1. A method comprising: providing a detector comprising a plurality of pixels that are capable of forming an optical image of fluorescent light emitted from a biological sample; using the detector to detect a first fluorescent signal from a biological sample; generating a first electronic signal that corresponds to said fluorescent signal; characterizing a signal noise component of the first electronic signal as a characterized signal noise component comprising a dark current contribution; manipulating the detector to reduce signal noise based upon the signal noise component, and to form a manipulated detector; using the manipulated detector to detect a second fluorescent signal from the biological sample; and using the manipulated detector to generate a second electronic signal.