Zeiss Axio Imager 2 - The Contrast Manager

ZEISS OPERATION Axio Imager 2
The Contrast Manager
102 430000-7544-001 01/2016
4.7 The Contrast Manager
The Contrast Manager is at the heart of the operation efficiency design employed in all motorized Axio
Imagers. With its help, the various possible contrast methods are set automatically and reproducibly.
The following table shows which function elements the user must set on a manual microscope before the
specimen can be examined. During a method change or at the beginning of a session it must always be
checked whether the correct components (in some cases several are possible) are in the correct position.
Abbr. Method Minimum components to be set
FL Reflected light fluorescence Fluorescence filter set in the reflector turret, condenser front
lens, illuminator cap
BF Brightfield Transmitted light: Empty position in the reflector turret,
condenser front lens and front lens, illuminator cap
PH Phase contrast Transmitted light: Empty position in the reflector turret,
condenser front lens and front lens, illuminator cap
DF Darkfield Transmitted light: Empty position in the reflector turret,
condenser front lens and front lens, illuminator cap
DIC Differential interference contrast Transmitted light: Analyzer position in the reflector turret,
condenser front lens and front lens, illuminator cap
C-DIC /
TIC
Circular diff. interference
contrast, total interference
contrast
Reflected light: Contrast module in reflector turret, motorized
modulator turret
Pol Polarization contrast Reflected light: Reflector turret, motorized modulator turret
Transmitted light: Analyzer in the reflector turret, polarizer in
the condenser turret and front lens, illuminator cap
The great advantage for users is that the instrument will automatically activate all the different
components that are needed for a contrast procedure when a method is selected. The user no longer
needs to worry about whether all the necessary aspects involved in setting a contrast method and in
optimizing the image have been considered. This is a considerable labor saving feature which leaves more
time to focus on the essential details of the specimens being examined.
The contrast manager function can be switched on and off globally (page Settings-> Contrast
manager tab on page 142). If the function is switched off, the Contrast tab is not available in the TFT. It
is not possible to select a contrast directly; all components can be used independently of each other.
If the contrast manager is switched on globally, it is then always active if a contrast button is pressed. A
transmitted light contrast method which is dependent on both a condenser module and a reflector
module (such as DIC), can be activated both by the contrast button in the contrast manager bar on the
TFT and the reflector position on the Contrast tab (page 113) or using the Reflector tab (page 113). In
this example, the differential interference contrast would be set by pressing the Analyzer position (DIC TL)
on the contrast or reflector page.
If the contrast manager is globally on but not active, it can be activated both on the Objectives tab
as well as on the Reflector tab.