Illumination apparatus for microscope and image processing apparatus using the same

An image processing apparatus for a microscope, comprising:

• a light source for white light;
• beam splitting means for splitting a light beam emitted from the light source into a beam of first irradiation light and a beam of second irradiation light;
• a first attenuation filter for adjusting an intensity of the first irradiation light;
• a second attenuation filter for adjusting an intensity of the second irradiation light;
• a first excitation filter for selecting a wavelength of the first irradiation light;
• a second excitation filter for selecting a wavelength of the second irradiation light;
• beam synthesizing means for synthesizing the beam of the first irradiation light whose wavelength is selected and the beam of the second irradiation light whose wavelength is selected, into a single light beam;
• a first dichroic mirror for introducing the light beam synthesized by the beam synthesizing means in a direction of a specimen;
• an objective lens interposed between the first dichroic mirror and the specimen;
• a second dichroic mirror, arranged to receive fluorescent light which has been emitted from the specimen and passed through the objective lens and the first dichroic mirror, for splitting the fluorescent light emitted from the specimen into a beam of first fluorescent light generated by excitation with the first irradiation light whose wavelength is selected by the first excitation filter and a beam of second fluorescent light generated by excitation with the second irradiation light whose wavelength is selected by the second excitation filter;
• a first camera for imaging the first fluorescent light;
• a second camera for imaging the second fluorescent light;
• a first fluorescence filter arranged between the second dichroic mirror and the first camera, to be used in combination with the first excitation filter;
• a second fluorescence filter arranged between the second dichroic mirror and the second camera, to be used in combination with the second excitation filter;
• and
• image processing means for performing synthesis processing of fluorescent images respectively imaged by the first and second camera;
• wherein at least one of the first attenuation filter, the second attenuation filter, and the image processing means is used for image adjustment so that an intensity of the first fluorescent light and an intensity of the second fluorescent light in an ultimate synthesized image are at an equal level.