Bio-Rad Gel Doc™ XR+ System - Manual (Page 39)

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Section 5 Operation of the Universal Hood II
5.1 Operating the Unit
The Gel Doc ™ XR and ChemiDoc ™ XRS systems are easy-to-use instruments. In the Quantity One
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acquisition window on your computer, select Live/Focus mode and adjust your image position, size, focus,
and intensity using the lens controls. After the image is optimized, capture the image. A typical procedure is
described below.
5.1.1 Switch on the Universal Hood II
1. Turn on the Universal Hood II main switch (on the rear bottom-left side of the enclosure).
2. Turn on the computer and start the software.
3. Select the acquisition mode from the File menu.
NOTE: Turn the camera power on, if you have not already done so.
5.1.2 Position Your Gel
1. Open the drawer of the Universal Hood II.
2. Press the Epi White button to turn on the epi white lights.
3. Center your gel on the transilluminator platen and close the drawer.
4. Adjust the lens iris, zoom, and focus while looking at the computer screen.
5. Open the door and reposition the gel, if necessary.
6. When using the white light conversion screen or the white light transilluminator, focusing is easily
achieved if the iris is slightly closed.
5.1.3 Acquiring an Image
1. Press the appropriate light source for your sample.
2. Select exposure time (see software manual for details) or select auto exposure..
3. When a satisfactory image is seen, click Freeze.
5.1.4 Acquiring an Image With Flat Fielding
Note: This applies to ChemiDoc XRS systems only where flat fielding is made available for acquiring
images with UV or white light transillumination.
1. Center your sample on the platen.
2. Turn ON the UV or white light transilluminator.
3. Adjust zoom, focus, and iris to get the best possible image in Live/Focus mode.
4. Make sure that the box labeled Flat Fielding is checked to enable flat fielding.
5. Select Auto Expose or Manual Expose.
6. Following the exposure, a window will open asking if you would like to use a saved reference
image for flat fielding.
7. Select NO unless you have recently acquired a flat field reference image and are still using the
same illumination and lens settings.
8. Select YES if you are using the same lens and illumination settings that were used to previously
generate a flat field reference image file. See image on the following page.