The OV100 provides a 114:1 zoom ratio change and features superior optics for high resolution and efficiency of light collection. The OV100 integrates many basic needs of whole animal imaging including the removal of auto-fluorescence background and high performance in the NIR range up to 1000nm for fluorescence detection. The OV100 also allows the user to choose a CCD camera to meet the specific demands of their research i.e. high resolution, high speed, or low light sensitivity.