Software Module HDR
ZEISS Software for Microscopy
Record High-contrast Specimens in a Single Step
JENA//Germany, 25.06.2008.

     Carl Zeiss is now offering the HDR (High Dynamic Range) image acquisition software module for the AxioVision 4.7 analysis program. This enables a camera’s dynamic range to be expanded for the creation of high-contrast images. Users in the fields of the life sciences – fluorescence microscopy in particular – and materials microscopy can record all image intensities of high-contrast objects and simultaneously benefit from improved image quality.

     Until now, users had to limit imaging to certain sub-areas or capture several images with different exposure times when handling specimens displaying extremely high contrast that exceeded the given dynamic range of the camera used. This has now become superfluous with the HDR image acquisition module as all image information from high-contrast specimens can be displayed here in a single image. Unlike other HDR solutions from the area of digital photography, the intensity range is expanded linearly in the ZEISS module. Therefore, this module is fully suitable for image analyses and other evaluation techniques.

     The new module also allows several images to be averaged without any additional expansion of the dynamic range, i.e. image noise is reduced, particularly in very dark areas. Various correction functions and specific parameterization enable optimum setting. A user mode and various expert modes are available.

     The separate module for HDR image acquisition can be connected with all AxioVision image acquisition functions. Combinations with various acquisition modules, e.g. Extended Depth of Focus, MosaiX, Panorama and Multichannel Fluorescence, are also possible. The HDR image acquisition module can be used with color and B/W cameras as well as with high-end and entry-level models from Carl Zeiss and other manufacturers.

  
 Image Download (JPG: 443 kB)
Fluorescence photo of the tissue section of a rat’s brain. HDR image acquisition permits the simultaneous acquisition and storage of very bright and very dark image structures in one single image.

 
 Image Download (JPG: 1,0 MB)
Inspection photo of a printed board. Labeling of the various components near the very bright and reflecting soldering points is clearly visible.