Competitors of UltraSlim and UltraBright LED transilluminators

This question is asked frequently by world-wide distributors. In this article, Maestrogen will list all competitors of UltraSlim and UltarBright LED, including specifications and advantages/disadvantages in comparison.

Let's start form competitors of UltraBright LED (LB-16) first.

1.Dark Reader

Manufacturer: Clare Chemical Research

Wavelength: ~470nm

Dimension: 22.5 x 18.5 x 8 cm(DR46B); 29.5 x 26 x 12 cm(DR88X); 50.8 x 34.8 x 12.5 cm(DR195m)

Viewing Surface: 19 x 15 cm(DR46B); 25 x 22 cm(DR88X); 46 x 30.5 cm(DR195m)

Description:

Dark Reader is the most original LED instrument. Clare has critical patents about the method of lighting. Actually, its performance in most safe dye and EtBr is pretty good, and provides big viewing surface.

Most customers are curious about how can we make LED instruments without infringing Clare's patent. To be detailed, Clare's patent is to restrict the device lighting from "bottom" of viewing surface and the filters to be used. However, Maestrogen designs UltraBright lighting from "side direction", and there is no LEDs located under viewing surface. Actually, Maestrogen owned patent of device lighting from any direction except bottom and top. If you find any other brand's products not lighting from bottom and top, they interfered our patent, please inform us.

Advantages compared to UltraBright:

• Dark Reader provides different viewing surface, from general size to huge size. UltraBright only provides the most common size.

Disadvantages compared to UltraBright:

• Need to wear amber glasses when operation, which is inconvenient for users who have already weared glasses.
• Expensive. DR46B with viewing surface smaller than UltraBright still costs 700~1200USD, but UltraBright LED is much cheaper.

2. Safe Imager


Manufacturer: Invitrogen
Wavelength: ~470nm
Dimension: 19.5 × 32.5 × 6.5 cm
Viewing Surface:  19 × 19 cm
Description:

Safe Imager is an instrument which is designed by Invitrogen for matching SybrSafe. It tried to avoid patent infringment, although light is emitted under viewing surface. However, the results of avoiding infringing patent is sacrifice of intensity of light source.

From our in-house test, UltraBright's intensity of light source is 300 % stronger than Safe Imager.

Advantage compared to UltraBright:

• Smaller dimension

Disadvantage compared to UltraBright:

• Much weaker intensity. UltraBright is 300 % stronger.
• Need to wear amber glasses.
• Expensive. Safe Imager cost 1,224USD on Invitrogen's website, but UltraBright LED is much cheaper.

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Let's talk about competitors of UltraSlim now. UltraSlim enjoys performance as good as UltraBright LED, and it's smaller and cheaper at the same time. Being a thinnest gel-cutting instruments in the world, UltraSlim can satisfy almost all need in laboratories. We can even said there is no competitor for UltraSlim yet.

Some researchers have to observe or deal samples on big gel (bigger than 7X12cm). In this case, UltraBright LED might be the strongest competitors to UltraSlim. But in normal situation, UltraSlim is the king of gel-cutting instruments. We believe every laboratory will own one UltraSlim at least.