Toshiba Imaging Systems Division's IK-TF7 camera is a 3CCD, progressive-scan colour camera with a high resolution (1,024 x 768 pixels), small pixel size (4.65 x 4.65µm) and a colour reproduction enhanced with a colour-shading feature.
The camera has integrated into the Micron III retinal imaging microscope, developed by Phoenix Research Labs. The third-generation system is an advanced retinal microscope for mice and rats that is enabling new modalities in high resolution imaging for in vivo eye research. Testing and diagnostic research includes white light imaging mice and rats, fluorescein angiography, diabetic retinopathy, retinoblastoma, choroidal neovascularisation, retinitis pigmentosa, and anterior segment slit-lamp. Live animal fluorescent studies such as green fluorescent protein (GFP) and yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) are also made possible with the advanced Micron III system.
The camera design utilises Toshiba's prism block colour technology, which permits the accurate capture of fast-moving colour items under test, such as the retinal movement in rats and mice.
The compact camera can image up to 90fps; it eliminates image jitter through the incorporation of three 1/3-inch progressive scan CCDs. The co-site sampling arrangement of the CCD sensors also eliminates RGB shift, making image capture more accurate. Other features, such as partial scanning capability, a field removable/replaceable infrared (IR) filter, the on-screen and RS232C setup, asynchronous reset, long-term integration, and shutter speeds from 1/100 to 1/100,000 seconds, make this imager ideal for retinal research, scientific experiments, and other machine vision applications.
