3. In 'Acquisition' set up the same lasers as for your experiment: set up one laser for camera 1 (TV1) and the other laser for camera 2 (TV2) with exposure time 100ms and 1-5% of the laser power (when pressing min/max you should have >1000 white/grey values, when ticking 'Show all' in the 'Display' panel). If you use multiple tracks (in case you want to align more than two colors), always keep track 1 with camera 2!
3. In 'Acquisition' set up the same lasers as for your experiment: set up one laser for camera 1 (TV1) and the other laser for camera 2 (TV2) with exposure time 100ms and 1-5% of the laser power (when pressing min/max you should have >1000 white/grey values, when ticking 'Show all' in the 'Display' panel). If you use multiple tracks (in case you want to align more than two colors), always keep track 1 with camera 2!
4. Choose the optimal grid pattern
4. Choose the optimal grid pattern
5. Go to 'Continuous' and focus through the beads. The optimal focus (smallest diameter of the bead) should be the same for all color channels. If not:
5. Go to 'Live' and focus through the beads. The optimal focus (smallest diameter of the bead) should be the same for all color channels. If not:
6. Go to ‘Maintain’ and drag out the ‘Dual Camera Adapter Alignment’ tool
6. Go to ‘Maintain’ and drag out the ‘Dual Camera Adapter Alignment’ tool
7. Change the Z value until a good overlap of all color channels is achieved, especially for the beads in the center of your image. Focus up and down, and change the Z value until the beads are perfectly in focus for all color channels simultaneously. Store current position
7. Change the Z value until a good overlap of all color channels is achieved, especially for the beads in the center of your image. Focus up and down, and change the Z value until the beads are perfectly in focus for all color channels simultaneously. Store current position
8. Take a small Z-stack (20 slices, center) using optimal sampling (double-click on [Opt])
8. Take a small Z-stack (20 slices, center) using optimal sampling (double-click on [Opt])
9. SIM^2 process Z-Stack in case of SIM (no processing in case of TIRF or WF)
9. SIM^2 process Z-Stack in case of SIM (no processing in case of TIRF or WF)
10. Go to Orthogonal View. Click on one recorded bead in the center of your image and, in 'Dual Camera Adapter Alignment tool', fine-tune the Z value if the different color channels do not overlap perfectly. Larger Z values correspond to a shift of the TV2 channel to the left.
10. Go to Orthogonal View. Click on one recorded bead in the center of your image and, in 'Dual Camera Adapter Alignment tool', fine-tune the Z value if the different color channels do not overlap perfectly. Larger Z values correspond to a shift of the TV2 channel to the left.
11. Store current position! Then, acquire another Z-stack and repeat until perfect overlap of all color channels is achieved.
11. Store current position! Then, acquire another Z-stack and repeat until perfect overlap of all color channels is achieved.
12. In 'Continuous' mode change X and Y in the 'Dual Camera Adapter Alignment tool' until an XY overlap of beads in all color channels is achieved. Especially the beads in the center of the image should nicely overlap. Store current position!
12. In 'Live' mode change X and Y in the 'Dual Camera Adapter Alignment tool' until an XY overlap of beads in all color channels is achieved. Especially the beads in the center of the image should nicely overlap. Store current position!
13. Use the 'Profile > Display > Marker > Difference' tool to check the overlap
13. Use the 'Profile > Display > Marker > Difference' tool to check the overlap