| Sensor size |
Approximately the diameter of smallest microscope optic. Smaller to avoid vignetting. |
| Binning capability |
Useful for weak fluorescence imaging |
| Transfer frame-rate |
Sufficiently large for focusing at high binning (approximately 3 frames per second) |
| Sensor cooling |
Diminishes thermal noise for long exposures |
| Electronic Read-Noise |
Largely non-thermal image noise |
| Quantum Efficiency |
Determines sensitivity, lowering exposures |
| Mechanical shutter |
Lessens dust on sensor, enables dark-substracted exposures |
| Software |
μManager compatibility is useful, although cameras typically come with simple image capturing software |
| Color |
A color camera will have significantly less sensitivity as light will be re-filtered, but it will allow easy distinction between multiple fluorophores |
