Versatile Camera offers Unrivalled Flexibility across a wide Range of Microscopy Applications

Hamamatsu Photonics has released the ORCA-Flash4.0 V2, a 4-megapixel scientific CMOS camera that offers unrivalled flexibility across a wide range of microscopy applications. The ORCA-Flash4.0 V2 has many new features such as two scan speeds, a readout mode for light sheet microscopy, and USB 3.0 and Camera Link interfaces.

Camera users have the option of running the ORCA-Flash4.0 V2 in a blazing fast scan mode or a virtually noiseless slow scan mode. The fast scan (standard) produces a low read noise of only 1.9 electrons rms (1.3 electrons median), which is suitable for most experiments. The slow scan with read noise of 1.5 electrons rms (0.9 electrons median) is designed for experiments where lower noise is more important than raw speed.

Another new feature is the Lightsheet Readout Mode™, which allows seamless integration of the ORCA-Flash4.0 V2 with light sheet microscopy systems. In this readout method, the Gen II sCMOS sensor is read out in one sweep across the sensor from top to bottom or bottom to top. This enables the best speeds and synchronisation for light sheet microscopy.

A third new feature is ImageConductor connectivity™, which enables the ORCA-Flash4.0 V2 for both USB 3.0 (default) and Camera Link connectivity. The default USB 3.0 camera configuration is perfect for 30 frames/s imaging at the full 4-megapixel resolution. If a faster frame rate is needed now or later, adding our high-speed Camera Link board and cable is easy to do, allowing the camera to achieve 100 frames/s at full resolution.

Other features of the ORCA-Flash4.0 V2 include high quantum efficiency (over 70% at 600 nm and 50% at 750 nm) and a global reset function. The global reset allows camera users to acquire global exposures and choose to have either an external source or the camera be master of the timing.

The ORCA-Flash4.0 V2 is an excellent camera for super-resolution microscopy, TIRF microscopy, ratio imaging, light sheet microscopy, FRET, high-speed calcium ion imaging, real-time confocal microscopy, and other imaging applications.