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QCapture Suite User`s Manual

1. HIGH PERFORMANCE DIGITAL IMAGING made easy QCapture Suite User s Manual Applicability This document applies to the QCapture Suite software For the latest updates please visit WWW QIMAGING COM Notice of Copyright Copyright 2005 Quantitative Imaging Corporation All rights reserved Unauthorized duplication of this document is prohibited Trademarks and Proprietary Names QOlmaging Retiga Rolera MicroPublisher and QCapture are trademarks of Qlmaging Product names mentioned in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of Qlmaging or other hardware software or service providers and are used herein for identification purposes only Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks in the U S and other countries of Microsoft Corporation and are used herein for identification purposes only Apple and Macintosh are registered in the U S and other countries by Apple Computer Inc and are used herein for identification purposes only Qimaging Corporation Address Information 4190 Still Creek Drive Suite 110 Willingdon Business Park Burnaby BC Canada V5C 6C6 604 708 5061 WWW QIMAGING COM Qimaging Technical Support Technical support is available to all registered users of Qlmaging products from 9am to 5pm Pacific Standard Time SUPPORT QIMAGING COM 604 708 5061 WWW QIMAGING COM SUPPORT CONTACT CONTENTS QCapture Suite User s Manual ssssss He mm e nme nnne INFRO
2. Figure 38 Monochrome Balance Tab The Color Balance tab for a monochrome camera also allows you to set the green exposure automatically This option has the same effect as the exposure settings in the Basic and Exposure tabs To set the green exposure automatically for a monochrome camera 1 Click to open the Camera Settings window if it is not already open 2 Select the Color Balance tab 3 Click and drag with your mouse to select the region in the Preview window As you drag you will see a red box drawn around the selected area in the preview image To change the selection release the mouse button and then click and drag again 4 Click Auto Expose Green QCapture uses only the image data inside the selected region to calculate the appropriate exposure for the entire monochrome frame Using Binning Binning is a method of increasing camera speed and sensitivity to boost low signals Binning is a useful technique for imaging objects that have faint light colored regions 30 Binning results in a brighter acquired image frequently with better detail but the resolution is lower and the image is smaller as a result If you are looking for ways to increase frame rates binning is one option The smaller size of binned images results in reduced image transfer time When you select a binning setting QCapture combines data from several pixels in the camera s CCD into a single larger pixel Higher binning settings incr
3. The components available for installation include QCapture Suite Application The QCapture Suite image capture software This application is required to operate your Qlmaging camera e Photoshop Plugin A plug in utility for the Photoshop or Photoshop Elements for image editing e ImageJ Plugin A plug in utility that integrates your QCapture with ImageJ for image editing e Twain Interface An industry standard interface that allows many Windows image editing applications to acquire images using Qlmaging cameras 3 QCapture Suite Select Components In the options list v GCapture Application below select the checkboxes for the v Photoshop Plugin options that you Iv ImageJ Plugin would like to have v Twain Interface installed I Create Desktop Shortcut The disk space fields reflect the requirements of the options you have selected Disk Space Required 1558 k Disk Space Remaining 15705881 k ise Installation Wizard E Cancel Figure 7 Select Components Screen 10 The Start Installation screen appears To change the installation settings click Back Otherwise click Next to continue 73 QCapture Suite Start Installation You are now ready to install Capture Suite Press the Next button to begin the installation or the Back button to reenter the installation information Figure 8 Start Installation Screen 11 Click Next to continue A final screen announces that the Q
4. Setting the Format Using some Qlmaging cameras and RGB filter modules you may have the option of capturing images in either monochrome or color formats 21 Windows Version amp Mac OS Version Format Format C od fe Monochrome f Color Color Filter Figure 29 Format Options Basic Tab Monochrome e fyouare using a monochrome camera with an RGB filter module and have set QCapture Suite to monochrome the camera will capture a monochrome image through the color that is set in the Color Filter State option on the Advanced tab For more information see Color Filter State on page 37 e lf you are using a monochrome camera and have disengaged the RGB filter selecting the Monochrome format causes the camera to capture true monochrome images e Olmaging s color CCD cameras except the MicroPublisher will automatically capture in Monochrome mode when binning is set at 2x2 or higher Color Color Bayer Color Filter e f you are using a color camera with the standard binning setting 1x1 the Color format is selected automatically For all other binning modes the camera setting changes automatically to Monochrome except for the MicroPublisher which is capable of capturing color images in any binning setting e fyouare using a monochrome camera with an RGB filter module you can use the Color Filter format to cause the camera to capture color images When you use an RGB filter module and the Color
5. Click the Start menu Select Programs QCapture Suite QCapture Or double click the QCapture Suite icon on the desktop Figure 23 QCapture Icon Windows To start QCapture for Mac OS 1 Plug in and turn on the camera 2 Open the Applications folder or the folder where you installed QCapture Suite 3 4 Open the QCapture folder Double click the QCapture icon Figure 24 QCapture Icon Mac OS The main QCapture window opens In the Windows version the main menu and tool bar appear with a blank image preview window In the Mac OS version a static image appears in the preview window Using the Tool Bar The QCapture tool bar gives you quick access to key functions 17 Windows Version amp Mac OS Version e Tools Up hl gam s o mJ Li Figure 25 Tool Bars for Windows and Mac Windows Tool Bar Buttons amp MacOS Tool Bar Buttons Open Image Quit Exits the ne E Program or associated plug ins au l Switch Cameras Camera Settings F Display Settings Start Streaming m Preview to stop streaming press E _ DIEN Start Image Preview Zoom In A Snap Zoom Out e P Zoom In A Zoom Out P Figure 26 Tool Bar Buttons for Windows and Mac Previewing an Image QCapture allows you to preview images and see the results of your camera setting adjustments onscreen before you capture the digital images 18 3p Windows Version amp Mac OS Version Figure 27 I
6. The default is 255 Gamma A computer monitor does not accurately display the full linear range of luminance levels brightness in an image The computer display is somewhat darker than the actual image especially near the dark end of the scale Gamma correction is a method of modifying an image to correct for the limitations of the computer display Use the QCapture application s gamma setting to highlight the darkest features in an image by using gamma to apply a non linear correction to pixel values 47 To adjust the gamma You can adjust the gamma in one of two ways e Click and drag the gamma control point see Figure 55 and drag it up or down with your mouse to adjust the parameter There may be a slight delay before the control point moves to the new location OR e Enter a value in the Gamma entry field Raising the gamma level brightens the image especially in the darkest areas The default gamma setting is 1 Auto Contrast Click Auto Contrast to adjust the Black level and White level automatically QCapture calculates the optimal levels for display Default Levels Click Default Levels to restore all the display settings to the default values 48 GLOSSARY Binning Binning is a method of increasing camera speed and sensitivity to boost low signals Binning causes the acquired image to be brighter and smaller but the resolution will be lower as a result Because the image is smaller the image transf
7. D Figure 21 Easy Install Screen 9 Click Upgrade or Install to begin the installation The Authentication screen is displayed Authenticate Installer requires that you type your password Mame Username Password ssssasa b Details Figure 22 Authentication Screen Type in your username and password which contains administrative privileges that allow you to install software onto your computer Click OK when ready 15 If the installer detects multiple folders on your hard drive for plug ins or system files it may prompt you to choose a folder Select a folder for the QCapture plug ins or systems files then click OK 10 A final screen notifies you that the installation was successful and prompts you to restart your computer Click Restart to complete the installation process Step 2 Connect the camera The FireWire cable connects your camera to the computer and also provides all the necessary power to most Qlmaging cameras See Step 3 Connect the camera under installation in Windows Preparing the Camera for Use This section provides basic instructions for getting started with your Qlmaging camera to your computer See the camera manual for complete operating instructions Connecting an auxiliary power supply Most Qlmaging cameras are adequately powered by the FireWire connection There are a few situations however where auxiliary power may be required e f you are using cooling with so
8. Mode High Sensitivity Mode Intensifier Type QCam Driver Version Figure 49 Camera Settings Info Tab Switching cameras Retiga 4000R 32 0134A 103 12751 0 112 Build 16 KAI 4021CM Clear Glass Bayer 2048 2048 12 Not Available Not Available 0c 0c Not Available Not Available Not Available Not Available 1 80 0 QCapture supports multiple Qlmaging FireWire cameras If you have two IEEE 1394 FireWire cards in your computer you can connect two cameras at the same time and run then simultaneously Windows Version You will need to run two separate copies of QCapture to control two cameras simultaneously otherwise the Windows version of QCapture provides a Select Camera option to allow you to switch cameras at any time This is important if you only have one PCI card or you are daisy chaining your cameras i e connecting your second camera through the second port of the first camera To switch cameras Windows version 1 Connect the new camera to your computer if it s not already connected 2 Click the Switch Cameras button in the tool bar or go to the Acquire menu and choose Select Camera The Select Camera dialog opens 39 Select Camera Unknown ID 10003 Unknown ID 2431 4 Figure 50 Select Camera Dialog 3 Select the camera you wish to use and click OK If you have multiple cameras connected when you start QCapture the same Select Camera dialog will promp
9. Select one of the following a Most Significant Bit aligned This is the most common bit order for TIFF image files but there are a few computer systems and graphics applications that do not recognize TIFF files in this format If your graphics application is unable to open a TIFF file captured using QCapture or if the image opens but appears to be corrupted try saving the TIFF file with Least Significant Bit aligned selected to reverse the bit order b Least Significant Bit aligned A reverse bit order for TIFF files Mac OS Save Options a As Seen on Screen Saves the image as it appears on screen with color processing such as color balance applied b Raw Data Saves the raw image data from the camera with no color processing 7 Click Save The Exposure settings in the Camera Settings window affect the operation of the camera itself and the resulting raw camera data All color balancing however is done by the QCapture software after the camera captures the image Saving the raw image data eliminates all color balancing Working with Captured Images The WindowsQ version of QCapture M provides a number of image display options Adjusting the Zoom The zoom controls in the tool bar allow you to adjust the display size of the active image window QCapture supports zoom percentages of 12 596 25 50 10096 200 and 40096 43 To change the image zoom e Click 48 to zoom in e Click 49 to zoom
10. What do you want the wizard to do S Install the software automatically Recommended Install from a list or specific location Advanced Click Next to continue j Cancel Figure 15 Found New Hardware Wizard a Click Next to install the driver software automatically XP will notify you that the driver has not yet completed Windows Logo testing Hardware Installation EN The software you are installing For this hardware Olmaging Digital Camera has not passed Windows Logo testing to verify its compatibility with Windows P Tell me why this testing is important Continuing your installation of this software may impair or destabilize the correct operation of your system either immediately ar in the future Microsoft strongly recommends that you stop this installation now and contact the hardware vendor for software that has passed Windows Logo testing Continue Anyway Figure 16 Windows Logo Testing Alert Box b Click Continue Anyway The software is fully compatible with Windows XP and will not impair the operation of your system c Follow any further instructions to complete the driver software installation 11 Mac OS Installation IMPORTANT Follow these steps in order to complete the installation 1 QCapture Software Install the software and drivers that your new Qlmaging camera needs to capture images 2 Qlmaging camera Do not connect the camera until the QCapture software is in
11. an Ie OS saei pieta eva ncm Cte dm etaastetishai did init 41 SELE EE OOE 2 e E OTT 42 Working with Captured IMAGES seitens Queue ei wed g UC Pi end cdi bn 43 GEO ART d EE 49 ii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Welcome to QCapture Suite Welcome to QCapture Suite from Qlmaging With QCapture Suite you can control all the functions of your new Qlmaging camera Use QCapture Suite to preview acquire and save images Import images into your favorite image processing or analysis program With the easy to use QCapture Suite software you can adjust the camera and optical settings while you preview to make sure that you capture exactly the images you want System Requirements For Windows R PCs e Intel Pentium Ill or 4 processor e Microsoft Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 or Windows XP with Service Pack 1 or 2 e 512MB of RAM e Video card with 8 MB video memory capable of 32 bit color output e Qlmaging Digital Camera Retiga Rolera QlCam or MicroPublisher models For Mac OS Computers e PowerPC G4 or G5 processor e MacOS X 10 2 10 3 or 10 4 e 512 MB RAM e Allthe G4 G5 and iMac models are equipped with a FireWire card For these systems the supplied IEEE 1394 PCI is not required Qlmaging s IEEE 1394 HUB or IEEE 1394 Power Supply may be required to power the camera Contact Qlmaging for ordering information QCapture Suite Features QCapture Suite is designed to meet the imaging needs of every Qlm
12. image frame based on a specific region of interest 1 Click 4 to open the Camera Settings window if it is not already open 2 Select the Exposure tab 3 Click and drag with your mouse to select the region in the Preview window As you drag you will see a red box drawn around the selected area in the preview image To change the selection release the mouse button and then click and drag again 4 Click Auto Expose QCapture uses only the image data inside the selected region to calculate the appropriate exposure for the entire frame The histogram reflects the change but it represents the entire image not just the selected region of interest To reset the exposure values to the default settings e Click Restore Defaults Exposure Slider The Exposure controls allow you to control the exposure of a captured image from 40 microseconds to 17 9 minutes but not all cameras can perform this range of exposures The Exposure slider in this tab is identical to the slider in the Basic tab 25 Windows Version amp MacOS Version Exposure 1 6 ms 38 m 17 9 min Figure 33 Exposure Slider Basic amp Exposure Tabs v Scale exposure when binning changes To adjust the exposure manually e Slide the Exposure slider to the left to decrease the exposure time or to the right to increase the exposure time A typical exposure is approximately 30 ms The longer the exposure time the more light is collected by the sensor T
13. or 12 bit to display the full photometric resolution bit depth of the image Setting the Capture Depth The Capture Depth setting controls the bit depth of the images that you capture with your Qlmaging camera Windows Version amp Mac OS Version Capture Depth f 8 bit Capture Depth 8 bit 1Dbi A 12 bit Figure 31 Capture Depth Options Basic Tab 8 Bit Select 8 bit to capture 8 bit images in situations where a smaller image size is more important than subtle detail This option significantly reduces file size but sacrifices some fine detail 10 Bit or 12 Bit Select 12 bit or 10 bit if you have a 10 bit camera to capture greater image detail Setting the Exposure Depending on the camera QCapture supports exposure times from 50 ns to 17 9 minutes There are several ways to set the exposure Basic Exposure Controls in the Basic Tab The exposure controls in the Basic tab allow quick adjustments 23 To set the exposure in the Basic tab 1 Click amp to open the Camera Settings window if it is not already open 2 Click Auto Expose QCapture will calculate the optimal exposure time based on the whole image area If you prefer you can adjust the exposure manually by sliding the Exposure slider from left to right A typical exposure is approximately 30 ms Advanced Exposure Controls Exposure Tab For finer control of the image exposure select the Exposure tab Windows Version am
14. out You can also adjust the zoom from the Basic tab of the Display Settings window See the next section for details Adjusting the Display Settings Windows only The controls in the Display Settings window allow you to adjust the image display These controls affect only the screen display the image file itself is unaffected unless you choose to save the image as it is displayed on the screen see Saving an Image on page 42 for details To open the Display Settings window e Click or select the View menu and choose Display Settings Display Settings Basic Levels Zoom 100 Rotate 180 degrees Gamma correction Display Defaults Figure 53 Display Settings Basic Tab Like the zoom controls in the tool bar the Zoom selections in this window allow you to adjust the display size of the active image window To adjust the magnification of the image display e Select a zoom percentage from the selection box 12 5 percent one eighth size 1 8 25 percent one quarter size 1 4 50 percent half size 1 2 100 percent actual size 1 1 200 percent twice normal size 2 1 400 percent 4 times normal size 4 1 44 Rotate 180 Degrees On some optical systems it is not possible to orient the camera to create an upright image on the display screen To correct this use the Rotate 180 degrees option To Rotate the image 180 degrees e Select the Rotate 180 degrees checkbox to invert the image in the
15. pin FireWire IEEE 1394 Port connection 3 Complete the New Hardware installation Windows 2000 If this is the first time you have installed this camera Windows will detect the new camera and find the driver On slower systems detection can take up to 30 seconds Windows 2000 will notify you that the driver is unsigned Digital Signature Not Found i xj The Microsoft digital signature affirms that software has been tested with Windows and that the software has not been altered since it was tested The software you are about to install does not contain a Microsoft digital signature Therefore there is no quarantee that this software works correctly with Windows Olmaging Digital Camera If you want to search for Microsoft digitally signed software visit the Windows Update Web site at http windowsupdate microsoft com to see if one is available Do you want to continue the installation E No More Info Figure 14 Windows 2000 Unsigned Driver Alert Box Click Yes to complete the installation Windows XP Professional A few seconds after you connect and turn on your camera for the first time the Found New Hardware Wizard opens possibly behind another open window 10 Found New Hardware Wizard Welcome to the Found New Hardware Wizard This wizard helps you install software for Glmaging Digital Camera If your hardware came with an installation CD aP or floppy disk insert it now
16. Capture Suite software installation is complete 73 QCapture Suite BCapture Suite has been successfully installed Press the Finish button to exit this installation RIIMAGING Figure 9 Finish Screen 12 Click Finish to exit the installation program Step 3 Connect the Camera The FireWire cable connects your camera to the computer and also provides all the necessary power to most Qlmaging cameras See Preparing the Camera for Use on page 16 for exceptions To connect the camera 1 Remove the cable from the camera box and plug one end into one of the camera s FireWire sockets either socket will work O FIREWIRE presens ico Saar E Ports O em TE a tio 5 y Lika PWR Ll is A E OQ O9 MicroPublisher side view connectors ES Cy OODD00090QQQCOO0 E SPOS 96 6 6 0 0 0000 9 i O OC GCO S S GS X300 9099 9 099 GOO OOOGOOOOGOOOOO QICAM Retiga rear view connectors Retiga SRV rear view connectors Figure 10 Camera FireWire Sockets 2 Plug the other end of the cable into a FireWire socket on your computer see Figure 11 Figure 12 and Figure 13 The IEEE 1394 PCI card included in the camera package has two FireWire sockets use either one Camera Computer Figure 11 6 pin to 6 pin FireWire IEEE 1394 Port connection Camera Computer Figure 12 6 pin to 4 pin FireWire IEEE 1394 Port connection Computer Figure 13 9 pin to 6
17. Click the Snap button in the tool bar to capture an image Read the next two chapters for detailed instructions on setting the camera settings to capture exactly the images you want 20 CHAPTER 4 ADJUSTING CAMERA SETTINGS The Camera Settings window provides controls and options for adjusting the camera s image preview and capture functions while you preview the image adjustments on screen Opening the Camera Settings window Select the Camera Settings button in the tool bar The Camera Settings window opens 3g Windows Version Camera Settings Basic Exposure Color Balance Advanced Info Format Preview Depth Capture Depth Monochrome C 8bit C 8bit C Color filter 12 bit 12 bit Binning Horizontal 2 Y _ Auto Expose por Vertical 2 E Camera Defaults Set ROI Exposure 10 us 4 1 ms 17 3 min V Scale exposure when binning changes Temperature Control v Cooler Degrees C Camera Modes r r amp MacOS Version Camera Settings _ Basic Exposure l Color Control Advanced Info in Format Capture Depth Binning Monochrome Q 8 bit Horizontal Color Bayer 12 bit Vertical Region of Interest ROI Position Size X Axis 0 Width ar lar Y Axis 0 Height Set Reset Exposure UM 10 us Elm 17 9 min vi Match Exposure to Binning Mode Temperature Control Cooler Degrees C 0 Camera Modes Figure 28 Camera Settings Window Basic Tab
18. DU TOs P 1 Weiome LO doe TEC 1 By SRT Fe CLI UNS merrier aa A EEA Ema EU E E 1 QUIE E uus pec eee ae Poa C MEL EM A 2 OC aD Gre SUITE Features TEE EU EST 3 JSEZPpiHWligpn T eS 4 WINGOWS Instala tiOn corseira time re ie end bd n tap itn Cee teres tn mene te enon tr arent gt 4 MacOs Stal lA WOM RD TO TUTTI 12 Pieparing tae risa TOP IUS rad eee tUe Teac seemed bae beet dai etacatu Ravages 16 GETTING STARTED WITH OGAPTURE zs esteecuuto ette eir rh eate bU ema Ptr mita 17 Arn OQ GCQ0 UNG PC T A A 17 SIG Pele d Eee Mc M NR EET 17 Previewing an IMage vob dostiosr toto entatdun eumd Ste tet ceu er uS at edi 18 erlernen ngo MR E 20 ADJUSTING CAMERA SETTINGS c is ccchcncseasmmeduciiarataceutaponealutelincsnadnenen Man Hae Fh aeu pet 2 Opening the Camera Settings windOw ssssse 21 POE ERG E Oli omensspetestast tanter io iopittreon R kb ussemd uuu d Lega meus 21 STUNG tae EXPOS U E cest adtocec i tout te cdeas a Eon ai Ine EET 23 Paane C OO gem t LEE 27 Ue ROSE aa e OT ET 30 Serung a REGIOON ere Tarena a a Rd sor DEUM 31 temperature C OnO NT RE I TM 32 Camera MOSS ureri n N des 33 Resetting Camera Defaults ssssssssssssssssse menn 33 using Aduanced OPtiONnS sudes sFotX CHE orte uates tas ta aE aia aaa aad 33 Locating Camera Information for Service Issues ssssssssss 38 sense E Chl IN I c MIO 39 CAPTURING AND WORKING WITH IMAGES sssssee 41 CODO
19. Filter format QCapture automatically captures a three shot sequence of Red Green and Blue images to form a full color image e fyouare using a monochrome camera without an RGB filter module and you select the Color Filter format the resulting images will appear to have some color In this case however the color is artificial and will not accurately represent the object being imaged Setting the Preview Depth The Preview Depth settings in the Basic tab Windows version only control the bit depth of the screen display the number of binary data bits per color used to record the brightness of each pixel Preview Depth e B bit f 10bit Figure 30 Preview Depth Options Basic Tab 22 8 Bit In the default 8 bit mode the screen display is limited to 8 bits per color 256 colors or shades of gray Your Qlmaging camera is capable of capturing 10 bit or 12 bit images some models up to 30 bit images so some fine detail may be lost in 8 bit display mode Some computer monitors cannot display more than 256 colors so it may never be necessary to change this default setting Note that the Mac OS version of QCapture Suite will only preview in 8 bit mode 10 Bit or 12 Bit Depending on the capabilities of your Qlmaging camera QCapture will also allow you to display images on screen in either 10 bit or 12 bit mode 1024 or 4096 colors or shades of gray If your screen display supports more depth of color you can select 10 bit
20. age becomes less red If you are capturing monochrome images the Green Exposure slider adjusts the overall image exposure Any changes you make to the Green Exposure will be reflected in the Exposure slider settings in the Basic and Exposure tabs A separate option allows you to select whether to link the red blue exposures to the green on a linear scale or adjust them separately Red Blue Link with Green Linear Scale When you adjust the Green Exposure slider or the Exposure slider in the Basic or Exposure tab QCapture will make proportionate adjustments to the red and blue exposures to maintain the color balance No Linking Any changes you make to the Green Exposure or to the overall exposure in the Basic or Exposure tab will affect only the green exposure The red and blue exposure settings will remain unchanged 29 Windows Version amp Mac OS Version Camera Settings Camera Settings a Basic Exposure Color Control Advanced Info it Basic Exposure Color Balance Advanced Info Auto Expose Green White Balance Defaults Auto Expose Green White Balance Defaults Green Exposure Exposure 10 ps MOMS 16 4 ms 10 us lim 173 min Red Blue Link to Green Linear Scale Not Linked Red Exposure Red Blue link to Green Linear scale S Not linked 10 T I l l l 17 9 I Blue Exposure 7 02 ms nS N A p 10 ps m 129 8 72 ms
21. aging customer Preview images and capture them with the assurance that what you see in the preview window is what you will get in the digital image Basic Features e Easy operation with camera settings screen e Save image files in TIFF PGM Windows only and PICT Mac OS only formats Advanced Features e Computer controlled exposure time from 50 ns up to 17 9 minutes Camera Dependent and an automatic exposure feature for advanced imaging e Digital gamma correction e Region of Interest ROI option allows frame rates of over 200 frames per second e Simultaneous binning and ROI e ive histogram allows accurate setting of gain offset and exposure The histogram displays RGB when used with color cameras e RGB filter control using optional filter on monochrome cameras e Exposure summation and averaging CHAPTER 2 INSTALLATION IMPORTANT Follow these steps in order to complete the installation DO NOT CONNECT the camera until the camera driver is installed 1 Windows PC users only Install the IEEE 1394 PCI card only if necessary 2 QCapture Suite software Install the software and drivers that your new Qlmaging camera needs to capture images 3 Connect the camera to your computer using the supplied IEEE 1394 cable DO NOT CONNECT the camera until you have a functioning FireWire port in your computer and the camera driver is installed Windows Installation Step 1 Install the 1394 PCI card Windows Us
22. areful consideration that the trigger pulse that begins during the previous readout does not finish before that readout has completed Trigger Expose Readout Figure 48 External Strobe Hi Readout Speed Full Speed or 20 MHz The Readout Speed is normally set to Full Speed Most Qlmaging cameras have a full readout speed of 20 MHz 36 10 MHz 5 MHz 2 5 MHz You can slow down the readout frequency of the camera to reduce a component of image noise related to the camera s electronics Qlmaging cameras are designed to produce low noise at full speed and in most cases you will not need to reduce the readout speed Note that not all readout speeds are supported by all cameras Bayer Interpolation The Bayer Interpolation settings affect only the onscreen image preview When you use a color CCD camera with QCapture the software must calculate color values for each pixel in real time Some computer processors are not fast enough to compute the highest quality color for real time preview You can compensate for a slow processor by adjusting the Bayer Interpolation setting to a faster selection and then changing it prior to capturing your image Average Choose Average for an average image quality during preview and capture This selection uses the Average4 algorithm to calculate the color values for each pixel This is an ideal choice for great image quality with reasonable frame rates BiCubic BiCubic Optimized C
23. asic tab or the Color Balance tab 28 To set the White Balance 1 Placea sample or object that has at least one white area under the microscope or in front of the camera lens Click 5 to start the image preview Adjust the lighting conditions as needed Click amp to open the Camera Settings window if it is not already open EU S e Click and drag with your mouse in the Preview window to select a region that is completely within the white area A red square in the Preview window shows the selected region of interest To re draw the selection simply select another area 6 In either the Basic tab or the Color Balance tab click White Balance The colors should now display correctly in the QCapture Preview window Color Gain Use the Color Gain slider bars and input fields to adjust the relative balance of the colors manually For example if the image looks too blue you can adjust the blue slider to manually correct the color These controls are useful in situations where it is difficult to obtain a proper white balance If you use a monochrome camera with an RGB filter to capture a color image the camera takes three exposures red green and blue and then combines them to create a color image The Color Exposure Green Red and Blue sliders allow you to adjust each color exposure separately For example if you increase the red exposure the resulting image becomes more red If you decrease the red exposure the im
24. ch color channel 1 Select the Separate levels for each color checkbox 2 Click a color button Green Red or Blue and adjust the levels for that color Read the following sections for instructions on adjusting levels Histogram The histogram at the top of this tab graphs the range of values for all pixels in the image area The horizontal axis ranges from O to 2 n where n is the bit depth If your image is 8 bit then the range is O to 255 and for 12 bit the range is from O to 4095 These represent the brightness or fullness of electrons of each pixel ranging from underexposed at the left edge to fully exposed at the right edge The vertical axis represents the number of pixels at the given brightness If you do not want any pixels overexposed or underexposed all the values should fit within the two extremes of this graph white level white value gamma black level Figure 55 Display Levels Histogram The black squares control levels You can adjust these parameters within the graph itself or using the text entry fields below the graph Black Level The black level sets the highest pixel value that will display as a black zero value on the display Pixels with a value below the black level will appear as black in the image To adjust the Black level You can adjust the black level in one of two ways e Click and drag the black level control point see Figure 55 and drag it left or right with your mouse to adjust the paramete
25. e Save As dialog opens Windows Version amp MacOS Version Save Capture Save in fF My Documents j c E3 Save Image File As Book My Received Files Save As File Name Business O Other Font Files Financial C3 security Where Bi Desktop Glossary of Windows 2000 Services files swiebe My Music O TTC logo B My Pictures O Website stuff Format Tiff Format TIFF lt gt Hanae OS fe As Seen on Screen _ Raw Data Save as type TIFF files tif Cancel C Save only the raw data C Save image with adjusted color Save image as displayed on the screen Cancel Save Most Significant Bit aligned C Least Significant Bit aligned Figure 52 Save As Dialog Browse to the folder where you want to save the image file Enter a name for the image file Select an image file format type By default images are saved in TIFF format Select the appropriate save options 42 Windows Save Options Image options Select one of the following a Save only the raw data Saves the raw image data from the camera with no color processing such as color balance or display properties such as gamma applied to it b Save image with adjusted color Saves the image with color processing but with no display properties applied c Save image as displayed on the screen Saves the image as it appears on screen with color processing and display properties applied Bit Order options
26. ease the sensitivity of the camera by boosting the signal and reducing noise For example a 2x2 bin means that 2 pixels in the horizontal direction and 2 pixels in the vertical direction are combined to form one super pixel increasing the signal and reducing the readout noise by four Norma Noise 2x2 Super Pixel Readout a signal readout noise Figure 39 Noise Reduction with 2x2 Binning To apply binning 1 Click to open the Camera Settings window if it is not already open 2 n the Basic tab select a binning setting Windows Version amp MacOS Version Binning Binning Binning X Horizontal 1 g Binning Y Vertical 1 Figure 40 Binning Options Basic Tab e Select new values from the dropdown box in the Horizontal or Vertical fields These values determine the number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical directions that will be grouped together to form larger more sensitive super pixels 3 Make sure that the Scale exposure when binning is set option below the Exposure slider is selected Setting a Region of Interest QCapture allows you to define and capture a region of interest ROI or sub image within an image frame There are several reasons why you might want to do this e Reducing the size of the preview image by binning increases the frame speed of the camera Setting a smaller ROI can increase the camera s frame speed as high as 100 frames per second 3l e Many of
27. er time is reduced significantly When you select a binning setting in your imaging software the camera combines data from several pixels in the camera s CCD into a single super pixel For example a 2x2 bin means that 2 pixels in the horizontal direction and 2 pixels in the vertical direction are combined to form one super pixel C Mount A standard threaded lens mount used to attach a camera to a microscope or a separate lens to a camera CCD Charge Coupled Device abbr CCD Gain The amount of analog signal amplification The gain is factory optimized for the camera s maximum dynamic range Charge Coupled Device The light sensitive silicon chip near the optical interface of the camera that converts light intensities into electrical signals These are typically made up of many pixel elements whose intensities are interpreted by imaging software to display an image on the screen Dynamic Range The ratio of the saturation level of the CCD to the readout noise of the CCD camera system Dynamic range is a measure of the ability of the camera to capture both bright and dark features in a single image In general the higher the camera s dynamic range the more information per pixel it can capture Exposure The amount of time that light reaches the image sensor Field of View The area visible through the camera s optics Firewire 49 See IEEE 1394 IEEE 1394 High bandwidth 40 megabytes second 1394a 80 megabyte
28. era Information for Service Issues The Info tab of the Camera settings window contains information about the camera that is especially useful in the case of service issues with the camera If you ever have to call Qlmaging Technical Support or Customer Service about your camera this information will help them to resolve the problem 38 3g Windows Version Camera Settings Basic Exposure Color Balance Advanced Info Camera Camera type Serial number Hardware version Firmware version Unique ID CCD CCD type CCD model Maximum CCD Width Maximum CCD Height Pixel depth Cooling Cooling Regulated Cooling Min Regulated Temp Max Regulated Temp Features Fan Control Balckout Mode High Sensitivity Intensifi d Inten ube ocam Driver Version Retiga 4000A 32 01344 103 0 112 16 12751 Bayer pattern KAI 4021CM Clear Glass 2048 2048 12 Not available Not available Not available Not available Not available Not available Not available Not available amp Mac OS Version Camera Settings lt Basic Exposure Color Control Advanced Info inten Camera Model Name Serial Number Identifier Hardware Version Firmware Version CCD Model Name Type Maximum Width Maximum Height Maximum Pixel Depth Cooling Cooler Regulated Cooling Min Regulated Temperature Max Regulated Temperature Features Fan Control Blackout
29. ers Only Check your computer for an existing FireWire port Your Qlmaging Camera connects to your Windows PC via a FireWire port If you already have a FireWire port you do not have to install the IEEE 1394 PCI card Check the connectors at the back of your PC for a port that matches the FireWire ports on your camera Figure 1 Figure 2 and Figure 3 Camera Computer Figure 1 6 pin to 6 pin FireWire IEEE 1394 Port connection Camera Computer Figure 2 6 pin to 4 pin FireWire IEEE 1394 Port connection Camera Computer Figure 3 9 pin to 6 pin FireWire IEEE 1394 Port connection If your PC does not have a functioning FireWire port you must install the IEEE 1394 PCI card that came with your camera If necessary install the supplied IEEE 1394 PCI card e Shut down your computer e Open the case and install the supplied IEEE 1394 card into an empty PCI slot See the user s manual for your computer for complete instructions on installing new PCI cards e Restart your computer Windows should automatically install the appropriate software drivers for the card Step 2 Install The QCapture Software Once the IEEE 1394 card is installed in your computer you are ready to install the FireWire drivers and QCapture software To install QCapture Suite for Windows 1 Turn on your computer and start Windows 2000 or XP Note You must be logged in with administrator privileges to complete the software installat
30. he scale of the exposure slider bar is logarithmic If you prefer you can type an exposure value directly into the input field beneath the slider bar Type a number followed by the appropriate units For example type 30 us for a 30 microsecond exposure time 4 764 ms for a 4 millisecond and 764 microsecond exposure or 1 46 s for a 1 second and 460 millisecond exposure If you are using a monochrome camera with an RGB filter note that the Exposure slider and Auto Expose settings affect the green exposure Ordinarily the red and blue exposures are linked to the green exposure on a linear scale so that any change to the green exposure automatically results in a proportionate change to the red and green exposures It is possible however to adjust the red green and blue exposures independently See Color Gain on page 29 for more information Gain and Offset The default gain and offset settings are calibrated and factory optimized to map the full analog input range from the camera s light sensor a chip called a CCD to the full digital output range of the camera Under normal conditions these sliders should not require adjustment Variable Gain A D Amplifier Converter CCD 7 Digital Numbers Offset Figure 34 Gain and Offset Digital Output Calibration 26 Gain The Gain slider adjusts the electronic gain of the output amplifier on the CCD During image capture the analog signal from the pixels of the CCD is multipl
31. hoose BiCubic for the highest image quality during preview Some computers may not be capable of displaying a BiCubic live image preview at the same frame rate as the camera This is the perfect choice for applications where high quality color reproduction is more important than frame rates Fast If preview speed is more important than preview image quality select Fast This selection will affect the image quality of captured images Color Filter State The Color Filter State options are available only when the selected camera is a monochrome camera fitted with an RGB color filter module The Color Filter State determines which color state is used when the camera is forced to monochrome mode For example if the Color Filter State is set to green and the Monochrome format is selected in the Basic tab of the Camera Settings window the filter is forced to a green state The camera interprets the green image as monochrome If you want to capture a monochrome image when the RGB filter module is in place change the Color Filter State to the same color as the dominant color of the features of interest in the object SyncB Out Some Qlmaging cameras include a second output inside the external trigger port This output provides greater control over the operation of an external trigger with the camera 37 Expose When this option is selected SyncB Out is active only when the camera is exposing Trigger Mask When this option is se
32. ied in hardware by the specified gain setting before it is converted to digital output Windows Version amp MacOS Version Gain Gain n 1 1 41 T 842 4095 Figure 35 Gain Slider Exposure Tab Like the Exposure setting the Gain may be set by adjusting the slider or by typing a value directly into the input field beneath the slider bar Increasing the gain boosts the signal increasing the perceived sensitivity and effectively brightening the image However increasing the gain beyond the default setting boosts the signal beyond the digital output range of the camera so some image data is lost in the digital output Offset The Offset slider bar and input field adjust the electronic zero offset of the analog to digital converter within the camera s electronics The offset is added to the analog CCD signal after the gain has been applied but before the signal is converted to digital output Windows Version amp Mac OS Version Offset 2048 0 2047 0 1200 4055 Figure 36 Offset Slider Exposure Tab Reducing the offset may seem to have the effect of reducing readout noise but what is really happening is that the whole analog image is not being shown on the digital scale the black values of the analog input do not appear in the digital output Balancing Color The color balancing controls allow you to adjust the white balance and color gain of the red blue and green exposures Unlike the e
33. image window OR e Select the View menu and choosing Rotate 180 degrees Gamma Correction Gamma correction applies a non linear gain to the display settings that will boost the value of darker pixels brightening the image particularly in the darkest areas Gamma correction can highlight image details that are otherwise difficult to see To apply gamma correction to the active image e Select the Gamma Correction checkbox For finer control of the gamma correction use the controls in the Levels Tab See the following section for details Display Defaults If you are unhappy with your changes to the image display settings you can easily reset QCapture to its default display settings To reset the default display settings e On the Basic tab of the Display Settings window click Display Defaults Adjusting Levels Levels Tab The Levels tab allows fine adjustment of contrast for the entire image or separately for each color channel red green and blue Display Settings Basic Levels Separate levels for each color Modify levels for Black level fo Auto Contrast white level 255 White value 255 Default Levels Gamma h Figure 54 Display Settings Levels Tab 45 Separate Levels for Each Color By default QCapture adjusts contrast for the entire image This tab allows you the option of adjusting levels separately for each color channel To adjust levels separately for ea
34. inue with the Setup program WARNING This program is protected by copyright law and international treaties Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this program or any GJ IMAGING j portion of it may result in severe civil and criminal penalties and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible under law B Cancel Figure 5 QCapture Suite Installation Welcome Screen Another screen opens with a warning to turn off or unplug your camera s If you have already connected your camera turn it off or unplug it now Then click Next to continue The next screen asks you to select a location for the QCapture Suite files The default location is C Program Files QCaptureSuite To select a different location click Browse and choose another folder Click Next to continue 2 QCapture Suite Destination Location Setup will install Q Capture Suite in the following folder To install into a different folder click Browse and select another folder You can choose not to install G Capture Suite by clicking Cancel to exit Setup Destination Folder C Program Files CaptureSuite Browse ise Installation Wizard i Cancel Figure 6 Select Destination Folder Screen The Components screen allows you to select the specific software components you wish to install Components marked with a check mark will be installed Click the checkboxes to select or deselect components and click Next to continue
35. ion 2 Put the QCapture Suite CD in your CD drive The QCapture installation program typically starts automatically If auto run is disabled on your computer you can start the installation program from the Start menu a From the Start menu select Run b Click Browse and browse to the QCapture CD in your CD drive Select QCapture Suite Installer exe and click Open Ai Q Click OK to start the installation program 7 8 QCapture Suite CD Welcome Installation Help and Manuals Install GCapture Suite WWW QIMAGING COM Figure 4 QCapture Suite CD Introduction Screen Click Installation Help and select your operating system from the next screen This help file provides instructions for completing the New Hardware setup that Windows will begin the first time you connect your camera after the QCapture Suite software installation is complete These instructions are also included in this manual Close your browser window to return to the QCapture Suite installation Click Install QCapture Suite to begin the installation The QCapture Suite Installation welcome screen appears Click Next to continue E QCapture Suite Welcome to Capture Suite Setup program This program will install QCapture Suite on your computer It is strongly recommended that you exit all Windows programs before running this Setup Program Click Cancel to quit Setup and close any programs you have running Click Next to cont
36. lected SyncB Out is active when the camera will not accept an external trigger Camera Settings Preferences The Camera Settings Preferences in the Mac OS version of QCapture do not typically require adjustment These preferences are provided for technical support and troubleshooting purposes By default QCapture remembers the last camera settings on exit It saves these settings in a preference file If this preference file somehow becomes corrupted your camera may not operate as expected To resolve problems caused by a corrupted preference file 1 Click to open the Camera Settings window and click the Advanced Settings tab 2 Click Delete Preference File 3 Reset all the camera settings 4 Return to the Advanced Settings tab and click Save Current Settings If your camera supports variable fan speeds this slider bar will be enabled please refer to your camera s data sheet This will allow you to adjust the speed of the cooling fan from full speed 3 4 1 2 and 1 4 speed to optimize special imaging conditions It should be noted however that reducing the fan speed should not be done for extended periods of time as this may cause the electronic components within the camera to overheat Plugin Mac OS The Mac OS automatically closes image capture plug ins after each use If you prefer to keep your QCapture image plug ins running select the option to Automatically re open QCapture plug ins on capture Locating Cam
37. mage Preview Windows Live Preview The preview can reflect a static image or streaming live video The Windows and Mac OS versions of QCapture have slightly different preview controls Windows Preview You can run QCapture without opening the Preview window To preview an image e Click the Preview button in the tool bar The Preview window opens By default QCapture is set for full resolution live image preview Because streaming video may slow down your computer QCapture allows you to stop the live preview without exiting the application To stop the live preview e Close the Preview window OR e Goto the Acquire menu and deselect Live Preview OR e Click the Preview i button again Mac OS Preview The image preview is not a separate window in the Mac OS version of QCapture That means that as soon as you open QCapture the image appears in the main application window 19 Because streaming video is processor intensive the default image preview is static e To start live preview click the Preview button e To stop image streaming without quitting the application click the Pause m button Adjusting the Settings Experiment with image tools and settings previewing the results on screen before you capture images Make sure that the image area is well lit If there is not enough light on the image area it will be difficult to adjust the image settings and capture a quality image Capturing an Image
38. me cooled cameras e f you are connecting a camera to a laptop computer e f you are using a 4 pin to 6 pin or 9 pin cable Connect the auxiliary power supply to your camera See the camera manual for instructions Mounting a C mount lens on your camera Your camera works with any C mount lens or microscope mount If you are using a Retiga 4000R you will require a 1x mount or higher to take advantage of the larger field of view See the camera manual for instructions Turning on the camera Some Qlmaging cameras are equipped with an on off switch located on the back of the camera e f your camera has an on off switch turn the camera on now e f your camera does not have an on off switch turn on the camera by plugging in its FireWire cable On the front or side of your camera is a set of LED lights that indicate the camera s current state of operation See your camera s manual for details You are ready to start capturing images with your Qlmaging camera and QCapture Suite Read the following chapters for full instructions 16 CHAPTER 3 GETTING STARTED WITH QCAPTURE QCapture is the image capture software that gives you control over all the functions of your Qlmaging camera Easily preview capture and save images with QCapture Take advantage of the application s advanced functions to accomplish more complex imaging tasks Starting QCapture To start QCapture for Windows 1 2 3 Plug in and turn on the camera
39. nic signal from the external trigger input Trigger Expose Readout Figure 44 External Edge Hi 34 External Pulse Low In this mode the camera is triggered by a low signal on the external trigger input and exposes for the duration of the pulse Trigger M Figure 45 External Pulse Low Readout External Pulse Hi In this mode the camera is triggered by a high signal on the external trigger input and exposes for the duration of the pulse Trigger Expose Readout Figure 46 External Pulse Hi 35 External Strobe Low In this mode the camera is triggered by a low signal on the external trigger input and exposes for the duration of the pulse It is similar to External Pulse Low except it allows for triggering during readout to increase frame rates and is available only on select models of Qlmaging cameras There should be careful consideration that the trigger pulse that begins during the previous readout does not finish before that readout has completed Frame 2 Trigger Expose pec Figure 47 External Strobe Low Readout External Strobe Hi In this mode the camera is triggered by a high signal on the external trigger input and exposes for the duration of the pulse It is similar to External Pulse Hi except it allows for triggering during readout to increase frame rates and is available only on select models of Qlmaging cameras There should be c
40. nterpolation Average H Actual Readout 20MHz SyncB Out Expose W Bayer Interpolation Average Fan Speed v 2 4 4 Full Color filter state Shutter mode Synch Out Expose v Remember Camera Settings on Exit Defaults Camera Settings Save Current Settings Delete Preference File Fan Speed Plugin vi Reload QCapture Plugins after Capture Figure 42 Camera Settings Advanced Tab The Advanced tab of the Camera Settings window provides advanced camera controls Most QCapture users will not use these options If you make changes to the settings you can restore the default settings easily by clicking Restore Defaults 33 Trigger Mode Some Qlmaging cameras include support for external triggers You can use an external trigger to control timing very accurately or to synchronize images with external events The Trigger Mode settings allow you to select from a range of trigger options Internal This is the default Trigger Mode setting Olmaging cameras are typically controlled by the host computer and triggered internally In this mode the camera will capture images without an external trigger control External Edge Low In this mode the camera is triggered by the falling edge of the electronic signal from the external trigger input Trigger Expose Readout Figure 43 External Strobe Hi External Edge Hi In this mode the camera is triggered by the rising edge of the electro
41. p MacOS Version a s 6 Camera Settings Camera Settings Basic Exposure Color Control Advanced Info Intensific Basic Exposure Color Balance Advanced Info pav P cc Auto Exposure Defaults Auto Exposure Restore Defaults Exposure 10 us 4 1 ms 17 9 min Gain Figure 32 Camera Settings Exposure Tab The histogram at the top of this tab graphs the range of values for all pixels in the image area The horizontal axis ranges from 0 to 24n where n is the bit depth If your image is 8 bit then the range is O to 255 and for 12 bit the range is from O to 4095 These represent the brightness or fullness of electrons of each pixel ranging from underexposed at the left edge to fully exposed at the right edge The vertical axis represents the number of pixels at the given brightness If you do not want any pixels overexposed or underexposed all the values should fit within the two extremes of this graph Auto Exposure The Auto Expose feature allows you to set the camera exposure instantly QCapture will calculate the correct exposure based on either the whole image area or a selected region of interest 24 To calculate the exposure automatically based on the entire image area 1 Click amp to open the Camera Settings window if it is not already open 2 Select the Exposure tab 3 Click Auto Expose The histogram reflects the change To calculate the optimal exposure for an
42. puter that for some reason cannot provide adequate power to cool the camera for instance a laptop computer with a low battery deselect Cooler in the Basic tab of the Camera settings menu to turn cooling off If your camera supports regulated cooling the box adjacent to Degrees C will be enabled This box will allow you to set the temperature of the cooling You will be informed of temperature lock by an Icon 32 Camera Modes Depending on your camera model one or more of the following options will be available for selec tion e High Sensitivity enables the high sensitivity mode to increase quantum efficiency especially in the near IR region e Black Out turns off all illuminated parts of the camera to reduce light contamination during dark field imaging e Real Time Viewing increases frame rates for more accurate centering and focusing in real time 30fps on the MicroPublisher 3 3 and 25fps on the MicroPublisher 5 0 Resetting Camera Defaults To reset the camera to its default settings e n the Basic tab of the Camera Settings window click Camera Defaults Using Advanced Options Windows Version amp MacOS Version e Camera Settings Camera Settings Basic Exposure Color Control Advanced Info T inte Basic Exposure Color Balance Advanced Info and i Trigger Mode Internal H Trigger Mode nemi EM i Readout Speed 20MHz HF Desired Readout 20 MHz m Bayer I
43. r There may be a slight delay before the control point moves to the new location OR e Enter a value between 0 and 255 in the Black level entry field The default is O 46 White Level The White level sets the lowest pixel value that will display as white full value on the display Pixels with a value above the white level will appear white in the image To adjust the white level You can adjust the white level in one of two ways e Click and drag the white level control point see Figure 55 and drag it left or right with your mouse to adjust the parameter There may be a slight delay before the control point moves to the new location OR e Enter a value between 0 and 255 in the White level entry field The default is 255 White Value The white value controls how the range of pixel values translates to the display For example if the white value is 100 the normal range of pixel values O to 155 will be compressed to a range between O and 100 To adjust the white value There are very few situations where this value should be adjusted from the default value but if you need to adjust the white value you can do so in one of two ways e Click and drag the white value control point see Figure 55 and drag it up or down with your mouse to adjust the parameter There may be a slight delay before the control point moves to the new location OR e Enter a value between 0 and 255 in the White value entry field
44. r detailed information on how to use this software and for support please refer to http www qimaging com support 1 0 Installation Notes Minimum System Requirements Mac OS X 10 2 8 or later 128 MB RAM 256 MB or greater recommended A Digital FireWire CCD Camera manufactured by QImaging L OHCI compliant FireWire port Adobe Photoshop 6 or 7 Adobe Photoshop Elements for A Figure 19 Read Me Screen 7 The Select a Destination screen appears Choose a drive to install to then click Continue G B 06606 Install QCapture Suite Select a Destination Select a destination volume to install the QCapture Suite Introduction Read Me MacOS 10 4 MacOS 10 2 MacOS 10 3 19 0GB 13 5GB Free 19 0GB 15 7GB Free 19 0GB 13 2GB Free You have chosen to install this software on the volume MacOS 10 4 his Figure 20 Select a Destination Screen 8 The QCapture Suite Installer will automatically install the main application software and all related plug ins and driver files The installer copies the QCapture Suite software into the Applications folder by default The Easy Install screen appears oo Install QCapture Suite Easy Install on MacOS 10 4 6 Introduction 6 Read Me Click Upgrade to perform a basic installation of this software package on the volume MacOS 10 4 Installation Ty Install Upgrade
45. s second 1394b interface for connecting digital imaging storage and other devices to host computers Image Intensifier An electro optical vacuum tube which intensifies or amplifies on low light level images Integration The active collection of photons as done by an image sensor Iris A diaphragm in the lens that opens or closes to set the aperture the amount of light that passes through the lens to the CCD ms millisecond abbr unit of measure for exposure time ns nanosecond abbr unit of measure for exposure time Offset The offset value adjusts the CCD blacklevel relative to the analog to digital converter zero It Is factory optimized for the camera s maximum dynamic range Pixel The smallest spatial element of a digital image S second abbr unit of measure for exposure time us microsecond abbr unit of measure for exposure time 50
46. stalled Step 1 Install the QCapture software QCapture Suite for Mac OS is compatible with Mac OS X To install QCapture Suite for Mac OS X 1 Put the QCapture Suite for Mac OS CD in your CD drive 2 Double click QCapture Installer The Installer window opens and displays a message 12 This package contains a program that determines if the software can be installed Are you sure you want to continue If you re not sure about the source of this package click Cancel to prevent it from running the program and installing the software Figure 17 Message Window 3 Click Continue to proceed 4 The QCapture Suite Installer Welcome screen opens AOAO Installati n 3T yp Install OCapture Suite Welcome to the QCapture Suite Installer MIIMAGING HiGH PERFORMANCE DiGITAL IMAGING made easy 6 Introduction Read Me e Select Dest Install Ms Figure 18 QCapture Suite Installer Welcome Screen 5 Click Continue 6 The Read Me screen opens Print or save the Read Me file if you wish then click Continue 13 006060 Install QCapture Suite Important Information QCapture Suite Read Me Introduction 6 Read Me QCapture allows users to control and capture images from Digital FireWire Cameras manufactured by QImaging This document provides the latest release information on the image capturing software QCapture for Mac OS Fo
47. t you to select the camera that you want to use Mac OS Version The Mac OSQ version of QCapture currently supports only one camera It will detect the first connected camera and ignore any others To switch cameras Mac OS version 1 Click to quit the QCapture application 2 Disconnect the first camera and connect the new camera to your computer 3 Restart QCapture 40 CHAPTER 5 CAPTURING AND WORKING WITH IMAGES Capturing an Image When you are satisfied with the camera settings and image preview you can begin capturing images To capture an image e Click the Snap ff button in the tool bar The camera captures the image based on the current settings in the QCapture Camera Settings window The resulting image appears in a new image window New image Windows are named sequentially Snap1 S5nap2 Snap3 Frame Averaging The Windows version of QCapture provides an additional image capture option Sum Exposures allows you to capture multiple image frames of a static object and average the results or save 32 bit data as a RAW or ASCII file Frame averaging is an effective means of reducing random noise and increasing the effective dynamic range of the camera Dynamic range is the ratio of the largest signal the CCD can handle to the readout noise of the CCD camera system Essentially dynamic range defines the brightest and darkest data in an image that the camera can reliably reproduce Frame a
48. the QCapture application s functions may be applied to a specific ROI For example you can improve the accuracy of the white balance function by first selecting a region of interest within the image that should appear completely white You can also apply the Auto Expose function to a specific ROI to ensure the best imaging results for that specific area of interest To define and set a region of interest ROI 1 Click to preview the image 2 f the Camera Settings window is not already open clicl to open it 3 Click and drag with your mouse to draw a box around the ROI in the Preview window Alternately in QCapture for Mac OS you can define the region of interest in the Camera Settings window s Basic tab by entering X axis and Y axis values in the ROI fields to mark the center point and then specifying the height and width of the ROI Region of Interest ROI Position Size X Axis 0 z Width 0 Y Axis 0 Height 0 SetROI MaxROI Figure 41 Mac OS Version Set ROI 4 n the Basic tab of the Camera Settings window click Set ROI To reset the ROI to the full field of view e Windows version Click Set ROI again e Mac OS version Click Max ROI Temperature Control The cooler inside the camera reduces thermal noise to allow longer exposures for low light imaging applications In most cases you should be able to leave the cooler enabled at all times If you are using a cooled camera with a com
49. veraging to increase the dynamic range allows the camera to capture extremely subtle variations in the bright and dark areas of the image very useful in applications such as microscopy where samples to be imaged typically contain both very bright and very dim areas Saving 32 bit data in either RAW or ASCII format allows for further manipulation or analysis of the summed data using custom methods The data that is held in these files are not averaged To average frames Windows version only 1 From the Acquire menu select Sum Exposures The Summing Snap Dialog opens Summing Snap Number of images to sum Iv Display Average Image Sum divided by num Imgs Save As 32 Bit Raw File Save As 32 Bit ASCII File Figure 51 Summing Snap Dialog 41 Enter the number of frames that you want to average It is generally not necessary to average more than 15 frames Ensure that Display Average Image is checked Click Next gt The camera takes the number of exposures you specified and averages them to produce a single image New image windows for images you capture using the Sum Exposures control are named sequentially Multiple Exposure 1 Multiple Exposure 2 Multiple Exposure 3 Saving an Image Captured images are not saved automatically to your hard drive If you want to keep a captured image you must save it To save an image 1 2 pr Qu qe 9 Click the Save Ey button in the tool bar Th
50. xposure settings which affect the camera s operation color balancing and other color processing controls are applied to the camera s raw image files after the image capture is complete The save options allow you to save images with color balancing applied or to discard all color processing and save only the raw image data from the camera 27 3g Windows Version amp MacOS Version e CameraSettings Camera Settings eee Basic Exposure Color Control Advanced Info tensi mere White Balance Defaults Green Gain White Balance Defaults Color Gain 0 01 k 0 01 1 1 0 100 0 01 2 93 1 0 100 0 01 0 01 1 13 1 0 100 Blue Gain Y Red Gain 0 01 Figure 37 Color Balance Tab White Balance If you are imaging with a color camera or an RGB color filter module you must set the white balance of the image to ensure that QCapture will accurately represent the colors in the object being imaged Reset the white balance again any time the lighting changes to maintain accurate color representation For the best results set the white balance based on a white region of interest in a sample or object typical of the types of materials you plan to image You can do this by placing a white object in the field of view or for better results with the microscope move the sample to a clear part of the slide and use this as the white area of your image You can set the white balance in the B

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