The AlphaImager EC has upgraded the way our lab looks at gels. We previously purchased two of the AlphaDigiDoc RT systems. We are happy with the DigiDocs but wanted to take our research to the next level. We are mainly using the systems to visualize agarose gels stained with ethidium bromide, but occasionally will look at other stains and Southern blots labeled by chemiluminescence.
The main upgrade from the DigiDoc was the cabinet. The EC has a table top cabinet that opens forward and you can slide out the dual wavelength transilluminator (with high and low feature for either wavelength to prevent degradation of DNA by UV light). This is much safer than lifting the camera off the base, especially when there are a large number of people in the lab. There is a safety switch in the door that prevents the UV from being on while door is open which also protects lab technicians. Users can always override that switch if they need to use the transilluminator for gel extractions. The white light in the cabinet is very useful for gel positioning. It comes with a UV active ruler that can be captured in your pictures and helps when comparing a Southern blot back to original gel. There are external switches on the cabinets that allow users to change the light source being used.
The Alpha View Image Analysis software is also improved over the AlphaEase software we purchased with our DigiDocs. Users can do quantification of the DNA on the gel by comparing it to a ladder and establishing a standard curve (molecular weight analysis). Users can also do spot and line densitometry. Users can analyze their gels immediately after acquiring the picture and the software requires users to save their original gel image before they make any modifications. There is a video function which allows users to take progressive images of the item. This is especially useful with Southern analysis to prevent overexposure of your blot. Users can also change the color of their gel (not affecting their data) in order to view the very faint bands on the gel. We print the high quality gel images directly onto a printer in the lab from the software included on the instrument.
Overall, the AlphaImager EC was an excellent investment for out laboratory. The technical support and sales staff at Alpha Innotech have always answered any questions about our unit in a timely fashion and are very knowledgeable about the products they sell. When we originally purchased, they did a full installation and training. We have been using the EC since November of 2007 and have been nothing but happy. We considered imagers from other companies, but the service and support Alpha Innotech provided well made up the price difference of the system.
In summary, the Alpha Innotech EC system is an excellent, somewhat inexpensive product that will take care of all of the imaging needs for your lab. The sales and service staff are also some of the best in the scientific industry.