A flow cytometer comprising: a first imaging sensor configured to capture one or more images of a flow stream in a first detection field of the flow cytometer; and a processor comprising memory operably coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes instructions stored thereon to determine one or more properties of the flow stream and generate a data signal corresponding to the one or more properties of the flow stream, wherein the processor is configured to automatically adjust one or more parameters of the flow cytometer in response to the data signal, and wherein the processor is configured to: determine the spatial position of the flow stream and generate a data signal corresponding to the spatial position of the flow stream, characterized in that the determination is based on data obtained from a system that further comprises: a second imaging sensor configured to detect the flow stream position in a second detection field that is substantially orthogonally oriented in an X-Y plane orthogonal to the axis of the flow stream from the first detection field and to generate a second signal representative of the stream position in the second detection field; a first support stage comprising a laser for providing illumination and operationally coupled to the first and second imaging sensors, wherein the first stage is configured to automatically adjust positions in the X-Y plane in response to the second signal in addition to a first signal that is representative of the stream position in the first detection field of the first imaging sensor; and a second support stage comprising a collection container and configured to adjust positions in the X-Y plane in response to the first signal. a first imaging sensor configured to capture one or more images of a flow stream in a first detection field of the flow cytometer; and a processor comprising memory operably coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes instructions stored thereon to determine one or more properties of the flow stream and generate a data signal corresponding to the one or more properties of the flow stream, wherein the processor is configured to automatically adjust one or more parameters of the flow cytometer in response to the data signal, and wherein the processor is configured to: determine the spatial position of the flow stream and generate a data signal corresponding to the spatial position of the flow stream, characterized in that the determination is based on data obtained from a system that further comprises: a second imaging sensor configured to detect the flow stream position in a second detection field that is substantially orthogonally oriented in an X-Y plane orthogonal to the axis of the flow stream from the first detection field and to generate a second signal representative of the stream position in the second detection field; a first support stage comprising a laser for providing illumination and operationally coupled to the first and second imaging sensors, wherein the first stage is configured to automatically adjust positions in the X-Y plane in response to the second signal in addition to a first signal that is representative of the stream position in the first detection field of the first imaging sensor; and a second support stage comprising a collection container and configured to adjust positions in the X-Y plane in response to the first signal. determine the spatial position of the flow stream and generate a data signal corresponding to the spatial position of the flow stream a second imaging sensor configured to detect the flow stream position in a second detection field that is substantially orthogonally oriented in an X-Y plane orthogonal to the axis of the flow stream from the first detection field and to generate a second signal representative of the stream position in the second detection field; a first support stage comprising a laser for providing illumination and operationally coupled to the first and second imaging sensors, wherein the first stage is configured to automatically adjust positions in the X-Y plane in response to the second signal in addition to a first signal that is representative of the stream position in the first detection field of the first imaging sensor; and a second support stage comprising a collection container and configured to adjust positions in the X-Y plane in response to the first signal.