Gel & Blot Imaging Solutions
Hoefer Imaging: FlexPro, FlexSecure, Chemi FX & FX6/FX9
Modern research imaging now spans far more than capturing a DNA gel. Labs today often need to visualize DNA, quantify total protein, detect fluorescently labeled proteins, and perform chemiluminescent Western blots — sometimes all within the same instrument. Selecting the correct imaging platform therefore requires clarity on what your lab actually needs to capture, what stains you routinely use, and what level of sensitivity or security is required.
Below is a comparison of Hoefer’s core imaging systems to help you evaluate which one aligns with your research, budget, and throughput:
FPGD2 FlexPro Gel Doc Imaging System
The FlexPro is designed for labs that primarily need reliable, clean documentation of gels, especially DNA gels (EtBr, SYBR Safe, SYBR Green, GelRed), and protein gels stained with Coomassie, silver stain, Ponceau, or total-protein fluorescent stains.
It fits many labs because most academic groups still rely on ethidium bromide, and the FlexPro’s UV transilluminator provides classic excitation for crisp EtBr visualization. It also supports blue light for low-damage workflows.
FXGD3 FlexSecure Gel Doc Imaging System
The FXGD3 builds on the FlexPro platform but adds secure data handling, making it suitable for academic cores, shared facilities, and labs with compliance or traceability requirements.
Consider this system if your department or institution has compliance frameworks or many users access the same imaging workstation.
Important distinction: FlexPro and FlexSecure are gel documentation systems designed for DNA gels, Coomassie/silver-stained protein gels, and basic single-channel fluorescence. They can image fluorescent total-protein stains but with lower sensitivity and fewer filter options.
In contrast, the Chemi FX and Chemi FX6/FX9 systems are full gel + blot imagers supporting higher-sensitivity fluorescence, multi-channel fluorescent Westerns, and chemiluminescent blot imaging. All systems can image fluorescent stains — the true difference is sensitivity, flexibility, and quantitative performance.
Chemi FX ChemiFluo Imaging System
The Chemi FX expands beyond gels into Western blotting, with high-sensitivity detection for chemiluminescent HRP blots, fluorescent secondaries, and fluorescent total-protein stains (TCE, TGX, SYPRO Ruby — stains that can be washed out or destained).
This system is ideal if your lab performs both gels and Western blots without requiring ultra-high-end multichannel fluorescence.
Chemi FX6 and Chemi FX9 ChemiFluo Imaging Systems
These systems (FX6 and FX9) are built for demanding research-grade fluorescent and chemiluminescent imaging. They excel in multicolor fluorescent Western blots, low-abundance target detection, and publication-quality quantitative imaging.
FX6: Strong sensitivity suitable for most multi-channel imaging.
FX9: Highest sensitivity with superior optics for faint bands or very low-expression targets.
Choosing the Right System
If your lab primarily runs DNA or protein gels, FlexPro or FlexSecure offer simple, reliable documentation without unnecessary features. For standard HRP/ECL Western blots, Chemi FX provides clean chemiluminescent imaging with additional fluorescent capability. For multicolor fluorescent blots or low-abundance proteins, Chemi FX6 or FX9 deliver higher sensitivity and greater versatility.
All systems support common stains — from ethidium bromide to fluorescent total-protein stains that can be washed out or destained — but differ in sensitivity, flexibility, and quantitative performance.