BD Pathway bioimaging systems
FAQs
What is the pixel size of the camera on the BD Pathway™ 435 and 855 high-content bioimagers and how many pixels does it have (or what is the camera resolution)?
The camera on both of the BD Pathway systems has a pixel size of 6.4 µm x 6.4 µm and an array of 1344 x 1024 pixels.
How does the pixel size of the camera relate to the image resolution?
The pixel size of the camera and the magnification of the image determine the resolution of the image. The resolution of the image (how many microns does each pixel in the image represent) is calculated by dividing the camera pixel size by the magnification of the objective. For example, when using a the 20x objective on the BD Pathway™ bioimager, which has a camera pixel size of 6.4 µm, the resolution of the image is 6.4/20 = 0.32 µm/pixel.
Note: Binning has an effect on the resolution of the image. A binning of 2x2 means that an area of four adjacent pixels has been combined into one larger square pixel that is now 6.4 x 2 = 12.8 µm in size. Now the resolution for a 20x objective is: 12.8/20 = 0.64 µm/pixel.
| 40x | bin1 | 0.16 µm/pixel | 1344 x 1024 pixels |
| bin2 | 0.32 µm/pixel | 672 x 512 pixels | |
| bin4 | 0.64 µm/pixel | 336 x 256 pixels | |
| bin8 | 1.28 µm/pixel | 168 x 128 pixels | |
| 20x | bin1 | 0.32 µm/pixel | 1344 x 1024 pixels |
| bin2 | 0.64 µm/pixel | 672 x 512 pixels | |
| bin4 | 1.28 µm/pixel | 336 x 256 pixels | |
| bin8 | 2.56 µm/pixel | 168 x 128 pixels | |
| 10x | bin1 | 0.64 µm/pixel | 1344 x 1024 pixels |
| bin2 | 1.28 µm/pixel | 672 x 512 pixels | |
| bin4 | 2.56 µm/pixel | 336 x 256 pixels | |
| bin8 | 5.12 µm/pixel | 168 x 128 pixels |
What is the field of view on the BD Pathway high-content bioimager for the different objectives?
| 40x | 201.6 x 153.6 µm |
| 20x | 403.2 x 307.2 µm |
| 10x | 806.2 x 614.4 µm |
What camera comes standard on the BD Pathway high-content bioimager?
| BD Pathway 435 | BD Pathway 855 | |
| CCD Camera | Lumenera - Infinity 3-1 | Hammamatsu - ORCA AG |
What is bit depth?
Bit depth, also called "color depth" or "pixel depth" is the maximum number of colors that can be displayed at one time. BD Pathway systems produce 12-bit (4096 shades of gray) images that are stored as 16-bit files.
Is it possible to do infrared imaging with a different light source and filters?
No. The cameras used in the BD Pathway bioimager are not sensitive in the infrared range.
