Spinning disc microscopy is ideal for fast confocal imaging. It is especially useful when imaging fast processes in live cells, for time lapses in 3D or recording large stacks.

The Cell Observer is also equipped with a Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence microscopy (TIRF) module. In TIRF microscopy laser light strikes the coverslip at a high angle. The excitation light is reflected and only the 100 nm of the sample closest to the coverslip are excited. This leads to an enhanced signal to noise ratio for objects found in close proximity to the coverslip and a greatly enhanced z-resolution.