The Leica M205 FA stereomicroscope is a fully automated instrument with a motorized z-drive, zoom function and filter wheel controls for performing multichannel experiments, including those requiring time-lapse. Fluorescent illumination is provided by a Lumencor Sola U-N LED light engine, which has a high-power light output in the range of 350-760 nm for excitation of a broad range of fluorophores. The available filter sets include DAPI, CFP, GFP, YFP, mCherry and Cy5. The featured 1x objective has a zoom range of 20.5:1 and a working distance of 61.5 mm. The system also includes a transmitted light base as well as an O-ring LED illuminator. Images are captured with a high-sensitivity Leica DFC7000T color camera.
Special features include an automontage software function for producing extended depth-of-focus images and Rotterman's relief contrast for visualizing transparent, unstained objects.
Left, is a single image taken from the Z-stack that was used to generate an extended depth-of-focus image at right of wasp galls on a leaf surface. Images by Michele Warmund
| FLUORESCENT FILTERS AVAILABLE ON THE SYSTEM | |||
| Filter set | Filter set number | Excitation (nm) | Emission (nm) |
| DAPI LP | — | 325-375 | 420 LP |
| eCFP | 49001 | 426-446 | 460-500 |
| GFP3 | 49002 | 450-490 | 500-550 |
| eYFP | 49003 | 480-520 | 520-550 |
| mCherry/Texas Red | 49008 | 540-580 | 593-667 |
| Cy5 | 49006 | 590-650 | 663-737 |
