Dynamically Image Cells with
Breakthrough Precision and Clarity
ZYLA 4.2 PLUS
• 4.2 megapixel sCMOS• 82% QE, optimized for all fluorophores• 0.9 e- read noise• 100 fps (53 fps USB 3.0)
• 33,000:1 dynamic range

ZYLA 5.5• 5.5 megapixel sCMOS• Rolling & True Global Shutter• 0.9 e- read noise• 100 fps (40 fps USB 3.0)
• 33,000:1 dynamic range

P QE Boosted to 82%
P Industry fastest USB 3.0 speeds
P >99.8 % Quantitative Linearity

KEY INNOVATIONS OF
THE NEW ZYLA 4.2 PLUS
1 QE Boosted to 82%

100

10% higher QE

90

The latest-generation sCMOS sensor delivers a further 10% boost
in QE, providing excellent broad coverage of the VIS/NIR region.

80

Quantum efficiency (%)

70

P Optimized for a broad range of fluorophores
P Reduced exposure times & faster frame rates
P Reduced phototoxicity / photobleaching
P Lower fluorophore concentrations – more accurate physiology

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
400

500

600

700

800

Wavelength (nm)4 Application Modes
LightScan PLUS – Adapts the Rolling
Shutter scan mode to applications
such as Scanning LightSheet
Microscopy and Line Scan Confocal

Click here to find out more
about the Zyla 4.2 PLUS.

FCS Mode – Achieve up to 26,041 fps,
ideal for Fluorescence Correlation
Spectroscopy

2 Market Leading Speed
Superior data transfer efficiency and Zyla’s 12-bit highspeed mode combine to deliver an incredible 53 fps
through super-convenient USB 3.0, coupled with market
leading ROI frame rates.
With this capability, speed is on tap to allow you tofollow faster dynamic processes with improved temporal
resolution. Opt for the Camera Link version to access up
to a blistering 100 fps (full resolution).

3 Market Leading Quantitative Linearity
Zyla 4.2 PLUS uses enhanced on-head intelligenceto deliver market-leading linearity of > 99.8%, for
unparalleled quantitative accuracy of measurement
across the full dynamic range.

P Better than 99.8% linearity (>99.9% for low light range)
P Increased quantitative accuracy

P Unique ROI processing capability – Faster ROI speeds
P 12-bit mode for fastest rates
P Follow faster temporal processes with a super-

80000
70000

convenient USB 3.0 camera

Pixel
Saturation

Mode

CompetingsCMOS USB 3.0

Zyla 4.2 PLUS
USB 3.012-bit/ Full resolution

Not available

53 fps16-bit/ Full resolution

40 fps

40 fps12-bit/ 1024 x 1024

Not available

200 fps

16-bit/ 1024 x 1024

80 fps160 fps

Signal [cts]

60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

0.35

Exposure (s)2FEATURES& BENEFITS
Andor’s Zyla sCMOS camera platform offers high speed, high sensitivity and highresolution imaging performance. The remarkably light and compact, thermoelectricallycooled design, integrates perfectly into both laboratory and OEM applications alike.
Zyla is ideally suited to many cutting edge experiments that push the boundaries of
speed and sensitivity.
The unprecedented value and flexibility of the Zyla means it is also re-defining the concept of a ‘workhorse’camera, rapidly displacing interline CCDs as the gold standard microscope detector.
FeatureBenefitNEW QEmax boosted to 82%

Highest available photon capture efficiency across visible/NIR, optimized for all common fluorophores.
Shorter exposures, reduced phototoxicity, lower dye concentrations for more accurate physiology.

~ 1 e- Read Noise

Noise floor down to 0.9e-. Lower detection limit than any CCD

NEW Market leading USB 3.0 speed

Superb USB 3.0 data transfer efficiency and Zyla’s unique 12-bit high speed mode deliver up to 53 fps full
resolution, 77% faster than competing sCMOS. Follow dynamic processes with improved temporal resolution.

100 fps (Camera Link)

Zyla offers ‘10-tap’ Camera Link for maximum sustained frame rates. (Burst to 4GB on-head memory on
Neo).

5.5 & 4.2 megapixel sensor formats and 6.5 μm
pixelsRolling and Global shutter (Zyla 5.5)

Extremely sharp resolution over a 22 mm (Zyla 5.5) and 19 mm (Zyla 4.2 PLUS) diagonal field of view. Ideal
for cell microscopy, astronomy and area scanning applications.
Maximum exposure and readout flexibility across all applications. Global Shutter for 'interline CCD mode'
freeze frame capture of fast moving/changing events.

Extended Dynamic Range

Unique 'dual gain amplifier' sensor architecture offering dynamic range of 33,000:1.

12-bit and 16-bit modes

12-bit Mode for smaller file size and absolute fastest frame rates through USB 3.0; 16-bit mode for fulldynamic range

NEW Better than 99.8% linearity

Unparalleled quantitative measurement accuracy across the full dynamic range (> 99.9% for low light range).

Very Low Fan Vibration

Implemented on both models. Designed with vibration sensitive experiments in mind, such as superresolution microscopy

LightScan PLUS

Maximise fluorescence signal and confocality concurrently in applications such as Scanned Light Sheet
Microscopy and Line Scanning Confocal Microscopy

NEW FCS Mode

Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy requires the fastest possible speed from a minimal height ROI. Zyla
4.2 PLUS outputs a sustained 26,041 fps from a 2048(h) x 8(v) ROI.

Dark Noise Suppression (DNS) technology

Extremely competitive low darkcurrent of 0.1 e/pix/sec with fan cooling. Maintains low noise advantage
across range of exposure conditions.

TE cooling to 0° C in up to 30 °C ambient

Ideal for OEM integration into enclosed systems.

Compact and Light

Ideal for integration into space restrictive set-ups. Ideal for OEM.

NEW GPU Express

Simplify and optimize data transfers from camera to Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) card to facilitate accelerated GPU processing as part of the acquisition pipeline.

Dynamic Baseline Clamp

Ensure quantitative stability

Hardware Timestamp

FPGA generated timestamp with 25ns accuracy.

Zyla 5.5

Zyla 5.5 is truly unique in offering both Rolling and true Global shutter
capability in one sensor. Global shutter offers ‘snapshot’ imaging capability,
whereby all pixels in the area are exposed simultaneously, and is directly
analogous to that which is available in interline CCDs. True Global shutter isonly available through the ‘5T’ (5-transistor) sensor design exploited in the Zyla
5.5 offering greater application flexibility and is ideal for tight synchronization
with microscope peripheral devices such as z-stage or switchable light source.
Please see page 6 for a further comparison of Rolling shutter and Global shutter modes.

3

Zyla

THE BIOLOGIST’S CHOICE
Zyla sCMOS has proven a superb camera choice for the biologist and microscopist.
Many simply see the Zyla as an amazing value, superb price/performance‘workhorse’ camera with which to replace their existing interline CCD and upgrade
the performance of their fluorescence microscope. Others are driven by distinct
application performance criteria that only sCMOS can answer.
Quality, Throughput, Performance, Accessibility…
P H
 igh Sensitivity & Wide Dynamic Range – quantify very weak and very bright structures with one image.
P Superb Image Quality – high resolution and uniform backgrounds for publication quality imaging.
P Capture Everything – the larger field of view matches that of modern microscopes. Achieve better statistics and higher
throughout in high content experiments.
P B
 lazingly Fast – more and more studies of cell processes require greater temporal resolution.
P GPU Express – for real time processing.
P Ease of use – designed to get you up and imaging with minimal fuss.
P Flexible – fast or slow, big or small, weak or bright… Zyla is adaptable for all of your imaging challenges.

Application Examples for the Zyla sCMOS
Physiology / Ion Imaging

The fast frame rate and excellent sensitivity of Zyla is ideally suited to theparticular needs of ion signalling microscopy. Zyla 4.2 PLUS offers superlative
sensitivity at speed, but electrophysiology may require the Global Shutter
exposure mode of Zyla 5.5 to ensure temporal correlation across the whole
image.
Super Resolution Microscopy

The low vibration, high QE, low noise and speed capability of Zyla 4.2 PLUS
(USB 3.0 and Camera Link) is well suited to the particular detection criteria of
single molecule based ‘STORM / PALM’ approaches, and is used by some as
an alternative to EMCCDs for this purpose. Note, this should be considered
distinct from the general needs of single molecule microscopy, which are best
served by back-illuminated EMCCD cameras (see Andor iXon EMCCD range).
Capability to switch off interpolative filtering and provision of custom blemish
maps. GPU Express for real time data processing.

Images courtesy of Christian Soeller and Isuru Jayasinghe,
Biomedical Physics, University of Exeter. Ryanodine receptor
clusters in a mouse cardiac myocyte.

Light Sheet Microscopy

Andor sCMOS cameras have been at the forefront of innovative Light Sheet
Microscopy development and significantly the Zyla 4.2 PLUS is now equippedwith LightScan PLUS.
LightScan PLUS, ensures the user has additional control and flexibility overthe functionality of the rolling shutter scan mode. LightScan PLUS allows theuser to scan their scanning light source from the top to the bottom of thesensor, or vice versa, in one continuous sweep. In addition to this, and in direct
response to user request, FlexiScan permits the independent adjustment ofscan row height (‘slit height’) and line scan speed, allowing signal strength andconfocality to be optimized concurrently. CycleMax, ensures the fastest frame
rates can be achieved with no dead time and no need to reset the laser foreach alternate frame. GPU Express for real time data processing.

Image courtesy of Michael Weber, Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden. The image
is an extract from a time series of a three day old Zebrafish
beating heart. Blood cells are labelled red and heart muscle
cells and vasculature labelled in cyan.
4

Zyla

THE BIOLOGIST’S CHOICEHigh Content Screening

Zyla sCMOS yields markedly improved throughput and statistical validity of data inhigh content analysis. For example, a larger field of view results in analysis of morecells per image, wider dynamic range means a field of variable intensity cells can bequantified in only one acquisition, and higher sensitivity results in reduced acquisition
times. GPU Express for real time data processing.
For further information, view this article: highcontentreview.com/scmos/
Spinning Disk Confocal Microscopy

Often spinning disk solutions come equipped with two cameras technologies.
Primarily, back-illuminated EMCCD cameras (see Andor iXon EMCCD range) with theirsuperior sensitivity allowing for high quality imaging while preserving light intensity andlabel density at physiological levels, especially in conjunction with this particularly lightstarved imaging modality. However, Zyla sCMOS is perfect for observations at large
field of view of sample carrying relatively bright signals.

Mouse brain image courtesy of Simon C. Watkins
and Victor Tapias, Center for Biologic Imaging,
University of Pittsburgh.

Wide Field Microscopy

The application of an array of fluorophores has made it possible to identify cells andsub-microscopic cellular components with a high degree of specificity among nonfluorescing material. In fact, the fluorescence microscope is capable of revealing thepresence of a single molecule. Through the use of multiple fluorophores, different
probes can simultaneously identify several target molecules. Although the fluorescencemicroscope cannot provide spatial resolution below the diffraction limit of specificspecimen features, the detection of fluorescing molecules below such limits isreadily achieved. The large field of view (4.2/5.5 MP), the broad spectral range, andthe excellent resolution (6.5 µm) of sCMOS make it an ideal detector for wide-field
fluorescence microscopy.

Image courtesy of Ulrike Engel, Nikon Imaging
Center, Heidelberg. Embryonic muscle cells
where actin starts to form contractile fibers (cyan).
Microtubules are shown in yellow. Large unstained
inclusions in the cytoplasm are yolk deposits.

Cell Motility Studies

The motile cell is captured extremely well by the speed and resolution of the Zyla.
Generally, the rolling shutter of Zyla 4.2 PLUS is suited, but care must be taken of
distortive effects if the cell is moving particularly fast. For example, it has been notedthat the Zyla 5.5 in global shutter mode was required to image motile sperm cells.
TIRF Microscopy

The Zyla’s fine pixel resolution, great sensitivity, large field of view and fast imaging
speed offers a superb choice of platform for following/tracking fast processes at thecell membrane. Multi-wavelength TIRF may benefit from Zyla 5.5 in global shutter.

Upgrade your microscope
performance using Zyla sCMOS

Folding embryo image courtesy of Jeremy Lynch,
Department of Biological Sciences, University of
Illinois, Chicago.

Interline CCD
5.5 e - read noise

Zyla remains within the same pricebracket as interline CCDs, yet offers
remarkable performance improvements:• 4x more pixels• 5x more sensitive• 10x more dynamic range• 16x faster

Andor sCMOS~ 1 e - read noise5

ROLLING& GLOBALSHUTTERThe Zyla 5.5 uniquely offers
both Rolling and true Global
Shutter exposure modes. This
provides superior applicationand synchronization flexibility
and the ability, through global
exposure, to closely emulate
the familiar ‘Snapshot’ exposure
mechanism of interline CCDs.
Key Benefits of True Global
Exposure

Rolling & Global Shutter
Mechanisms
Rolling and true Global Shutter modes
describe two distinct types of exposureand readout sequence.
In rolling shutter, available in Zyla 4.2 PLUS
and Zyla 5.5, different lines of the arrayare exposed at different times as the readout ‘wave’ sweeps through the sensor.
10 ms is required at the start to ‘activate’
the sensor to expose, and then 10 ms isrequired at the end to readout the sensor.
Use when not synchronizing to peripheraldevices AND only when there is a minimalrisk of spatial distortion from moving
samples.

In true global shutter, available in Zyla
5.5, each pixel in the sensor begins the
exposure simultaneously and ends the
exposure simultaneously. This provides
a true ‘Snapshot’ exposure capability formoving samples that is both ‘photonefficient’ and easy to synchronize to,especially useful for 3D / 4D microscopy.
Zyla 4.2 PLUS, while utilizing a rolling
shutter sensor, offers a Simulated Global
Exposure mechanism to overcome risk ofspatial distortion. This mechanism is moreelaborate and less photon/time efficientthan true Global Shutter.
Click here to read more about Rolling and
Global shutter modes on our Zyla camera.

Global Shutter exposure and readout (single scan)Global exposure in particular is viewed as animportant mode for the biologist, as it’s benefits
are deeply synergistic with the core imaging
requirements of live cell microscopy.
– N O Spatial Distortion – avoiding the spatial
distortion risk of rolling exposure– R ecommended for 3D / 4D microscopy –Tight syncing to peripheral switching
devices– H
 igher Signal to Noise due to reduced deadtime – the entire exposure cycle can be used– Simplicity – all the benefits of an ‘interline
exposure mode’– Continuous or Pulsed light sources– Sub-microsecond inter-frame gaps in PIV
applications

Exposure Start

Exposure

Exposure End

Rolling Shutter exposure and readout (single scan)‘Simulated’ Global Exposurein Zyla 4.2 PLUS
Click here to read more about this mode and other
Frequently Asked Questions on Rolling and Global
Exposure modes.

LightScan PLUS for Zyla 4.2 PLUS

Exposure Start

Exposure

Readout

For further information of Rolling and Global Shutter, please access the following technical notes through the Andor
Learning Centre: 1) Rolling and Global Shutter 2) Synchronizing to Rolling and Global Shutter sCMOS cameras

Simultaneous Readout Direction Options

Key Benefits:– independent control of scan row height (‘slit height’)and line scan speed.
– optimize signal to noise AND confocality concurrently– scan synchronization output for easy synching tolaser beam
CycleMax– maximum frame rates with reduced dead-time, noneed to reset scan laser for each alternate frame

Center Out

Bottom Up

Top Down

Outside In

Sequential Readout Direction Options

Click here to find out more about LightScan PLUS.

Top Down

Bottom Up

6

sCMOS or
EMCCD?
Since the market
introduction of sCMOS
technology by Andor, thequestion of the performancecomparison against themore established Electron
Multiplying CCD (EMCCD)
has been common.

Being a very fast, low noisetechnology, sCMOS does holdsome potential to offer an alternativetechnology to these single photon
sensitive detectors across some
applications and techniques, including
to an extent, super-resolution
microscopy and TIRF microscopy.
Whilst the read noise of sCMOS
is very low compared to CCDs,
EMCCD technology holds the distinct
advantage of being able to practicallyeliminate read noise, rendering themsingle photon sensitive.

After the first few years of sCMOS
being in the market, we are concludingthat the primary applications for which
EMCCDs were originally purchased,such as single molecule detection
and low light spinning disk confocal
microscopy, are continuing to benefit
from this ultrasensitive technology.
EMCCDs offer a raw sensitivity thatcannot be surpassed in the very low
light regime. However, EMCCDs
remain relatively expensive, so they
will always be considered a more
selective, ‘high-end’ solution.

Signal to Noise Ratio

83 photons/pixel

Figure 1

20 photons/pixel
SNR Back-illuminated EMCCDSNR Zyla 5.5 (2x2 binned)
SNR Zyla 4.2 PLUS (2x2 binned)

Plot of Signal to Noise Ratio versus Incident Photon
Intensity, comparing back-illuminated EMCCD iXon
888 (13 µm pixel size) to 2x2 binned Zyla sCMOS
cameras (13 µm pixel size after binning). An average
QE value for each sensor between 500-750 nm wasused.

Incident light (Photon/pixel)

Figure 2
Images at a range of incident light intensity, acquired
using back-illuminated EMCCD iXon 888 and Zyla
5.5 sCMOS cameras (2x2 binned pixels). At low lightintensities, the Signal to Noise Ratio advantage of the
EMCCD is apparent

7

TECHNICALSPECIFICATIONSMODEL SPECIFIC SPECIFICATIONS

•1

Model
Sensor type
Active pixels (W x H)
Sensor size
Pixel readout rate (MHz)

Read noise (e-) Median [rms] •2@ 200 MHz@ 560 MHz

Maximum Quantum Efficiency •3Zyla 5.5

Zyla 4.2 PLUS

Front Illuminated Scientific CMOS

Front Illuminated Scientific CMOS

2560 x 2160 (5.5 Megapixel)

2048 x 2048 (4.2 Megapixel)

16.6 x 14.0 mm
21.8 mm diagonal

13.3 x 13.3 mm
18.8 mm diagonal

200 (100 MHz x 2 sensor halves)
560 (280 MHz x 2 sensor halves)

Slow Read 216 (108 MHz x 2 sensor halves)
Fast Read 540 (270 MHz x 2 sensor halves)

Rolling Shutter
0.9 [1.2]
1.2 [1.6]

Global Shutter
2.3 [2.5]
2.4 [2.6]

Rolling Shutter
0.90 [1.1]
1.10 [1.3]@ 216 MHz@ 540 MHz

60%

82%

Sensor Operating Temperature
0ºC (up to 30ºC ambient)0ºC (up to 27ºC ambient)

Water cooled
Dark current, e-/pixel/sec @ min temp •4-10ºC*-10ºC*

Air cooled
Water cooled

0.10
0.019

0.10
0.019

Readout modes

Rolling Shutter and True Global Shutter (Snapshot)

Rolling Shutter and Global Clear •8

33,000:1

33,000:1

Air cooled

Maximum dynamic range
Photon Response Non-Uniformity (PRNU)
Half-light range< 0.01%<0.1%

Low light range
Pre-defined Region of Interest (ROI)

2048 x 2048, 1920 x 1080, 1392 x 1040, 512 x 512, 128 x 128

User defined ROI (Granularity)

1920 x 1080, 1392 x 1040, 512 x 512, 128 x 128

Yes (1 pixel) **Data range

12-bit (fastest USB 3.0 speeds) and 16-bit (maximum dynamic range)
USB 3.0 •9
Camera Link 10-tap

Interface options* Cooling temperature must be above the dew point** Minimum ROI size: 4 x 8 (W x H) possible for 12- or 16-bit modes and for both Camera Link 10-tap and USB 3.0 models

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS•1

Pixel size (W x H)

6.5 µmPixel well depth (e-)

30,000Linearity (%, maximum)
Full light range
Low light range (< 1000 electrons signal)•5

MTF (Nyquist @ 555 nm)
Pixel binning
Anti-blooming factor
I/O
Trigger Modes
Software Exposure Events•6

Better than 99.8%
Better than 99.9%
45%
Hardware binning: 2 x 2, 3 x 3, 4 x 4, 8 x 8x 10,000
External Trigger, Fire, Fire n, Fire All, Fire Any, Arm
Internal, External, External Start, External Exposure, Software Trigger
Start exposure - End exposure (row 1), Start exposure - End exposure (row n)

Hardware timestamp accuracy

25 nsInternal memory

1 GB

8

FRAME RATE TABLE - 12-BIT (16-BIT)•7

Zyla 5.5 USB 3.0
Rolling Shutter
Global Shutter

Array Size

Zyla 5.5 10-tap
Rolling Shutter
Global Shutter

Zyla 4.2 PLUS 10-tap
Rolling Shutter

Zyla 4.2 PLUS USB 3.0
Rolling Shutter

2560 x 2160

40 (30)40 (30)100 (75)

49 (49)--2048 x 2048

53 (40)52 (39)105 (98)

52 (52)101 (101)

53 (40)1920 x 1080

107 (80)

98 (80)200 (200)

97 (97)192 (192)

107 (80)

512 x 512422 (422)

201 (201)422 (422)

201 (201)406 (406)

406 (406)

128 x 128

1691 (1691)

716 (716)

1691 (1691)

716 (716)

1627 (1627)

1627 (1627)

2048 x 8 (FCS mode)

13020 (10250)

4008 (4008)

27057 (27057)

4008 (4008)

26041 (26041)

13020 (10250)

1024 x 8 (FCS mode)

27057 (27057)

4008 (4008)

27057 (27057)

4008 (4008)

26041 (26041)

26041 (26041)

QUANTUM EFFICIENCY (QE) CURVE•3QE VS. FLUOROPHORE EMISSIONS

100
90

Zyla 4.2 PLUS

80

Zyla 4.2
PLUS

Quantum efficiency (%)

70

Zyla 5.5
60
50
40
30

Zyla 5.5

20
10
0
300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Wavelength (nm)GPU Express
The Andor GPU Express library has been created to simplify and optimize data transfers fromcamera to a CUDA-enabled NVidia Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) card to facilitate accelerated
GPU processing as part of the acquisition pipeline. GPU Express integrates easily with SDK3 forWindows, providing a user-friendly but powerful solution for management of high bandwidth data
flow challenges; ideal for data intensive applications such as Light Sheet Microscopy, Super-Resolution Microscopy and
Adaptive Optics.
• Enhanced convenience, afforded by simple, optimized GPU data management• Optimal data throughout• Superb, easily accessible documentation and examples.

9

CREATING THE OPTIMUM PRODUCT FOR YOU

Step 1.

Select the camera type
Description

CameraType

Code

ZYLA 4.2 PLUS, 4.2 Megapixel, Rolling shutter, 100 fps, Camera Link 10-tap

ZYLA-4.2P-CL10

ZYLA 4.2 PLUS, 4.2 Megapixel, Rolling shutter, 53 fps, USB 3.0

ZYLA-4.2P-USB3

ZYLA 5.5, 5.5 Megapixel, Rolling and Global shutter, 100 fps, Camera Link 10-tap

ZYLA-5.5-CL10

ZYLA 5.5, 5.5 Megapixel, Rolling and Global shutter, 40 fps, USB 3.0

ZYLA-5.5-USB3

For water cooled option, add -W to your selected camera code

Step 2.

Accessories

Select the required accessories
Description

Order CodeCS-mount adapter

ACC-MEC-05609

F-mount adapter

ACM-05574

Auto extension tubes (set of 3) for C-mountOA-ECMT

Auto extension tubes (set of 3) for Nikon F

OA-ENAF

Re-circulator for enhanced cooling performance

XW-RECR

Oasis 160 Ultra compact chiller unit

ACC-XW-CHIL-160

7-way Multi I/O timing cable, offering Fire, External Trigger, Shutter and Arm. 3 meter.

ACC-ACZ-05612

PC Workstation for up to 100 fps continuous spooling to hard drives, acquiring up to120,000 12-bit full resolution images: Dell T7910XL, 2.6 GHz Eight Core, 8 GB RAM, 4 x
250GB SSD hard drive configured in RAID 0.

WKST-1 WIN

PC Workstation for up to 100 fps continuous spooling to RAM, acquiring up to 6,000 12bit full resolution images: Dell T5810, 3.5 GHz Quad Core, 64 GB RAM.

WKST-3 WIN

For further information on PC workstations for Zyla, please refer to the technical note PC Specifications for sCMOS

Step 3.

Select the required software
The Zyla also requires at least one of the following software options:
Solis Imaging A 32-bit and fully 64-bit enabled application for Windows (7, 8, 8.1 and 10) offering rich functionality for dataacquisition and processing. AndorBasic provides macro language control of data acquisition, processing, display and export.
Andor iQ A comprehensive multi-dimensional imaging software package. Offers tight synchronization of the camera witha comprehensive range of microscopy hardware, along with comprehensive rendering and analysis functionality. Modular
architecture for best price/performance package on the market.

SoftwareAndor SDK3 A software development kit that allows you to control the Andor sCMOS cameras from your own application.
Available as 32 and 64-bit libraries for Windows (7, 8, 8.1 and 10) and Linux. Compatible with C/C++, LabView and Matlab.
GPU Express Andor GPU Express library has been created to simplify and optimize data transfers from camera to a CUDAenabled NVidia Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) card to facilitate accelerated GPU processing as part of the acquisition
pipeline. Integrates easily with Andor SDK3 for Windows.
Third party software compatibility
Drivers are available so that the Zyla can be operated through a large variety of third party imaging packages. See Andor website for detail: andor.com/software/

10

PRODUCT DRAWINGS
Dimensions in mm [inches]
Third-angle projection

Note: Please leave 70mm minimum for the bend radius of the USB 3.0 cable.

Weight: 1,000 g [2 lbs 3 oz]

Product drawings of the water cooled Zyla can befound at http://www.andor.com/watercooledzyla

CONNECTING TO THE ZYLA
Camera Control
Connector type: 3 meter Camera Link 10-tap connectors or USB 3.0.
(Longer lengths available as accessories).
TTL / Logic
1 x 3-way Multi I/O timing cable, offering Fire, External Trigger andArm (1.5 meter)

15-WAY D-TYPE PINOUTS
1

ARM

Output2

Aux_Out_1*

Output3

FIRE row n

Output4

FIRE row 1

Output• EU EMC Directive

5

Aux_Out_2

Output• EU LV Directive

6

GroundGND• IEC 61010-1 CB Scheme

7

External Trigger

Input

8

Spare Input

Input

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE• RoHS compliant

EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY COMPLIANCE• UL-certified for Canada and USA• Japanese PSE Mark

9

Reserved

N/A

10

Reserved

N/A

11

Reserved

N/A

POWER SUPPLY REQUIREMENTS

12

Reserved

N/A• Power: +12 VDC ± 5% @ 5A

13

Reserved

N/A• Ripple: 200 mV peak-peak 0 - 20 MHz

14

Reserved

N/A• 100 - 240 VAC 50/60 Hz external power supply

15

Reserved

N/A• Power Consumption: 12V @ 5A Max, 12V @ 2.5A Nominal* Aux_Out_1 is configurable as Fire, Fire n, Fire All orFire Any. Refer to the Zyla hardware manual.

11

ORDER TODAY
Need more information? At Andor we are committed to finding
the correct solution for you. With a dedicated team of technicaladvisors, we are able to offer you one-to-one guidance andtechnical support on all Andor products. For a full listing of ourregional sales offices, please see: andor.com/contact
Our regional headquarters are:
EUROPE 			
Belfast, Northern Ireland 			Phone +44 (28) 9023 7126			
Fax +44 (28) 9031 0792			

JAPAN
Tokyo
Phone +81 (3) 6732 8968
Fax +81 (3) 6732 8939

NORTH AMERICA 			CHINA
Concord, MA, USA 				Beijing
Phone +1 (860) 290 9211			
Phone +86 (10) 8271 9066
Fax +1 (860) 290 9566			
Fax +86 (10) 8271 9055
ITEMS SHIPPED WITH YOUR CAMERAFOOTNOTES: Specifications are subject to change without notice

For Camera Link 10-Tap Models:1 x Camera
Link Card and 2 x 3 meter connector cables.
For USB 3.0 models: 1 x USB 3.0 PCIe Cardand 1 x 3 meter USB 3.0 cable (Type A to B
1 x Power supply with mains cable)
1 x 3-way Multi I/O timing cable, offering Fire,
External Trigger and Arm (1.5 meter)
1 x Quick Start Guide
1 x CD containing Andor user guides
1 x Individual system performance sheet

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

8.

Front cover image courtesy of Gopi Shah, Max Planck
Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden.
Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy imaging of Zebrafish
embryo gastrulation from 4 to 18 hours post-fertilization,
where each cell nucleus is labelled with GFP. Cells arecolor-coded for depth to visualize how dynamic cell
reorganization gives rise to the body axis of zebrafish.

9.

Figures are typical unless otherwise stated.
Readout noise is for the entire system and is taken as a median over the sensor area excluding any
regions of blemishes. It is a combination of sensor readout noise and A/D noise.
Quantum efficiency of the sensor at 20°C as supplied by the manufacturer.
Dark current measurement is taken as a median over the sensor area excluding any regions of blemishes.
Linearity is measured from a plot of Signal vs. Exposure Time, in accord with EMVA 1288 standard.
Software Exposure Events provide rapid software notification (SDK only) of the start and end of acquisition,
useful for tight synchronization to moving peripheral devices e.g. Z-stage.
The maximum frames/s table for Zyla indicate the maximum speed at which the device can acquire images
in a standard system at full frame and also a range of sub-array size, for both rolling and global shutter readmodes (Zyla 5.5), 12-bit single amplifier (rates also apply to dual amplifier 16-bit for Zyla 4.2). Note thatthe write speed of the PC hard drive can impose a further restriction to achieving sustained kinetic seriesacquisition.
‘Global Clear’ is an optional keep clean mechanism that can be implemented in rolling shutter mode,
which purges charge from all rows of the sensor simultaneously, at the exposure start. The exposure end
is still rolling shutter. It can be used alongside the Fire All output of the camera and a pulsed light source tosimulate Global Exposure mechanism, albeit less efficiently than the true Global Shutter exposure mode of
Zyla 5.5. Furthermore Global Clear differs from true Global Shutter in that it can only be used in ‘non-overlap’
readout mode, i.e. sequential exposure and readout phases rather than simultaneous.
Zyla USB 3.0 models should work with any modern USB 3.0 enabled PC/laptop (provided hard drives or
RAM is sufficient to support data rates) as every USB 3.0 port should have its own host controller. Zyla USB
3.0 models also ship with a USB 3.0 PCI card as a means to add a USB 3.0 port to an older PC, or as adiagnostic aid to interoperability issues or to ensure maximum speed.

MINIMUM COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS:

Operating and Storage Conditions• 2.68 GHz Quad Core
• 4GB RAM (increase RAM if to be used for continuous
data spooling)• Hard Drive:
Minimum 450 MB/s continuous write for USB 3.0
modelsMinimum 850 MB/s continuous write for Camera Link
10-tap models• PCI Express x4 or greater for USB 3.0 models• PCI Express x8 or greater for Camera Link 10-tap
models• Windows (7, 8, 8.1 or 10) or Linux* See technical note entitled: ‘PC Specifications for sCMOS’** Note, Andor supply PC workstations for Zyla, see page10.

• Operating Temperature:
Zyla 5.5: 0ºC to 30ºC ambient
Zyla 4.2: 0ºC to 27ºC ambient• Relative Humidity: < 70% (non-condensing)• Storage Temperature: -10ºC to 50ºC
Power Requirements• Please refer to page 11

Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation
LZYLASS 0517 R1

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