What are the main advantages of spinning disk systems over laser scanning confocal systems?
The most significant advantage of a spinning disk confocal system is its ability to simultaneously monitor the entire imaging area. Therefore rapidly occurring events within living cells can be observed confocally without compromising resolution. These events would be missed during the time required to perform a laser scan. The rapid scanning (1000 scans per second) also enables the user to observe the confocal image through the eyepiece. The spinning disk can also be moved out of the light path allowing the user to quickly go from confocal imaging to wide field imaging. High scanning rates also allow 3D and 4D recordings to be made at much higher speeds than attainable by laser scanning confocals. The high-speed scanning of a high quantum efficiency CCD camera can capture images unlike a PMT used in the laser scanner. The use of a white light source on the spinning disk system allows full spectrum (36–600 nm) confocal. The flexibility afforded by the 100–200W halide/mercury arc lamps
