Scientific Vision
Complex requirements. Clear solution.
Your scientific camera – found with EQ Photonics.
When scientific cameras need to perform better:
- Access to over 500 high-resolution camera and smart camera systems
- Technology-neutral advice with a focus on your application – not on individual products
- Feasibility study for your individual application included
Markus Berger – Sales & Business Development Manager Camera Solutions
Successful projects – customers who trust EQ
Typical challenges when selecting scientific camera solutions
Sensitivity & speed: Carefully balance photon budget, readout noise and frame rate.
Resolution & pixel size: Select appropriate optical sampling (Nyquist), field of view and lens NA.
Dynamics & Well Capacity: Reliably detect weak signals and bright spots simultaneously.
Spectral range & QE:
UV, VIS, NIR/SWIR, note UV/EUV window and NIR optimisation if applicable
Triggering & synchronisation:
Nanosecond gating, double shutter, multi-camera sync and precision triggering.
Data path & thermal management:
USB3/CLHS throughput, low-latency streaming setups, dark current management via air/water cooling.
Technology-neutral camera consulting: We find solutions for your requirements
As a photonics solution provider, EQ Photonics guides you to the right scientific camera solution – with technology-neutral consulting, one of the broadest camera portfolios on the market and a focus on the success of your project.
We think in terms of applications
Research is individual. That’s why we don’t start with the data sheet, but with your task. We show you which PCO camera really fits – and where alternatives make sense. Professional, honest, practical.
Technology-neutral. Cross-manufacturer. Transparent.
We strive for clarity: sCMOS, CCD – uncooled or cooled – we help you to correctly classify the options. This allows you to make decisions based on facts, not brochures.
Direct line to the PCO experts
When it comes to the finer details, PCO’s product managers are at our side. We coordinate communication and ensure that you receive reliable answers quickly – without any back-and-forth support issues.
Our cameras for scientific image processing at a glance
Scientific cameras
high-speed cameras
Image intensifier cameras
industrial cameras
FLIM camera systems
PCO camera accessories
What customers have achieved with our cameras: practical examples
Reliable drug discovery in oncology
Label-free IC50 screening
Application: Quantitative cytotoxicity and IC50 determination on SPR nanostructures – without fluorescent dyes
Key result: IC50 values consistent with classical staining methods; robust, even when enzymatic assays fail (e.g. MCF-7)
A biomedical research team replaces dye endpoint assays with reflective SPR imaging on gold nanostructures. The pco.panda 4.2c sCMOS captures the red/green contrast images precisely at the SPR dip (~580 nm), allowing even small changes in adhesion to be measured. Result: For CL1-0, the IC50 curves from SPR and CCK-8 are practically identical (≈3 µM), while for MCF-7, the CCK-8 assay is unreliable – SPR delivers ~1.5 µM and clearly reveals the effect. The laboratory obtains publishable, label-free data at minimal consumption costs per approach.
Nanosecond snapshots in plasma and laser diagnostics – intensified sCMOS
Imaging shock fronts and plasma lights in successive shots
Application: Visualisation of ultra-short transients in the ns range (shock waves, plasma channels, laser emissions) with precise gating
Key result: Exposures up to 2.5 ns, 16-bit dynamic range, high repetition rates; single-photon sensitivity – stable via CLHS fibre connection
An institute for laser material processing wants to image shock fronts and plasma lights in successive shots. With the pco.dicam C1 UHS, exposures are clocked at 2.5 ns, the image is captured in 16 bits and streamed losslessly to the recording server via CLHS (FOL). Precise trigger chains (laser Q-switch, shutter gate, camera sync) produce clean sequences without motion blur. The result: reproducible, quantitative time series for threshold and process windows – the basis for robust models and publishable diagnostic data.
Endless high-speed recording in microfluidics
Continuous streaming during long test series and parameter variations
Application: Continuous recording of droplet formation, particle dynamics or flow events in kHz ranges
Key result: >2000 fps at 3.6 MP – thanks to CLHS streaming without internal memory limits; seamless 10-bit raw data for precise evaluation.
A microfluidics laboratory investigates droplet generation under varying viscosities. The pco.dimax 3.6 ST streams > 2000 fps @ 3.6 MP losslessly directly to an NVMe RAID. Each phase of droplet separation is recorded over hours – without reload pauses or buffer artefacts. Thanks to consistent 10-bit raw data, size and velocity distributions can be determined with statistical reliability; parameter variations are mapped in the same session. This speeds up analysis cycles and leads to reliable scaling rules for later production geometries.
What you can expect from us and our camera solutions:
Reproducible data quality & sensitivity
With back-illuminated sCMOS, cooled sensors and specialised variants (e.g. pco.edge 4.2 bi/10 bi, UV/EUV window ‘XU’, NIR-optimised), you can ensure high quantum efficiency, low noise and stable dark current values – the basis for reliable, reproducible measurements in fluorescence, spectroscopy or astronomy.
Precise time and trigger control
From double-shutter images with < 200 ns interframe time (e.g. pco.edge 5.5 DS) or 350 ns (pco.edge 26 DS) to nanosecond gating with intensified sCMOS (pco.dicam C1 UHS up to 2.5 ns): you can precisely control exposures, synchronisation and multi-camera setups – for PIV, plasma/laser diagnostics, single-photon or time-resolved experiments.
Optimal integration thanks to stable software and open interfaces
Excelitas offers a comprehensive range of software solutions for use with PCO cameras. In addition to powerful camera control applications, software development kits are available in various programming languages, allowing PCO cameras to be flexibly integrated into existing systems and research environments.
Who we are: EQ Photonics as your technology partner for scientific camera solutions
EQ Photonics is your photonics solution provider for technology-independent scientific image processing solutions. We combine technical depth with broad market experience – and make scientific camera solutions for scientific applications measurably more successful. The camera business is just one of several areas of expertise: EQ Photonics stands for manufacturer-independent consulting, modular vision systems and individual project support tailored to your application – not to standard solutions.
| Manufacturer | Online Shops | EQ Photonics | Integrator | |||
| Expert advice on customer-specific solutions / solution selling | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Integrated solutions from a single source | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| One contact person for everything and everywhere | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Access to research and development, product management and production | ✓ | – | ✓ | – | ||
| On-site training and support | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Delivery of small batches also possible | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ||
How to get started with your scientific vision project with EQ Photonics
1. 30-minute initial consultation
2. Needs analysis and application-specific advice
3. Joint feasibility study
4. Offer phase and project start
5. Delivery, integration and support
Why does EQ Photonics choose on PCO?
EQ Photonics works closely with PCO because the cameras impress with their scientific substance, many years of development in Germany (Kelheim) and an exceptionally broad portfolio. From highly sensitive sCMOS to FLIM to intensified nanosecond cameras and streaming high speed, our customers get exactly the technology their application requires – without compromising on image quality, data path or service.
Highest sensitivity and wide dynamic range (sCMOS)
Nanosecond gating up to 2.5 ns
Back-illuminated sensors for low light conditions
High-speed streaming: >2000 fps at 3.6 MP
Open interfaces: USB3 and CLHS, GenICam compatible
Frequently asked questions about EQ Photonics camera solutions
As a leading provider of photonic solutions, Excelitas offers state-of-the-art scientific cameras that meet the highest standards of precision and reliability. Excelitas’ expertise and commitment to innovation guarantee cutting-edge imaging solutions for research and industrial applications.
By partnering with Excelitas, you gain access to a wide range of scientific cameras, including the uncooled pco.panda sCMOS cameras and the cooled pco.edge sCMOS cameras. These products reflect our commitment to high-quality imaging solutions tailored to a wide range of scientific and industrial requirements.
Excelitas offers a comprehensive range of scientific cameras, including the uncooled pco.panda sCMOS cameras and the cooled pco.edge sCMOS cameras. Each product is designed to deliver outstanding performance and reliability in a wide range of scientific and industrial applications.
Uncooled sCMOS cameras pco.panda: The pco.panda series represents the pinnacle of uncooled sCMOS technology, delivering high-resolution images with exceptional sensitivity and speed.
Key features include:
- High resolution: Enhances image detail and ensures excellent image quality
- High-performance sCMOS sensors: Designed with a housing engineered for optimised passive thermal management, enabling high performance from the sCMOS image sensor in the most compact form factor.
- High sensitivity: Advanced sCMOS sensor technology offers outstanding sensitivity and enables imaging in low light conditions without cooling.
- High frame rates: High refresh rates for fast image capture, for example in live cell imaging and high-speed microscopy.
- Compact design: Small form factor for easy integration into various configurations.
Key features include:
- State-of-the-art cooling: An intelligent cooling system reduces sensor noise, ensuring high-quality images even in low light conditions.
- High dynamic range: Captures images with a wide range of light intensities and is ideal for applications such as fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy.
- Low readout noise: The advanced sensor design minimises readout noise, improving image clarity and accuracy.
- Flexible connectivity options: Offers versatile connectivity options, including USB 3.1 Gen 1 and CLHS for easy system integration.
Excelitas places the utmost importance on safety and compliance with industry standards in the development and manufacture of its scientific cameras. Our cameras undergo rigorous testing and quality control to meet high safety standards. Excelitas offers support and advice to ensure the reliability and longevity of your imaging equipment.
- Biomedical imaging: For imaging living cells, fluorescence microscopy and other biomedical applications that require high-resolution and high-sensitivity imaging.
- Industrial inspection: High frame rates and excellent image quality make them ideal for industrial inspections and quality assurance.
- Scientific research: These cameras offer the precision and reliability required for advanced scientific research, from astronomy to materials science.
- Environmental monitoring: Enables detailed images to be captured for analysis and study in environmental monitoring systems.
Excelitas develops solutions that meet the imaging requirements of the market. Our team of experts works closely with our customers to understand their needs and develop scientific cameras that meet the requirements of various imaging applications. We offer a comprehensive portfolio of imaging cameras and strive to deliver solutions that enhance your imaging capabilities.