Invitrogen Blue Light Transilluminators

Looking to replace an aging UV transilluminator? Explore our LED based options— Invitrogen Safe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator and Dual LED Blue/White Light Transilluminator. Many UV transilluminators utilize fluorescent UV bulbs, which can have a significantly shorter lifetime than LEDs. The blue spectrum light of our LED transilluminators can effectively excite many of the popular nucleic acid stains as UV spectrum light, but without the UV associated hazards.

Invitrogen Blue Light Transilluminators

 Dual LED Blue/White Light TransilluminatorSafe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator
 Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator with amber filter coverInvitrogen Safe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator with amber filter cover and amber viewing glasses
Select when
  • Quick visualization for both colorimetric stained gels/membranes and fluorescently stained gels/membranes
  • Quick visualization of fluorescently stained gels/membranes and visualizing large sized gels/membranes
Applications
  • Blue LED for fluorescently stained nucleic acid and protein gels
  • White LED for colorimetric stained protein gels and chromogenically stained membranes
  • Blue LED for fluorescently stained nucleic acid and protein gels
Features
  • Dual LEDS- (white and blue)
  • 3-way adjustable light intensity
  • Foldable hood for documentation with cell phone or tablet camera
  • Large viewing surface for visualizing many gels at the same time or custom/large gels
Instrument dimensions (L x W x H)22 × 18.5 × 3 cm
(8.7 x 7.3 x 1.2 in)
32.5 × 19.5 × 6.5 cm
(12.8 × 7.7 × 2.6 in)
Viewing surface dimensions12 × 18 cm (4.8 x 7.2 in)19 × 19 cm (7.5 × 7.5 in)
LED sourceBlue and white LEDsBlue LED
Emission maximum of Blue LED470 nm470 nm


Safe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator contents and features

Transilluminator base and Amber filter unit–light from the LED source inside the transilluminator passes through a blue filter producing a single-intensity signal at approximately 470 nm. The amber filter unit filters light to ~580 nm and provides a large viewing surface.

Invitrogen Safe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator with amber filter cover and amber viewing glasses
Invitrogen Safe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator on and off switch with red indication

On and off switch–red mark is seen when on.

Safe Imager viewing glasses (amber)–the Safe Imager viewing glasses allows one to visualize gel bands without the use of the Safe Imager amber filter, which makes band excision easier.

Amber viewing glasses for blue light transilluminators

Dual LED Blue/White Light Transilluminator contents and features

Transilluminator base–white and blue light sources that allow for visualization of common nucleic acid stains, colorimetric protein and membrane stains, and SYPRO protein stains.

Five-minute automatic power-off and three-level adjustable light intensity to achieve the best visualization.

Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator light base
Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator with amber filter cover

Amber filter cover (Filters to ~580 nm)–magnetic filter screen with hinge-free design for simplicity and safety, allowing observation and gel-cutting without protective light filtering goggles.

Foldable imaging hood–create a mini darkroom to record your results with a quick snapshot from your phone, tablet or camera.

Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator foldable imaging hood

Why blue light transillumination

No harmful UV raysNo harmful UV rays: While UV light effectively excites many fluorescent dyes and stains, UV light is a health hazard. Further, prolonged exposure to UV light can damage DNA samples, and compromise the integrity of samples to be used for downstream applications, such as subcloning.
No mercury wasteNo mercury waste: UV transilluminator bulbs can contain mercury, a hazardous substance, and therefore require special care for handling and disposal.
lightbulb iconLonger lifetime: LED bulbs have a substantially longer real-time life than UV bulbs, which can add up to considerable cost savings over the lifetime of the instrument.

Increase cloning efficiency and reduce DNA damage with LED transillumination

A 30-second exposure to ethidium bromide and UV reduces cloning efficiency. Gels loaded with equal amounts of a PCR product (1.25 kb gene fragment from Ultimate ORF IOH# 11050) were stained with either SYBR Safe DNA gel stain (1:10,000 in TBE) or ethidium bromide (0.5 µg/ml in TBE) following electrophoresis. The gels were visualized with the Safe Imager transilluminator or an UV transillumination. Bands were excised at defined exposure times. DNA was purified from the gel fragments under identical conditions and used in parallel sub-cloning reactions. Following transformation into OneShot TOP 10 chemically competent bacteria, three serial dilutions were plated and colonies counted.

Example application data

SYBR Green stained nucleic acid gel visualized with Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator

SYBR Green stained nucleic acid gel

Colorimetric western blot visualized with Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator

Colorimetric western blot

SYPRO Orange stained protein gel visualized with Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator

SYPRO Orange stained protein gel

Nucleic acid gel visualization

 Dual LED Blue/White Light TransilluminatorSafe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator
Ethidium bromide
SYBR Green I
SYBR Green II
SYBR Safe
SYBR Gold

Protein gel visualization

 Dual LED Blue/White Light TransilluminatorSafe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator
Coomassie stains 
Silver stains 
SYPRO Ruby
SYPRO Orange
SYPRO Tangerine
SYPRO Red
Coomassie Fluor Orange stains

Membrane visualization

 Dual LED Blue/White Light TransilluminatorSafe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator
SYPRO Ruby Blot Stain
No-Stain Protein Labeling Reagent

Invitrogen Blue Light Transilluminators

 Dual LED Blue/White Light TransilluminatorSafe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator
 Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator with amber filter coverInvitrogen Safe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator with amber filter cover and amber viewing glasses
Select when
  • Quick visualization for both colorimetric stained gels/membranes and fluorescently stained gels/membranes
  • Quick visualization of fluorescently stained gels/membranes and visualizing large sized gels/membranes
Applications
  • Blue LED for fluorescently stained nucleic acid and protein gels
  • White LED for colorimetric stained protein gels and chromogenically stained membranes
  • Blue LED for fluorescently stained nucleic acid and protein gels
Features
  • Dual LEDS- (white and blue)
  • 3-way adjustable light intensity
  • Foldable hood for documentation with cell phone or tablet camera
  • Large viewing surface for visualizing many gels at the same time or custom/large gels
Instrument dimensions (L x W x H)22 × 18.5 × 3 cm
(8.7 x 7.3 x 1.2 in)
32.5 × 19.5 × 6.5 cm
(12.8 × 7.7 × 2.6 in)
Viewing surface dimensions12 × 18 cm (4.8 x 7.2 in)19 × 19 cm (7.5 × 7.5 in)
LED sourceBlue and white LEDsBlue LED
Emission maximum of Blue LED470 nm470 nm


Safe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator contents and features

Transilluminator base and Amber filter unit–light from the LED source inside the transilluminator passes through a blue filter producing a single-intensity signal at approximately 470 nm. The amber filter unit filters light to ~580 nm and provides a large viewing surface.

Invitrogen Safe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator with amber filter cover and amber viewing glasses
Invitrogen Safe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator on and off switch with red indication

On and off switch–red mark is seen when on.

Safe Imager viewing glasses (amber)–the Safe Imager viewing glasses allows one to visualize gel bands without the use of the Safe Imager amber filter, which makes band excision easier.

Amber viewing glasses for blue light transilluminators

Dual LED Blue/White Light Transilluminator contents and features

Transilluminator base–white and blue light sources that allow for visualization of common nucleic acid stains, colorimetric protein and membrane stains, and SYPRO protein stains.

Five-minute automatic power-off and three-level adjustable light intensity to achieve the best visualization.

Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator light base
Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator with amber filter cover

Amber filter cover (Filters to ~580 nm)–magnetic filter screen with hinge-free design for simplicity and safety, allowing observation and gel-cutting without protective light filtering goggles.

Foldable imaging hood–create a mini darkroom to record your results with a quick snapshot from your phone, tablet or camera.

Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator foldable imaging hood

Why blue light transillumination

No harmful UV raysNo harmful UV rays: While UV light effectively excites many fluorescent dyes and stains, UV light is a health hazard. Further, prolonged exposure to UV light can damage DNA samples, and compromise the integrity of samples to be used for downstream applications, such as subcloning.
No mercury wasteNo mercury waste: UV transilluminator bulbs can contain mercury, a hazardous substance, and therefore require special care for handling and disposal.
lightbulb iconLonger lifetime: LED bulbs have a substantially longer real-time life than UV bulbs, which can add up to considerable cost savings over the lifetime of the instrument.

Increase cloning efficiency and reduce DNA damage with LED transillumination

A 30-second exposure to ethidium bromide and UV reduces cloning efficiency. Gels loaded with equal amounts of a PCR product (1.25 kb gene fragment from Ultimate ORF IOH# 11050) were stained with either SYBR Safe DNA gel stain (1:10,000 in TBE) or ethidium bromide (0.5 µg/ml in TBE) following electrophoresis. The gels were visualized with the Safe Imager transilluminator or an UV transillumination. Bands were excised at defined exposure times. DNA was purified from the gel fragments under identical conditions and used in parallel sub-cloning reactions. Following transformation into OneShot TOP 10 chemically competent bacteria, three serial dilutions were plated and colonies counted.

Example application data

SYBR Green stained nucleic acid gel visualized with Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator

SYBR Green stained nucleic acid gel

Colorimetric western blot visualized with Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator

Colorimetric western blot

SYPRO Orange stained protein gel visualized with Invitrogen Dual LED Blue White Light Transilluminator

SYPRO Orange stained protein gel

Nucleic acid gel visualization

 Dual LED Blue/White Light TransilluminatorSafe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator
Ethidium bromide
SYBR Green I
SYBR Green II
SYBR Safe
SYBR Gold

Protein gel visualization

 Dual LED Blue/White Light TransilluminatorSafe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator
Coomassie stains 
Silver stains 
SYPRO Ruby
SYPRO Orange
SYPRO Tangerine
SYPRO Red
Coomassie Fluor Orange stains

Membrane visualization

 Dual LED Blue/White Light TransilluminatorSafe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator
SYPRO Ruby Blot Stain
No-Stain Protein Labeling Reagent

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