Automated systems and methods for evaluating specimens affixed to substrates, such as slides, an exemplary system including a slide imager configured for acquiring a plurality of micro images of a specimen affixed to an substrate, the specimen including a plurality of objects distributed within a three-dimensional volume, and for generating a whole specimen image of the specimen using the micro images, wherein objects contained in the specimen are depicted substantially in focus in the whole specimen image regardless of a z-depth of the respective objects within the specimen. The whole specimen image is stored on a storage medium for subsequent review by a cytotechnologist using a computer-controlled review station including a display and a user interface, wherein the review station user interface is configured such that the cytotechnologist can review and classify the stored whole specimen images.

A video projector, a shutter mechanism for a video projector, and a method for reducing image blur. A shutter can include regions that are 100% transmissive to light and regions that are more than 0% transmissive (but less than 100% transmissive). The more than 0% transmissive regions raise the perceived brightness of the image relative to a shutter with 0% transmissive regions, enabling the 100% transmissive regions to be smaller. The smaller 100% transmissive regions result in reduced image blur. The more than 0% transmissive regions can include a filter that filters out certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum of the image to provide a perceived corrected image.

A video projector, a shutter mechanism for a video projector, and a method for reducing image blur. A shutter can include regions that are 100% transmissive to light and regions that are more than 0% transmissive (but less than 100% transmissive). The more than 0% transmissive regions raise the perceived brightness of the image relative to a shutter with 0% transmissive regions, enabling the 100% transmissive regions to be smaller. The smaller 100% transmissive regions result in reduced image blur. The more than 0% transmissive regions can include a filter that filters out certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum of the image to provide a perceived corrected image.