Abstract: A laser microscope that efficiently performs 3D imaging irrespective of the shape of a specimen, includes an area segmenting section that segments an observation range of a specimen in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis of an objective lens into many areas; a surface-position storing section that stores motorized stage positions in association with the specimen surface positions, for the many areas; a surface-shape estimating section that estimates the specimen surface shape from the motorized stage positions and the specimen surface positions for the many areas; a z-scanning condition determining section that determines the specimen surface positions at desired positions of the motorized stage from the specimen surface shape; and a light detecting section that detects light from the specimen over certain ranges specified with reference to the specimen surface positions, in the optical axis direction of the objective lens.

Abstract: A laser microscope that efficiently performs 3D imaging irrespective of the shape of a specimen, includes an area segmenting section that segments an observation range of a specimen in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis of an objective lens into many areas; a surface-position storing section that stores motorized stage positions in association with the specimen surface positions, for the many areas; a surface-shape estimating section that estimates the specimen surface shape from the motorized stage positions and the specimen surface positions for the many areas; a z-scanning condition determining section that determines the specimen surface positions at desired positions of the motorized stage from the specimen surface shape; and a light detecting section that detects light from the specimen over certain ranges specified with reference to the specimen surface positions, in the optical axis direction of the objective lens.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus for microscopes is constructed so that a simultaneous observation is made by overlapping an image of a sample formed by transmitted illumination with that formed by reflected fluorescence, in which signals for designating the simultaneous observation at once cause a second shutter for the transmitted illumination to be closed and a first shutter for the reflected fluorescence to be opened, the brightness of the sample image formed by the reflected fluorescence is measured by a light-detecting element disposed in an optical path for observation, and after a light-adjusting member for the transmitted illumination is controlled so that, based on data outputted from a memory device corresponding to a measured value, the brightness of the sample image by the transmitted illumination in the simultaneous observation is balanced with that of the sample image by the reflected fluorescence, the second shutter is opened.