Resources
Here are two tables to help you select the confocal microscope that best suits your imaging needs
1- Microscope selection by application
2- Microscope selection by imaging technique
Please Note:
Application Area | Type of Experiment | BC43 | Dragonfly 200 | Dragonfly 600 |
Cell Biology | Intracellular Structure | ![]() |
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Cell Cycle - Cell Division | ![]() |
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Mitochondria Imaging (fixed) | ![]() |
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Cytokinesis | ![]() |
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Mitochondria Imaging (live) | ![]() |
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Early Embryo Development | ![]() |
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Microtubule Dynamics | ![]() |
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Intracellular Trafficking | ![]() |
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Expansion Microscopy | ![]() |
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Cilia Imaging (> 50 fps) | ![]() |
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Single Molecule Live Imaging (not SMLM) e.g. RNA | ![]() |
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Chromatin Remodelling | ![]() |
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Vesicle Trafficking | ![]() |
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Live Membrane Fusion Events | ![]() |
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Cell - Substrate Interaction | ![]() |
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Actin Polymerisation Leading Edge of Cell Motility (TIRF) | ![]() |
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Ultra-Structure of Centrioles (SMLM) | ![]() |
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Nuclear Pore Complexes (SMLM) | ![]() |
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Ultra-Structure of Membranes (SMLM) | ![]() |
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Developmental Biology | ||||
Limb Formation | ![]() |
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Tissue Sample Preparations | ![]() |
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Paraffin Sections | ![]() |
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Whole Organisms up to 500 µm Thick (depends on sample transparency) | ![]() |
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Organoids up to 500 µm Thick (depends on sample transparency) | ![]() |
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Whole Organisms 500+ µm Thick (depends on sample transparency) | ![]() |
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Organoids 500+ µm Thick (depends on sample transparency) | ![]() |
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Intracellular Trafficking | ![]() |
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Gene Expression in Development (with spatial biology) | ![]() |
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Fertilization | ![]() |
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Blood Flow Studies | ![]() |
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Pathogen-Host Interactions (fungus) | ![]() |
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Pathogen-Host Interactions (bacteria) | ![]() |
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Pathogen-Host Interactions (virus) | ![]() |
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Cancer Biology | Large Tissue Slices | ![]() |
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Live Imaging Cell Movement & Division | ![]() |
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Organoids up to 500 µm Thick (depends on sample transparency) | ![]() |
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In-Vitro Cell Invasion | ![]() |
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Organoids 500 µm + Thick (depends on sample transparency) | ![]() |
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Gene Expression in Cancer Cells (with spatial biology) | ![]() |
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Cell / Substrate Interaction and Adhesion | ![]() |
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Address Effectiveness of Small Molecule Inhibitors in Cancer Treatment (with TIRF) | ![]() |
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Actin Polymerisation Leading Edge of Cancer Cell Motility (TIRF) | ![]() |
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Ultra-Structure of Centrioles (SMLM) | ![]() |
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Ultra-Structure of Cancer Cell Receptors (SMLM) | ![]() |
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Immunology & Diseases | Fixed Tissues | ![]() |
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Large Samples up to 500 µm Thick (depends on sample transparency) | ![]() |
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High Speed Live Imaging up to 40 fps | ![]() |
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Large samples 500+ µm Thick (depends on sample transparency) | ![]() |
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Gene Expression in Disease Cells (with spatial biology) | ![]() |
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High Speed Live Imaging > 40 fps | ![]() |
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Blood Flow | ![]() |
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Cell Surface Infection Dynamics - TIRF | ![]() |
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Mechanisms of Viral Infection | ![]() |
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Microbiology | Intracellular Structure (Super-Resolution SRRF-Stream) | ![]() |
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Intracellular Structure (SMLM) (Super - Resolution dSTORM) | ![]() |
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Intracellular Structure (SMLM) (Super - Resolution DNA-PAINT) | ![]() |
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Cell Surface Infection Dynamics - TIRF | ![]() |
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Mechanisms of Viral Infection | ![]() |
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Ultra-Structure of Bacteria Cell Wall (SMLM) | ![]() |
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Ultra-Structure of Virus Capsid Complexes | ![]() |
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Neurobiology | Tissue Sectioning (live and fixed) | ![]() |
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Whole Brain Imaging up to 500 µm Thick (depends on sample transparency) | ![]() |
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Whole Brain Imaging 500+ µm Thick | ![]() |
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Map Brain Gene Expression (spatial genomics) | ![]() |
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Calcium Imaging (waves up to 40fps) | ![]() |
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Calcium Imaging (puffs, sparks > 40fps) | ![]() |
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Single Molecule Live Imaging (not SMLM) | ![]() |
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Growth Cone | ![]() |
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Receptor Localisation & Recycling | ![]() |
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Live Vesicular Transport | ![]() |
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Extra Cellular Vesicles Fusion | ![]() |
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Visualise Receptors at the Cell Membrane | ![]() |
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Live cell Imaging of Synaptic Vesicles | ![]() |
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Live Cell Imaging of Neuronal Cell Membrane Fusion | ![]() |
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Resolve Tethered Synaptic Vesicles (SMLM) | ![]() |
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Resolve Synapses in 3D (30 nm axially)(SMLM) | ![]() |
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Biophysics | Protein-Protein Interactions | ![]() |
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Protein Membrane Dynamics | ![]() |
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Single Protein Transport | ![]() |
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Endo and Exocytosis | ![]() |
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Localization-Based Super Resolution | ![]() |
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Expansion Microscopy 1,2 | ![]() |
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Multiplex Imaging - Spatially resolved transcriptomics 2,3 | ![]() |
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Multiplex imaging - Spatially resolved proteomics 2,3 | ![]() |
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Notes:
Technique/Technology | BC43 | Dragonfly 200 | Dragonfly 600 | |
Imaging Modes | 2D Imaging | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
3D Imaging | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
3D Tile Imaging | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Deconvolution | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Multi-well | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Stitching | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
3D Stitching | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Finite Burst | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | |
3D Finite Burst | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Transmitted Light Microscopy | Differential Phase Contrast (DPC) | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
Brightfield | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Phase Contrast | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Widefield Imaging | Up to 4 Channels | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
More Than 4 Channels | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Simultaneous Dual Camera Acquisition | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Confocal Imaging | Single Pinhole Size | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Dual Pinhole Sizes | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Simultaneous Dual Camera Acquisition | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Up to 4 Channels | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
More Than 4 Channels | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Confocal Imaging <500 µm* Thick | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Confocal Imaging >500 µm* Thick | O | ✔ | ✔ | |
Specialised Microscopy Applications | Compatible with Photostimulation Devices | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
TIRF | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | |
dSTORM | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | |
3D-STORM | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | |
DNA-PAINT | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | |
3D - DNA-PAINT | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | |
SMLM (Simgle Molecule Localisation Microscopy) | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | |
Detector Technology | sCMOS | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
EMCCD | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Other Specifications | NIR up to 780nm excitation | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
Bench Top Instrument | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | |
Temperature Control | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Multi-Position | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Time Lapse Imaging | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Key: ✔ - Possible, O - Might be Possible, ✘ - Not Possible
* tested on cleared samples