[Histonet] Fluorescent Illumination Systems

[Melissa Gonzalez]

Hello all,
I am currently in the market to upgrade our existing HB0 100 lamp house, which is very old, to several of new systems. Either the newest version of the HB0 100 from Zeiss, a mercury halide system called X-Cite from EXFO, or a xenon based burner called Lambda LS from Sutter Instruments. They are all comparable in price, but my main concern is increasing the brightness of my signal and evenly illuminating the field of view. I mostly look at DAPI, eGFP, FITC, and Alexa 594, which from spectral outputs, each one of these systems appears to have a different weakness in one of the above. On a plus, the Xcite rates their bulbs at 1500 hours, and the Lambda at 500-1000hrs. 
Does anyone out there have any input/comments/experience with these systems? (This would be hooked up to a Zeiss Axioplan)
Thanks a lot,
Melissa