Fisher Argus User manual
®
argusX1
Quick Start Manual
BIOTEC-FISCHER GmbH * Daimlerstrasse 6 * 35447 Reiskirchen
Tel.: +49-6408-6072 * Fax: +49-6408-64165
e-mail: info@biotec-fischer.de
Short operating instruction for
Bio-Imaging-Control-Software
argus X1
To this means of work:
Version 4/5
This short operating instruction is meant for first and re-users to enable them a faster start with the
argusX1 software made by biostep.
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Start of the program/ Image creation
After having installed the software properly (see separate installation instructions), press the button
argus X1
After that, the program window of argusX1 appears on the monitor.
Window Database Menu bar Symbol bar of the Image Processing window
main functions (current loaded image)
on the desktop or go over the program menu of Windows for starting the software.
Preview window Symbol bar Image processing Status bar
The following cameras can be controlled with argusX1, if their internal controller
software has been modified by biostep:
Olympus C-2040, C-3040, C-4040, C-4000, C-750, C-5050, C-5060, C-7070, C-8080
For activating the camera, put the choice switch of the camera on exposure
amera
mode (e.g. A/S/M etc) and click on the button C
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in the software.
You are shown the following error message if the
camera is not switched on.
In this case, please close the software, switch on the
camera and restart argusX1.
The exposure window is divided into 4 ranges:
- Camera
- Method
- Operating functions for the camera control
- Image window
Camera Method Operating functions
for the camera control
Image window
The camera now is in an operational condition. Dependent on the preset mode in the field
Live Image
you are now able to see a preview of your image.
Preview image
With
, you are shown kind of a Live image, which is represented with a low
resolution, 320 x 240 pixels. Due to the restricted speed of transfer, you get a new image only
every other second. This function primarily serves for the orientation of the gels/blots on
the transilluminator and the setting of the zoom range.
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Beside the possibility to control the zoom in the live image mode, the following functions have a direct
influence on the image acquisition:
• Rotate image
• Reflect image
• 8 Bit greyscale image
• Invert image
In the image on the right, the movement of your
gels/blots into the middle of the image is shown.
If you work with a tripod, you can move the position of
your camera, too. This is also valid for users who work
with a set-top dark hood that is simply placed on a
transilluminator.
In case you see no image at all, please check the
lighting conditions first – switch on the
transilluminator! (At this point it is sufficient to
recognise the outlines of the gels.)
Adjust the zoom now. With this function, the image area is resized
to the sample which has to be exposed. As all cameras controllable
by argusX1 are equipped with motor zoom lenses, the zoom value
can be set in the software.
With the function
the camera (socket
the PC is deactivated than.
If the live image function
Test image
Should the light intensity be insufficient, please shift from the live image mode into the test
image mode.
Therefore, use the button
which the optimal integration time is designated by the camera, i.e. the camera
integrates the light information to a representable image – also under unfavourable light
circumstances (prerequisite: Exposure automatic). Now, you can also move the gel/blot
however, the test image has to be repeated until the perfect position for the image is
found.
Nevertheless, the Test Image is no live image function – it is used as control if the chosen
settings guarantee a high-quality image acquisition.
A resolution of 640 x 480 pixels is preset for the Test Image in order to transfer the image without a
noticeable time delay that is caused at high-resolution image through the transfer process from the
camera to the PC.
you can create a preview image.
LCD / ext. Monitor,
A/V – Out
) is activated. This enables a clearly faster live image. The display at
Preview off
Test Image
the LCD monitor of the camera or a monitor connected with
is activated, the live image is switched off and with the button
. Afterwards, a single image is generated, in
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Focusing
As mentioned above, the function
offers an average image quality according to the
limited speed – however, after this you can already
judge whether the image will be keenly portrayed at
the following exposure or not (one criterion is e.g. the
separation of the bands). You can also zoom in an
area with rectangle in the preview image and view the
edge sharpness at a selected structure.
Depending on your way of working, the result of this first
attempt will be different. When working with a tripod and
sufficient lighting conditions in a darkroom hood, the
of the camera will provide the correct settings and you can work
on immediately.
The activation of the autofocus will be carried out in the field Focus.
When using a dark hood it can happen (depending on the
lighting conditions within the hood) that the autofocus does not
provide any usable results so that you have to correct it
manually.
In this case choose the option
settings with the button Test Image. Repeat this process until the result is satisfying.
Due to the fact that the focus value depends on the zoom, you can not use the manual focus value for
all applications. Should your further gels/blots have almost the same size, you can use the
determined focus value as a reference value.
This reference value and all other settings in the operating functions can be saved as a method. In
this way, you can recall this method at the next gel of the same type and all optimal settings are
immediately at your disposal.
Open the menu window
the white triangle and choose the function
The current chosen parameters and settings are applied as new method
and a standardised basic name (structure: new method, date, time) is
assigned to this method. You can change this basic name. Please note
that you must confirm the new name with the function
otherwise, the old method name remains.
Methods
Test Image
Manual
and a new value in the field Focus and then confirm your
with a click of the left mouse button on
Save as new method
only
Autofocus
.
Save changes
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One of your created methods can be defined as standard method. This definition can be changed
anytime by appointing another method as standard. You should always us the most frequently used
method as standard as this will be automatically loaded with the start of the exposure window.
The function
and integration time (exposure time).
4 options are available:
The exposure automatic (function
“cooperation” of aperture and integration time basing on the results of the
exposure measurement. This means that a combination of both is set which
is applicable with the measured light circumstances. These values are
indicated as blue numerical values in the function range
Integration time.
The semi-automatic functions
each, the other value is calculated by the system, based on the exposure measurement.
With the function
automatically determined in dependence on the manual set value
of the aperture and it is shown as blue information value
Conversely, with the function
automatically determined in dependence on the manual set value
of the time and it is shown as blue information value.
Exposure
contains the settings for the aperture
Auto
) automatically controls the
Aperture manual
Aperture manual
Shutter manual
the integration time is
and
Shutter manual
the aperture is
Aperture
and
require one manual value
The completely manual control of the aperture and integration
time can be realised by the function
you can insert values in dependence on the value range of the
used camera, optimise them step-by-step and save them in a
method. Due to this, the manual values are also reproducibly
available for further exposures.
With this function you can reach the maximum of the detection sensitivity at light-weak gels (fully
opened aperture, longest integration time)
In order to look at the effects of the setting changes, it is necessary to generate a new
image with the new parameters. Therefore, use the function
Manual
. In this function,
Test Image
.
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The presented sample (CoomassieBlue gel) was taken with different integration times 50ms, 250ms, 769ms (left
to right), all other parameters were constant.
Except the modification of the direct exposure settings, argusX1 offers you the function
Over-/Underexposure
influence on the acquisition in the context of the exposure functions
Shutter manual.
The function
levels. Set the values in the direction in which the camera should change the exposure. Use the
values > 0 should the exposure become lighter; use the values < 0 should it become darker.
The sample (test gel) was taken with the exposure levels -2, 0 and +2 (left to right). All other parameters were
constant.
Using the function
do not want to use any manual settings for
With the function Exposure control, areas in the image can be determined and displayed which are
over- or underexposed. The parameters for this function can be changed in the menu
Over-/Underexposure
Image processing/Exposure control
for the improvement of the image acquisition. This function has only
Auto, Aperture manual
is a manual exposure control with a value range of ±2 exposure
Over-/Underexposure
only makes sense if your work with exposure automatic and
Aperture
and
Integration time
.
Settings
.
und
under
The sample (test gel) is represented as underexposed, normal and overexposed acquisition (left to right).
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