Confocal microscopes work to block out of focus light by utilising the pinhole and therefore generate clearer images than those from a widefield system. Confocals are either laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM) configurations utilising a detector and point scanning system, or spinning disk microscope which uses a array of pinholes configured on a disk which spins.

The Zeiss 800 offers high-end confocal imaging in a compact set-up, complete with two highly sensitive GaAsP detectors alongside an Airyscan detector.