Taking Agarose Gel Pic with Regular Digital Camera - (Feb/11/2008 )
Right now we use polaroid to take pictures of EthBr stained agarose gels - old school.
My last lab we had a whole digital setup. In my new lab, I was wondering if I could use an old digital camera we have (I think it's 3 or 5 megapixel, probably much better than the old thing in my last lab)? Do I need a UV filter or something. I guess I could try shooting through the filter we have for the polaroid.
What do people think? It seems like the digital capture systems are just ludicrously over priced for a camera sensor that's not that great?
Yes, this will work just fine. If you are feeling flush, get a copy stand for the camera and a shutter release cable.
I believe the filter is a Wratten 47, but you should check that. They are probably readily available for most any camera, possibly with a diameter step up or step down ring.
I don't do gels much. We have polaroid camera for the gels. I take one picture with that camera but for myself I take picture of the gel also with my mobile phone (but 5 Mxp). The pictures are fine and after some enhancement with common photo tools, it is really good.
I tried with filter and without filter. Both are fine but I prefer without filter.
Put the gel on the UV ray. Turn off the light. Turn off the flash and take the picture. Then cropping, straightening and enhancing and convert to grey scale. It looks really good and something that I expect I can use for a publication. Let us see.
Just be careful about what type of enhancement and how much manipulation you do to your photo before submitting for publication Bungalow Boy- journals do not take kindly to "photoshopped" gel pictures!!!
Here is a previous thread on this topic: http://www.protocol-online.org/biology-for...osts/23529.html
And there is an article how to build your own gel documentation system using a digital camera:
http://bitesizebio.com/2007/08/29/low-cost...el-photography/
in the outside world uv filters tend to be used to reduce glare and as a physical protection for the more expensive camera lens - it would also be easier to remove and clean - might as well leave it on
not positive about this but as far as settings go standard close up should be ok (less alteration of image)
dom
So I may damage the camera if I don't use the filter?
We have a filter with the polaroid setup, so I already have one. Just wondering whether I should use it or not.
Thank U lauralee. I should make them again then. The pictures are fine but the bands were not bright enough. I will do them once again and take the picture properly this time. I found the camera assembly like one pointed by pcrman in the lab. I will use that. I do not do them often but just to show that I have the genotypically right mouse, I will need to include the picture of the gel. Anyways, should do them again.
We have a filter with the polaroid setup, so I already have one. Just wondering whether I should use it or not.
just compare the amount of goo on your gloves to the price of the lens
dom
Dominic - I don't at all get the goo on the gloves to price of the lens statement, but noticed the yellow filter helps alot. I am about the analyze the band intensities in various camera images as well as scanned polaroids to see if the camera system is similar.
It looks like it is much better than the Polaroid!
One question - the Cannon Powershot A70 takes jpg pictures (not raw or tif). The scans are tifs. Is a jpg less reliable (isn't it compressed)?