• Buy
• Sell
• My LabX

• Sign In
• Welcome! Register for Free

Molecular Devices SpectraMax® M3/M4/M5/M5e

The SpectraMax® M3, M4, M5 and M5e Multi-Mode Microplate Readers are a modular, upgradeable dual-monochromator microplate reader platform offering a wide range of high performance multi-mode capabilities ideal for life science research and drug discovery screening. Choose from a three- (M3), four- (M4), or five- (M5/M5e) mode reader customized to your specific applications or budgetary needs, while optional capabilities allow you to upgrade with other detection modes at a later time. All configurations offer a triple-mode cuvette port, accurate temperature control, microplate shaking and comprehensive data management using our SoftMax® Pro Software. Detection modes include:  

  
• UV-Visible Absorbance (Abs)  
• Fluorescence Intensity (FI)  
• Luminescence (Lum)  
• Time-Resolved Fluorescence (TRF)  
• Fluorescence Polarization (FP)  

Molecular Devices SpectraMax® 190

The SpectraMax® 190 spectrophotometer is ideal for most life science applications, especially DNA analysis. For aqueous solutions, our patented* PathCheck® sensor technology senses the depth of the liquid in each microplate well, and normalizes the absorbance value to a 1-cm pathlength. The corrected absorbance is within 5% of the value obtained in a conventional spectrophotometer.

Industry leading SoftMax® Pro microplate analysis software provides comprehensive instrument control and data reduction.

Molecular Devices SpectraMax® Plus 384

The new SpectraMax® Plus384 is the only spectrophotometer with a built-in cuvette port and microplate drawer. Now you can run both standard spectrophotometer and microplate reader applications on the same instrument. Read one sample or up to 384 at a time—it's your choice. Use any standard cuvette, 12 x 75 mm test tube, 96- or 384-well microplate. For even more sample throughput, the SpectraMax Plus384 can be easily integrated into a full robotic system. The SpectraMax Plus384 easily adapts to fit your sample processing requirements.  
  
Patented PathCheck® Sensor  
  
PathCheck Sensor eliminates the last major difference between microplate readers and spectrophotometers—optical pathlength. PathCheck Sensor provides a powerful new tool for microplate analysis.  
  
Until now, you could never get the same absorbance readings from a microplate reader as from a spectrophotometer because samples in a microplate have a volume-dependent pathlength. PathCheck Sensor is the only patented technology available that measures the depth (optical pathlength) of samples in the microplate. SoftMax® Pro software can automatically normalize the well absorbance to a cuvette equivalent pathlength of 1 cm. It's like having 96 or 384 cuvettes!  
  

  
• Eliminate standard curves. For compounds with a known extinction coefficient, concentration can be calculated directly from absorbance.  
• Pipetting does not have to be accurate. With PathCheck Sensor, it is acceptable to have different volumes in the wells. Just put 20 µl - 300 µl of sample or standard into each well and read the plate. The PathCheck Sensor will correct for the volume differences in all 96 or 384 wells, and report 1 cm absorbance values.  
• Extend the dynamic range to 6+ OD. If a well reads out of range (> 4 OD), decrease the volume (100 µl of sample can be used with excellent precision) in that well and reread the plate using the PathCheck Sensor. A 100 µl sample (optical pathlength ~0.3 cm) that reads 2.8 OD will be corrected to ~9.2 OD.  
• Detect pipetting errors in 96- or 384-well microplates. The PathCheck Sensor measures differences in volume between the wells, so you can identify and eliminate sources of error from your data or correct your absorbance values.  
• Quickly and easily test multichannel dispensers and pipettors. By measuring the depth of the liquid in the well, you can determine the volume of liquid dispensed. Even 96- or 384-channel dispensers can be tested in a matter of minutes. No need for dyes. Detect volumes as low as 100 µl in 96-well standard microplates, 30 µl in half-area or 384-well microplates, and 4 µl using a liquid addition method in half-area well microplates.  

  
The Best Performance by Design  
  
The SpectraMax optical system is the only multichannel design that truly mimics a dual-beam spectrophotometer. Each sample has a discrete sample beam and reference beam so that each well is measured directly, eliminating error due to variations in light output between the fibers. The 9 channel system (8 for the microplate and 1 for the cuvette port), consisting of 9 sample beams and detectors and 9 reference beams and detectors, delivers both superior precision and speed of reading across the microplate through 4.0 OD.

Build your "Bench" with related manufacturer, category and equipment communities and receive all of the latest updates. Also join related discussions and connect with other lab professionals

Visit the LabWrench Microplate Readers Category Today

---

Product focuses, articles, surveys, and events Lab Manager Magazine analyzes the strong link between business strategy, technological innovation and implementation.

Visit the Microplate Technology Product Resource Page Today!

Featured Microplate Readers Articles:

Expanding Assay Options Take Center Stage

The history of microplate readers— now on the market for more than 30 years—explains the ongoing increase in applying this technology. Plate readers are used in many applications, including bioassay development, diagnostics, drug discovery, food testing, and quality control. The expanding range of applications parallels the large number of detection modes, including absorbance, AlphaScreen, fluorescence polarization, time-resolved fluorescence (TRF), time-resolved fluorescence energy transfer (TR-FRET), luminescence, and spectrophotometry.