Retiga-2000R Fast 1394 User Manual
Contents
1. Figure 1 External Trigger Port Connector The pinout for the connector is as follows Pin Number Signal Name Signal Description Source 5 VDC Power for Optocoupler trigger Trigger input Active Low Trigger Input a A NCCTLITC TIS TUN Table 1 Pin out of the External Trigger Port Connector 5VDC pin 1 and GROUND pin 4 amp pin 6 must be connected in order for SYNC A SYNC B or TRIGGER to be live 18 V1L90 1d9H AZEZ 6 8 AZEZ 8 8 V1L90 1d9H ULSE CECH SDA YASN 3JON3 323 Nid 8NO aNnO39 YIDAL 3ndjno gONAS aNnO39 3ndjno vONAS ndu 4355131 V Figure 2 Schematic of External Trigger circuit internal to camera 19 Input Signals In order to use the External Trigger Port correctly and ensure external triggering operation for your camera you need to supply at least 4 input signals through the mini din receptacle Pin 1 always needs to be powered at a 5V potential with Pins 4 and 6 always connected to ground The input signal to begin triggering the camera is through Pin 2 and should be a 5V TTL pulse Output Signals There are two output signals provided on the Retiga 2000R SYNC A and SYNC B SYNC A This signal indicates the readout time of the camera and this signal is active high A user could monitor this signal as a means of knowing when to trigger the next frame SYNC B This signal has two modes of operation which can be selected in software Refer to the QCAM SD2. software gives you complete control over the camera s settings and image capture functions QCapture Suite also includes a TWAIN compliant interface that allows many Windows image editing applications to acquire images using Qlmaging cameras 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 Imaging Software Install the software and drivers that your new Qlmaging camera needs to capture images 3 Retiga 2000R 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 Step 1 Install the 1394 PCI card Windows Users Only This step is for Windows PC users only If you are installing the Retiga 2000R on a Mac OS computer please skip to Step 2 Check your computer for an existing Firewire port The Retiga 2000R 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 and Figure 2 Camera Computer Figure 1 6 pin to 6 pin Firewire IEEE 1394 Port connection Camera Computer Figure 2 6 pin to 4 pin Firew
3. when you call 15 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 transfer 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
4. ION The camera s CCD sensor and circuits are sensitive to static discharge Ensure you are using a static strap or are completely grounded at all times to release any static energy before you clean the CCD window Use clean forced air available at stores that sell cameras and computer cleaning supplies to dust the CCD window CAUTION Do not use acetone e f the image still appears dirty gently wipe the face of the CCD window with a small amount of optical grade isopropyl alchohol and lens paper Apply forced air again to remove any loose particles 13 CHAPTER 6 TROUBLESHOOTING Resolving Problems with the camera The Green LED is not lit Check all the cable connections Flip the switch at the back of the camera f your camera is still not lit then your camera may not be receiving the required power If you have a 1394 Power Supply or you have an IEEE 1394 HUB connect the camera as listed in Step 3 of the Introduction Section Image occasionally goes bright on one side or stays dark on one side Turn off the overhead lights in the room Fluorescent lights may interact with the camera to create fluctuating image brightness Hazy image or poor contrast f you are using the camera on a microscope check the magnification of the microscope coupler Consult your microscope manufacturer to find the type of coupler that works optimally with the Retiga 2000R camera s sensor Point the camera at
5. K API documentation for further information on setting these parameters Expose Mode If this modes is selected the signal will indicate the exposure pulse of the camera This signal is active high and may be used to synchronize an external shuttering device Trigger Mask If this mode is selected the signal will indicate the time at which another trigger signal will not be accepted by the camera This signal is also active high Signal Timing Trigger E gt Expose Integration Time lt a al SYNC A Readout Time Figure 3 External Trigger Signal Timing e The integration time corresponds to the length of time that the CCD has been programmed to be exposed to the image e The readout time corresponds to the time required to readout the CCD 20
6. ONTACT CONTENTS Retiga 2000R User s Manual i INTRODUCTION 1 Power Requirements 1 Host Requirements 1 IEEE 1394 Firewire Interface 2 Cables 2 Imaging Software for Your Camera 2 INSTALLATION 4 Step 1 Install the 1394 PCI card Windows Users Only 4 Step 2 Install Your Imaging Software 5 Step 3 Connect the Retiga 2000R 5 CAMERA BASICS 9 Turning the Camera On and Off 9 Connecting the Retiga 2000R to your Optics 9 Understanding the LED Indicators 10 Capturing Images with the Retiga 2000R 10 ADVANCED CAMERA CONTROLS 11 Triggering the Retiga 2000R Extenally 11 Gain and Offset Controls 12 CARING FOR YOUR CAMERA 13 TROUBLESHOOTING 14 Resolving Problems with the camera 14 GLOSSARY 16 APPENDICES 18 APPENDIX A External Trigger Port 18 ii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The Qlmaging Retiga 2000R CCD digital camera features enhanced visible quantum efficiency resulting in high sensitivity ideal for demanding low light and fluorescence imaging applications A progressive scan interline CCD sensor gives a resolution of 1 92 million pixels in a 12 bit digital output High speed low noise electronics provide linear digital data for rapid image capture The Firewire IEEE1394 digital interface allows ease of use and installation with a single wire requiring no framegrabber or external power supply The Retiga1300R includes QCapture Software for Windows and Mac based software systems for real time image preview and capture A Software Developm
7. User Manual RETIGA 2000R 5739 Very High Sensitivity IEEE 1394 FireWire Digital CCD Camera Monochrome or Color eji Mc HIGH PERFORMANCE DIGITAL IMAGING made easy Retiga 2000R User s Manual Applicability This document applies to the Retiga 2000R camera For the latest updates please visit WWW QIMAGING COM Notice of Copyright Copyright 2003 Quantitative Imaging Corporation All rights reserved Unauthorized duplication of this document is prohibited Trademarks and Proprietary Names Qlmaging Retiga 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 4401 Still Creek Drive Suite 100 Willingdon Business Park Burnaby BC Canada V5C 6G9 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 C
8. a box and plug one end of the cable into one of the camera s Firewire sockets either socket is fine ley a G8 CXOOO HREWIRE PORTS O O 0 j Kx ie amp OOOOOdgG COO Figure 3 Camera Firewire Sockets Plug the other end of the cable into a Firewire port on your computer E Camera Computer Figure 4 Desktop Computer Firewire Connection There are some cases when connecting to a PC or Mac desktop or Mac laptop computer where not enough power is supplied through the IEEE 1394 cable If this is the case you may receive an Error Code 28 or the software not working consistently In this case external power must be delivered to the camera which can be accomplished by connecting the camera via one of the following methods Connection of an 1394 power supply with your camera is as follows Camera Computer 110 240 VAC Figure 5 Firewire and 1394 Power Supply Connection Connection of a 1394 IEEE HUB with your camera is as follows Camera Computer 1394 HUB 110 240 VAC Figure 6 Firewire and IEEE 1394 HUB Connection Connecting the camera to a PC laptop computer There are two common connection varieties for laptop computers 1 Built In Firewire port or 2 PCMCIA Card 1 Built In 4 pin or 6 pin Firewire Port There are cases with PC laptops where a built in 6 pin FireWire port is available If this is the case with your computer it is possible th
9. at the two power pins on the Firewire port have been disabled allowing only data communications If you have such a connection or if you have a built in 4 pin connector you will need to power the camera If you purchased a 1394 power supply from Qlmaging connect your camera as follows Computer Port2 B Not cou B Connected Camera 110 240 VAC Figure 7 Firewire and 1394 Power Supply Connection If you purchased an IEEE 1394 HUB connect your camera as per the following figure Camera Computer 1394 HUB 110 240 VAC Figure 8 Firewire and IEEE 1394 HUB Connection 2 PCMCIA Card with a 4 pin 6 pin Firewire Port In some cases laptop computers have a firewire port from a PCMCIA card Most of these PCMCIA cards allow an external connection directly to the card If this is the case and the PCMCIA connector is a 6 pin connector then you should connect the power to your PCMCIA card and connect your camera as per Figure 9 However if you have a 4 pin PCMCIA card Firewire port then you will need to connect your camera in the configuration of either Figure 7 or Figure 8 i Computer 110 240 VAC Figure 9 Firewire and 6 pin IEEE 1394 PCMCIA Connection CHAPTER 3 CAMERA BASICS The Retiga 2000R s image capture capabilities are controlled entirely by your imaging software This chapter provides basic instructions for working with the camera itself Turning the Camera On and Off To turn the Reti
10. ble connects to either of the available Firewire ports at the back of the camera the other end of the cable plugs into your computer s 6 pin Firewire port Some computers have 4 pin Firewire ports These ports may be used if they are OHCI compliant but you will need to purchase a 4 pin to 6 pin Firewire cable from your local computer store If you connect the Retiga 2000R to a 4 pin Firewire port you likely need to use an external power supply What is the difference between 4 pin and 6 pin Firewire ports Firewire cables are available in two varieties 4 pin and 6 pin 6 pin Firewire cables are capable of providing both power and a communication interface between the camera and computer while 4 pin cables provide only a communication interface Some laptop computers have 6 pin Firewire jacks that do not provide power If your computer has such a port you will have to power your Retiga 2000R by attaching an external power supply to the system Imaging Software for Your Camera Industry Standard Imaging Applications The Retiga 2000R works with industry standard Windows and Mac OS imaging software Please go to the following URL for an up to date listing of third party software companies that support Qlmaging cameras HTTP ANWW QIMAGING COM ALLIANCES QCapture Suite Software The Retiga 2000R operates on both Windows and Mac OS based systems QCapture Suite Software for both systems is available at www QIMAGING COM The easy to use QCapture
11. ent Kit SDK is available for interfacing with custom software Power Requirements The Retiga 2000R can be powered through a single IEEE 1394 Firewire cable e Power Cooled Retiga 2000R 17 watts Uncooled Retiga 2000R 11 watts e Input voltage range 8 24 volts Host Requirements For Windows PCs e Pentium CPU running at 300MHz e 256 MB RAM e Video card with 8 MB video memory capable of 32 bit color output e Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition Windows Millennium Edition ME Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional e If the PC is not equipped with a Firewire card the supplied card must be installed For Mac OS Computers PowerPC based Macintosh with an OHCI compliant IEEE 1394 port G4 and iMac models e iMac models may not provide enough power to cooled cameras Qlmaging s IEEE 1394 HUB may be required to power the camera Contact Qlmaging for ordering information Mac OS 9 1 9 2 or X e 256 MB RAM e All the G4 and iMac models are equipped with a Firewire card The supplied IEEE 1394 PCI is not required for Mac OS computers IEEE 1394 Firewire Interface The Retiga 2000R is powered and controlled through an IEEE 1394 Firewire digital interface A single Firewire connection from the camera to the computer allows full control of the camera and rapid image data transfer from the camera to the computer Cables A 10 foot Firewire interface cable is included with the camera One end of this ca
12. ering the Retiga 2000R provides a sophisticated method of imaging and synchronizing your camera to other parts of your system To use this feature effectively it is important to understand the operation and configuration of your camera The External Trigger Port of the Retiga 2000R is a 6 pin miniature circular DIN connector This port accepts digital logic signals that are used to control the camera s integration The External Trigger Port is optically isolated from the camera s electronics For this reason the user must provide power to the External Trigger Port See Appendix A for a pinout and schematic diagram of the External Trigger Port In externally triggered modes of operation the user inputs a pulse on the External Trigger Port that controls the camera s integration in one of two ways depending on the triggering mode Triggering Modes When using External Triggering there are two different types of triggering modes Edge High Low and Pulse High Low The Edge mode allows the camera to start integrating on the rising or falling edge of the trigger pulse with the integration time controlled internally by the camera Using this method allows you to externally trigger the camera as fast as possible and allows you to take advantage of the simultaneous readout and exposure function Pulse Mode allows the user to control the integration period where the time is dictated by the duration of the pulse If Pulse High mode is used then the ti
13. ga 2000R on all you need to do is to flip the power switch to the position ensuring that you have the appropriate configuration of Step 3 in the Introduction section Refer to this step for all system configurations ensuring that the FireWire cable s are connected as specified If power is supplied the GREEN LED will turn on I To turn the Retiga 2000R off all you need to do is to flip the power switch to the O position This will turn your camera off The GREEN LED will turn off COOOO3g OOOO Figure 1 Power Switch on the Retiga 2000R Connecting the Retiga 2000R to your Optics The Retiga 2000R connects directly to widely available C mount optics C mount optics which are standard on most microscopes and lenses To attach the camera to a microscope Carefully thread the camera onto the microscope s C mount adapter rotating the camera until it is mounted securely Use the microscope controls to adjust focus To attach a C mount lens to the camera Carefully thread the C mount lens onto the camera s lens ring rotating the lens in a clockwise direction until it is mounted securely Use the lens controls to adjust focus To attach F mount optics If you have a monochrome camera and you have purchased the optional color filter then carefully thread the color filter to the C mount ring on the camera The opposite end of the color filter is a female F mount connector Carefully connect your F mount op
14. ire 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 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 Restart your computer Windows should automatically install the appropriate software drivers for the card Step 2 Install Your Imaging Software Once the IEEE 1394 card is installed in your computer you are ready to install the Firewire drivers and imaging software See your Imaging Software User s Guide for complete installation instructions Step 3 Connect the Retiga 2000R Once your imaging software is installed connect your camera There are two different types of connections In most cases the Firewire cable provides the necessary power required by the Retiga 2000R However if your camera is cooled you may need to provide additional power to the camera in one of the ways listed in the following figures Most noteably you will need to either connect your camera with a 1394l power supply or through an IEEE 1394 HUB Both items are available from your Qlmaging dealer Connecting the camera to a PC MAC desktop or MAC laptop Computer Perform the following for connecting your camera Remove the Firewire cable from the camer
15. me the pulse is high is the time of the integration period Vice versa for Pulse Low mode Connecting External Sources to the Camera Before you can begin to externally trigger your camera you need to connect the necessary trigger signal source to the camera To do this you need to ensure that you have a 6 pin miniature circular din cable and ensure that the pinouts are set correctly from your trigger source Refer to Appendix A for further details on pin assignments and a diagram of the mini din connector There are several ways that you can provide an external pulse to the camera one of them being via the QImaging External Trigger Board which is available through Qlmaging and another common device is a function generator To trigger the camera you need to provide a 5V TTL pulse though the pin stated in Appendix A 11 To ensure that you will use the external triggering mechanism correctly it is important to ensure that the following questions have been answered when devising or architecting your system design Has a system design been developed that incorporates the necessary elements such as a Timing Diagram Flow of Events e g a simple state diagram necessary components e g microscope flash lamp shutter etc a software solution for extracting and or processing your images External Triggering source e g Qlmaging Trigger board function generator etc Have you Determined the type of triggering mode you requi
16. 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 16 See IEEE 1394 IEEE 1394 High bandwidth 40 megabytes second 1394a 80 megabytes 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 17 APPENDICES APPENDIX A External Trigger Port The external trigger port at the rear of the camera is a 6 pin miniature circular DIN receptacle AMP 749265 1 The mating connector is a Singatron Enterprises part number 62000 6P available fromDigikey www digikey com
17. re for you application Are you sure the settings in the camera have been set correctly For instance are your monitoring the SYNCB output and if so have you set the correct output mode for your System The above list should be used as a guide and should be consulted before contacting Qlmaging Technical Support Trigger Mode Trigger Source Exposure Control Intenal to Camera Internal to Camera Edge Hi Lo External Trigger Port Internal to Camera Pulse Hi Lo External Trigger Port Length of User Pulse QCAM API Trigger Event Internal to Camera Table 1 Trigger Sources and Integration Modes Gain and Offset Controls The Retiga 2000R s electrical gain and offset controls allow the user to map an image s intensities of interest to the camera s digital range This mapping is performed in the analog domain and thus avoids the quantization errors incurred when the mapping is performed in the digital domain Most users wish to operate the camera in a mode that maximizes dynamic range The factory default electrical gain and offset are calibrated values that maximize the dynamic range The electrical gain and offset can be controlled in software by the CCD Gain and Offset controls 12 CHAPTER 5 CARING FOR YOUR CAMERA The Retiga 2000R camera requires no regular maintenance except occasional external cleaning of the CCD window the glass window between the camera sensor and the microscope or lens To clean the CCD window CAUT
18. something in the far distance Loosen the set screw of the C mount ring there are three one on the side and two on the top Adjust the C mount ring until the image is in focus Then tighten the set screw so that the C mount ring does not move This effect may also be caused by excessive infrared IR illumination Verify that your camera or optical system is blocking the IR Contact Qlmaging to order an IR filter Images That Do Not Appear Sharp If the image does not seem sharp check the format of the lens or the coupler being used on the microscope Retiga 2000R is equivalent to the CCD sensor and requires the appropriate lens or coupler An incorrect coupler on the microscope will not provide the correct field of view and will reduce the light available to the sensor Unresolved Problems Contacting Qlmaging Support 14 If you are still unable to resolve your problem contact Qlmaging Support for assistance in one of four ways e Visit HTTP WWW QIMAGING COM SUPPORT FAQ for a list of all frequently asked questions Your issue may be resolved in one of these fags e Visit HTTP WWW QIMAGING COM SUPPORT CONTACT and fill out a support form online with the details of your problem e E mail SUPPORT QIMAGING COM with complete details of your problem including Error Message and Code if possible camera model computer hardware configuration and operating system Call 1 604 708 5061 Try to be in front of your computer
19. tics to the open connector of the color filter until it is mounted securely Use your optics controls to adjust focus NOTE If you did not purchase a color filter then you will need to purchase a C to F mount adapter to allow the connection of F mount optics Your camera does not need to be monochrome in this situation Understanding the LED Indicators The LED indicators at the back of the camera give you important information about what your camera is doing GREEN The green LED is the power indicator This LED should always be lit when the camera is connected to your computer and is turned on RED The red LED is the exposure integration indicator It flashes briefly when the CCD is exposing AMBER The amber LED is the cooling indicator It illuminates only on cooled cameras and only when cooling is turned on If you turn off cooling a setting in your imaging software the amber LED will turn off too Capturing Images with the Retiga 2000R Consult your imaging application s user s manual for more details 10 CHAPTER 4 ADVANCED CAMERA CONTROLS The Retiga 2000R offers the user an advanced method of synchronizing to external events The use of external triggering allows more advanced specialized applications of digital imaging This section explains external triggering for the Retiga 2000R as well as the operation and control of electrical gain and offset Triggering the Retiga 2000R Extenally Externally trigg
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