Your choice of illumination determines what you see. Depending on the specimen, application and task, one illumination may be better than another. The following overview is intended to show which illumination you can use to achieve the best result.

Shiny samples are often very difficult to document because they reflect light. Underexposed or overexposed areas are acquired by the digital microscope cameras and cannot be further evaluated, because there is no image information due to shadows or reflections. To solve this problem Leica Microsystems has developed diffuse illumination systems:

Spotlight illuminators: Leica LED3000 SLI, Leica LED5000 SLI Multi-contrast illuminators: Leica LED3000 MCI, Leica LED5000 MCI

Not all products or services are approved or offered in every market, and approved labelling and instructions may vary between countries. Please contact your local representative for further information.

With coaxial illumination, the beam of light is guided through the optics and reflected on the sample. This requires the sample to be smooth and reflective. Coaxial illumination can be used with routine as well as high-performance stereo microscopes.

LED illumination from Leica Microsystems provides cool, natural color light for a various incident light applications. LED technology also consumes lower power and lasts longer compared to halogen lamps saving energy and money. Whether you are looking for uniform, high-contrast, coaxial, highly diffuse, or nearly shadow-free illumination, Leica Microsystems provides a broad spectrum of LED illuminators for your application or task.

Nearly shadow-free illumination is achieved using what is called the "near vertical illuminator." Here, 2 LED spotlights are very close to the optical axis and shine on the sample.

High-contrast illumination is offered by spotlight illuminators with moveable goosenecks for high flexibility. Fixed multi-contrast illuminators provide the same results, but their design makes the illumination settings reproducible.

Transmitted illumination can be used to examine transparent samples quickly and easily. The large flat surface and the intuitive operating concept are suitable for simple tasks and ideally supplement existing incident illumination.