer quantify addition-
al light (they have reached their capacity). You should see little or no yellow in bands to be quantified or
in bands that are being used as a quantification standard. Saturation is a problem only if it affects the
imaging of bands which are to be quantified or are to serve as the basis of measurement. Otherwise,
bands which are not of interest may show signs of saturation without affecting the analysis data.
Continued saturation can lead to “blooming,” an effect in which the CCD detectors surrounding a satu-
rated detector in turn become saturated; when looking at the image, you can see “blooming” where the
yellow indicating saturation seems to spill over beyond the boundary of the band.
If any of the bands of interest was saturated, note the exposure time used to acquire the saturated
image. Use this time as a starting point for a time exposure. Reduce the exposure time to reduce the
saturation. An optimal exposure can take several iterations.
Acquire using
Percent Saturation...
(between 0.0 and 5.0)
0.00
Exposure time...
SE 1000 Camera Control
Acquire using
Normal Resolution High Resolution
(Takes twice as long)
(0.1 secs to 10.0 sec:)
1.00
Acquire Image
Cancel
Background Percent of Saturation
(between 5% and 75%)
25
SE 1000 Camera Control
SE 1000 Camera Control for Carbohydrate and DNA Gels SE 1000 Camera Control for Protein Gels
Acquire Image
Cancel