The Alpine® direct detection camera from Gatan is considered to be the world’s first direct detection camera to democratize cryo-EM.
Advantages
Alpine is the world’s first direct detection camera to democratize cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) imaging. Alpine enables the capture of high-resolution structures using 100 – 200 keV microscopes, making routine cryo-EM research accessible on cost-effective, commonly-used instruments and broadening its applicability within the wider research community.
- Achieves a Detective Quantum Efficiency (DQE) that outperforms scintillator-based cameras by up to 2.4 times
- Consistently acquires high-resolution data within the 100 – 200 keV range, effectively transforming screening microscopes into data collection tools
- Enables 2D classification of small molecules and enhances macromolecule reconstructions
- Enhances workflow efficiency by early failure detection, leading to quicker, improved structure generation
- Real-time counting guarantees no trade-off between data collection speed and quality

Transthyretin resolved to 4.6 Å at 100 keV. Transthyretin (55 kDa) resolved to 4.6 Å at 100 keV acquired with an Alpine camera on a Talos F200C (equipped with an SFEG) using CDS at ~5.2 e-/pixel/s. The study used a Gatan model 626 side-entry holder for all samples and Leginon for data acquisition. Data courtesy Gabe Lander, The Scripps Research Institute.
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Throughput versus total dose comparison. When combined with Latitude software, Alpine delivers high-quality data at the highest imaging throughputs from 100 – 200 keV. Image Credit: Gatan, Inc.

Aldolase resolved to 3.07 Å at 100 keV. Aldolase (100 kDa) resolved to 3.07 Å at 100 keV acquired with an Alpine camera on a Talos F200C (equipped with an SFEG) at 45kx (0.851 Å/pixel) using CDS at ~5.2 e-/pixel/s, 100 ms frames, 10 frames/s. Samples were prepared by manual plunging samples onto glow discharged Quantifoil UltrAuFoil grids with 1.2 μm holes spaced 1.3 μm apart. The study used a Gatan model 626 side-entry holder for all samples and Leginon for data acquisition. Data courtesy Gabe Lander, The Scripps Research Institute.

Apoferritin resolved to 2.7 Å at 100 keV. Apoferritin (550 kDa) resolved to 2.7 Å at 100 keV acquired with an Alpine camera on a Talos F200C (equipped with an SFEG) at 45kx (0.851 Å/pixel) using CDS at ~5.2 e-/pixel/s, 100 ms frames, 10 frames/s. Samples were prepared by manual plunging samples onto glow discharged Quantifoil UltrAuFoil grids with 1.2 μm holes spaced 1.3 μm apart. The study used a Gatan model 626 side-entry holder for all samples and Leginon for data acquisition. Data courtesy Gabe Lander, The Scripps Research Institute.