DMi8 S Inverted Microscope Solution

Find the missing links

The modular DMi8 inverted microscope is the heart of the DMi8 S platform solution. For routine to live cell research, the DMi8 S platform is a complete solution. Whether you need to precisely follow the development of a single cell in a dish, screen through multiple assays, obtain single molecule resolution, or tease out behaviors of complex processes, a DMi8 S system will enable you to see more, see faster, and find the hidden.

• See more – Increase your viewing area up to 10,000x
• See faster – Experiments up to 5x faster
• See the hidden – Activate, ablate, and bleach within one experiment

DMi8 S for advanced widefield research

Starting from discovery and analysis of single molecules and culminating in breakthroughs in understanding and treating human health, the key to the next scientific discovery lies in finding the missing links connecting your data.

The DMi8 S is a flexible solution for advanced widefield research. The new DMi8 S platform extends the flexibility of the DMi8 microscope, adding high speed control, Infinity TIRF and Infinity Scanner modules, plus advanced software capabilities to create the solution for your advanced live cell imaging.

The DMi8 S is a versatile and userfriendly system that empowers biomedical researchers to probe molecular machineries within the cell with super-resolution, photo-manipulation and optogenetics.

Dr. Alessandro Esposito, Hutchison MRC Research Centre, University of Cambridge, UK

See more – Increase your viewing area up to 10,000x

Switch from searching image by image to seeing the full overview of your samples. Like a GPS for your cells, the software module LAS X Navigator ensures that you always have a clear roadmap to brilliant data.

Create fast overviews of your samples and identify the important details instantly. Then set up high resolution image acquisition automatically using templates for slides, dishes and multiwell plates.

See more of the links you’ve been missing.

Find your answers

No matter what experiments you have in mind, LAS X Navigator is the key to all applications on your DMi8 S platform.

• Generate live overviews
• Create spiral scans to search in the vicinity of your current location
• Display images in sample carrier templates for quick orientation
• Work flexibly with different magnifications, cameras, detectors, and contrasting methods in the same workspace
• Define multiple regions and positions for high resolution scans or multiwell projects
• Zoom swiftly in and out of your sample
• Move to any stage location by mouse click

Zebrafish larvae. Courtesy of Ravindra Peravali, Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.

See faster – Experiments up to 5 x faster

The DMi8 S imaging solution powered by LAS X Synapse advanced sequencer eliminates the bottlenecks between system components, resulting in dramatically faster imaging. With an integrated real-time controller that directly interacts with all of your hardware components, cameras and peripherals, you can control your entire system with micro-second precision.

Combine high speed External Filter Wheels with multi-position stage experiments and benefit from filter wheels with high precision stage control.

Time lapse experiments up to 5x faster mean you can both save time and capture more details. No matter which of the instrument components are part of the experiment, the system will run at the highest speed possible. 

Faster imaging with DMi8 S. Comparison of total time for standard experiments before and after LAS X Synapse control.

Precise control

For specialized live cell applications, you can now add additional devices to the system and set up high-speed experiments with trigger controled third party devices.

The DMi8 S platform is powered by LAS X Synapse advanced sequencer, which allows you to freely specify the behavior of connections and create fast imaging sequences to analyze an organism’s response to external stimuli delivered via third party devices.

Define both digital and analog signals, and set up the trigger signaling independently from the image acquisition with exact timings and full reproducibility.

See the hidden – Activate, ablate, and bleach in one experiment

Add the Infinity TIRF and Infinity Scanner to your DMi8 S platform to maximize the versatility of your system. You can perform Super Resolution, TIRF and several photomanipulation tasks within one time-lapse experiment using up to 5 lasers. 

Sensitive light applications like optogenetics or photoswitching can be performed alongside more demanding tasks like FRAP or ablation. Combine techniques even further using the fully automated, super-resolution capable Infinity TIRF to analyze membrane dynamics.

Comparison of traditional 16mm field of view (dotted line) versus 19mm field of view. Solenostemon scutellarioides leaf. Deconvolved autofluorescence. Image taken with a DFC9000 GT sCMOS camera on the DMi8 microscope.

The DMi8 Microscope

Fully configurable with manual to motorized components, the DMi8 microscope allows you to build the imaging system for your research and budget needs.

Flexibility is built-in, allowing you to add established options like DIC for unstained samples and Intelligent Automation. For time-lapse experiments use precise focus control with Adaptive Focus Control and Closed Loop Focus.

DMi8 - Flexibility in mind

The Leica DMi8 is built with flexibility in mind.

With up to two Infinity Ports providing access points for addition of fluorescent devices, the microscope is easily adaptable for everything from simple fluorescent imaging to sophisticated super resolution applications.

This novel design facilitates the integration of additional fluorescence light sources and laser systems for advanced applications like

• FRAP
• photo-switching
• ablation
• optogenetics
• and many more.

DMi8 – Modularity in widefield imaging

The DMi8 modular research microscope is the heart of the DMi8 S system. Fully configurable with manual to motorized components, you can create the imaging system for your research and budget needs. In addition, if your research needs to change, the system can also be adapted or upgraded at any time.

Every DMi8 microscope can be equipped with up to two Infinity Ports, allowing direct access to the infinity space for flexible upgrading of your DMi8.

Adaptive Focus Control

One click of a button and the LED light beam assisted Adaptive Focus Control (AFC) automatically maintains your focus, in real time.

Save time and make sure your time lapse imaging isn’t affected by changes in experimental conditions.

Working principle of the Leica Adaptive Focus Control.

DMi8 focus drive

The DMi8 system features closed loop focus with 20 nm re-positioning accuracy.

Combined with an increased focus travel range of 12 mm, choose closed loop focus for the highest repeatability with multi-point time lapse experiments. 

12 mm travel range of the Leica DMi8 Focus Drive.

Optimized for sCMOS

Every DMi8 comes standard with 19mm field of view (FOV) for all camera ports.

Configure your system with a variety of contrast method, add sophisticated modalities like TIRF.

In addition, see more through the eyepieces with up to 25 mm FOV.

sCMOS Microscope Camera K5

Intelligent automation

When you change the contrast method, the microscope automatically adapts the illumination settings, parfocality, brightness, and diaphragm position to that method.

Intelligent automation goes even further with the new LAS X Synapse real time controller. Run your experiments up to 5x faster, integrate third party triggered components and synchronize the acquisition with the exposure to minimize photodamage.

Make every component work in harmony, at the highest speed possible.

Customization

The Infinity Port Connector, along with complete optomechanical design documentation, opens the Leica DMi8 light path to any accessory you want to add.

Attach Thorlabs Cage Systems or Linos Microbench or Nanobench components directly to the Leica DMi8 by simply connecting them to the Infinity Port Connector.

Fluorescence imaging

For high speed imaging, use the external fluorescent filter wheels, or the patented Fluorescence Intensity Manager (FIM) to achieve fast, accurate fluorescent images.

For standard applications, use the easy to install filter cubes with automatic RFID identification.

Fluorescence Intensity Manager

LAS X Software

Leica Application Suite X (LAS X) is the one software platform for all Leica microscopes: It integrates confocal, widefield, stereo, super-resolution, and light-sheet instruments from Leica Microsystems.

• Users spend more time researching
• Imaging tasks become intuitive

From basic documentation to advanced life science research – LAS X directly navigates you to brilliant imaging!

More about LAS X Microscope Software for Life Sciences

A quantum leap in high speed acquisition

The high speed linear motor stage offers absolutely precise positioning at previously unattainable speeds, e.g. 10 positions per second with a 40x objective. Vibration sensors ensure that the stage stands perfectly still during acquisition. The final results are razor-sharp images taken at the perfect moment, even when acquiring with maximum speed. This dramatic improvement is due to the optimal synchronisation between image acquisition and stage movement.

The Quantum Stage allows you to:

• Do high speed positioning with absolute precision (< ± 1 µm)
• Manually move the stage at any time while keeping the precise slide position tracked