The latest imaging systems can accommodate a variety of gels and staining techniques while accurately and precisely recording, optimizing, quantifying, and storing the data. The most advanced systems, which were previously reviewed in The Scientist,1 can be priced in the $70,000 neighborhood. But for researchers facing more modest budgets or less-complex needs, there are plenty of more basic and affordable systems, ranging in price from $4,000 to $10,000.
In fact, according to John Fox, president of Encinitas, Calif.-based Lightools Research, it is a buyer's market. Basic gel documentation systems "have become a commodity product. [Companies] compete on the basis of price rather than performance," he notes. They also compete by providing products that meet as broad a range of needs as possible. In other words, there is an affordable system to meet the needs of nearly every lab.
There are five basic components to a complete gel documentation system: an ...
