A digital camera offers notable advantages for microscopy applications – instead of looking through an ocular lens, microscopic images can be viewed on a monitor and microscopic structures can be measured on the PC. Subsequent image processing is also possible. Therefore, in this era of digitization, many users who already own a good microscope are looking for an appropriate digital solution. However, to make full use of a microscope camera, users additionally require a software that controls the camera and that includes the functions required for the corresponding application. A well-coordinated overall solution is thus needed. This is exactly what Invigon, a software development and industrial image processing company, offers in the form of the AUTOAIM microscope upgrade package. It contains everything users need to upgrade their existing microscope system to a modern digital system. This includes both the powerful and intuitive microscope software AUTOAIM as well as a high-performance, 5-megapixel CMOS camera of the CX series from Baumer including all accessories required for connection to the PC and calibration. The cameras provide users with high-resolution live images that are smooth and highly responsive at the same time. In combination with the modular and flexible software, this allows users from the industrial or scientific sector to digitize their microscopy solutions and to automate their measurements.

In terms of hardware, the models with their 5-megapixel resolution also had much to offer. To allow observation of what happens to a sample underneath the microscope, the live image of the camera must be smooth and respond quickly to changes. However, high-resolution images that also convey color information create vast amounts of data that are particularly challenging to older computers. To allow a smooth picture to be rendered even on a PC that is ten years old, Invigon has greatly optimized its software, which is also demanding on the camera. “The cameras from Baumer reliably provide more than 30 frames/s and can also combine several pixels via pixel binning when the images are captured in color. This can only be accomplished by very few cameras on the market, because other suppliers economize in this regard, while Baumer offers such additional functions as standard,” explains Dr. Seise. Another advantage is the availability of the support team in case of questions. “You can even call them on a late Friday afternoon and receive an answer. And when we receive a customer inquiry with specific wishes, we can conveniently borrow a camera for testing purposes. This makes it easier for us to react flexibly and quickly to customer wishes,” says Dr. Seise. Invigon has been offering the upgrade package since late 2019 with consistently positive feedback so far. Dr. Seise is pleased: “This way, we contribute to the digitization of industrial quality assurance and research without having to replace existing microscopes. This is a win-win situation for all involved parties.”