Software Defined Microscope

A microscope having a first illumination spatial light modulator (SLM) that receives light of a first wavelength from an illumination source and processes that light in a manner that transfers light into an objective lens through a dichroic reflector that passes light of the first wavelength is disclosed. The microscope includes an imaging system that receives light from the objective lens and forms an image on a camera, and a controller having a graphical user input that displays the image to a user and controls the first illumination SLM to alter the processing of the light in response to commands from the user. The illumination SLM is controlled to provide functions that would normally be carried out by one or more lenses or prisms in the illumination optical train of a conventional microscope and/or correct for alignment errors in the illumination source.