Acquisition Control

Acquisition and Frame Rate

There are three acquisition modes:

Continuous - acquires images continuously. This is the default mode.

Multi Frame - acquires a specified number of images before stopping acquisition.

Single Frame - acquires 1 image before stopping acquisition.

Use AcquisitionMode to select your mode. If you select MultiFrame, use AcquisitionFrameCount to specify the number of images to acquire.

Use AcquistionStart and AcquisitionStop to start and stop acquiring images with the selected mode.

The Acquisition Frame Rate can be manually or automatically controlled. Use AcquisitionFrameRateEnable to set this On (manual control) or Off (automatic control). By default, this is Off. If you select manual control, use AcquisitionFrameRate to specify a frame rate.

The ResultingFrameRate reports the actual frame rate at which the camera is streaming. If this does not equal the Acquisition Frame Rate it is because the Exposure Time is greater than the frame time.

Exposure Time Modes

There are two exposure time modes:

Timed - exposure time is a specified value. This is the default mode.

TriggerWidth - exposure time is controlled by the trigger signal.

Use ExposureMode to make a selection.

When ExposureMode is set to Timed, exposure time can be manually or automatically controlled.

For manual control, set ExposureAuto to Off. Use the ExposureTime control to set the exposure time in microseconds.

For automatic control, set ExposureAuto to Once or Continuous. The camera automatically adjusts the exposure to maximize the dynamic range. Once briefly enables automatic exposure to adapt the device and then sets exposure to manual control (Off). Continuous constantly adapts the device. Continuous is the default setting.

Note: For the Auto Exposure feature, gain and/or exposure time must be set to Continuous.

Trigger Features

Triggering allows you to acquire images at specific times when an event occurs. Triggering works with the acquisition modes and settings. By default, triggering is set to Off. To enable triggering, set TriggerMode to On.

Trigger Type - three options to control the start of triggering. Use TriggerSelector to select an option.

Acquisition Start - A trigger starts acquisition in the selected AcquisitionMode.

In Single Frame mode, the trigger acquires one image.

In Multi Frame mode, the trigger acquires the specified number of images.

In Continuous mode, the trigger acquires images until you stop acquisition.

Frame Start - A trigger is required for each individual image that is acquired.

In Single Frame mode, the trigger acquires one image. For each subsequent trigger you first must use AcquisitionStart to receive more images.

In Multi Frame mode, the trigger acquires the specified number of images. For each subsequent trigger you first must use AcquisitionStart to receive more images.

In Continuous mode, the trigger acquires one image. You do not have to start acquisition again for subsequent triggers.

Frame Burst Start - A trigger acquires a specified number of images. You do not have to start acquisition again for subsequent triggers. This mode is primarily used in Continuous mode, as Single Frame and Multi Frame settings overwrite the burst count. Use AcquisitionBurstFrameCount to specify the number of images to be acquired.

In Single Frame mode, the trigger acquires one image.

In Multi Frame mode, the trigger acquires the number of images specified in AcquisitionFrameCount.

In Continuous mode, the trigger acquires the number of images specified in AcquisitionBurstFrameCount.

Trigger Source - Use TriggerSource to specify the source that can signal the acquisition to acquire images. A trigger source can be one of the physical Line Inputs, User Outputs, Counters, Logic Blocks, and Software.

Trigger Activation - Use TriggerActivation to specify what voltage level or transition that activates a trigger. Trigger activation can be Level Low, Level High, Falling Edge, Rising Edge, or Any Edge.

Trigger Overlap - Use TriggerOverlap to specify whether a trigger responds while the readout of a previously acquired image is still occurring. There are two options: When set to Off, a trigger is disregarded during readout. When set to ReadOut, a trigger acquires another image during readout.

Trigger Delay - Use TriggerDelay to specify the time in microseconds between when the camera receives a trigger and when exposure begins for the image.

Trigger Software - If your trigger source is set to Software, use TriggerSoftware to perform a software trigger.

Summary Table

Name Interface Access Visibility Description
Acquisition Mode IEnumeration Beginner Sets the acquisition mode of the device. Continuous: acquires images continuously. Multi Frame: acquires a specified number of images before stopping acquisition. Single Frame: acquires 1 image before stopping acquisition.
Acquisition Start ICommand Beginner This command starts the acquisition of images.
Acquisition Stop ICommand Beginner This command stops the acquisition of images.
Acquisition Frame Count IInteger Beginner Number of images to acquire during a multi frame acquisition.
Acquisition Burst Frame Count IInteger Beginner This feature is used only if the FrameBurstStart trigger is enabled and the FrameBurstEnd trigger is disabled. Note that the total number of frames captured is also conditioned by AcquisitionFrameCount if AcquisitionMode is MultiFrame and ignored if AcquisitionMode is Single.
Exposure Mode IEnumeration RW Beginner Sets the operation mode of the Exposure.
Exposure Time IFloat Beginner Exposure time in microseconds when Exposure Mode is Timed.
Exposure Auto IEnumeration Beginner Sets the automatic exposure mode
Acquisition Frame Rate IFloat Beginner User controlled acquisition frame rate in Hertz
Resulting Frame Rate IFloat RO Beginner Resulting frame rate in Hertz. If this does not equal the Acquisition Frame Rate it is because the Exposure Time is greater than the frame time.
Acquisition Frame Rate Enable IBoolean RW Beginner If enabled, AcquisitionFrameRate can be used to manually control the frame rate.
Acquisition Line Rate IFloat Beginner Controls the rate (in Hertz) at which the Lines in a Frame are captured.
Trigger Selector IEnumeration RW Beginner Selects the type of trigger to configure.
Trigger Mode [Trigger Selector] IEnumeration RW Beginner Controls whether or not trigger is active.
Trigger Software [Trigger Selector] ICommand WO Beginner Generates an internal trigger if Trigger Source is set to Software.
Trigger Source [Trigger Selector] IEnumeration RW Beginner Specifies the internal signal or physical input line to use as the trigger source.
Trigger Activation [Trigger Selector] IEnumeration RW Beginner Specifies the activation mode of the trigger.
Trigger Overlap [Trigger Selector] IEnumeration RW Beginner Specifies the overlap mode of the trigger.
Trigger Delay [Trigger Selector] IFloat Expert Specifies the delay in microseconds (µs) to apply after the trigger reception before activating it.
Sensor Shutter Mode IEnumeration RW Guru Sets the shutter mode of the device.

Acquisition Control Features


Acquisition Mode

Sets the acquisition mode of the device. Continuous: acquires images continuously. Multi Frame: acquires a specified number of images before stopping acquisition. Single Frame: acquires 1 image before stopping acquisition.

Property Value
Name AcquisitionMode
Interface IEnumeration
Access
Visibility Beginner

Enumeration Values
Continuous
SingleFrame
MultiFrame

Acquisition Start

This command starts the acquisition of images.

Property Value
Name AcquisitionStart
Interface ICommand
Access
Visibility Beginner

Acquisition Stop

This command stops the acquisition of images.

Property Value
Name AcquisitionStop
Interface ICommand
Access
Visibility Beginner

Acquisition Frame Count

Number of images to acquire during a multi frame acquisition.

Property Value
Name AcquisitionFrameCount
Interface IInteger
Access
Unit
Visibility Beginner

Acquisition Burst Frame Count

This feature is used only if the FrameBurstStart trigger is enabled and the FrameBurstEnd trigger is disabled. Note that the total number of frames captured is also conditioned by AcquisitionFrameCount if AcquisitionMode is MultiFrame and ignored if AcquisitionMode is Single.

Property Value
Name AcquisitionBurstFrameCount
Interface IInteger
Access
Unit
Visibility Beginner

Exposure Mode

Sets the operation mode of the Exposure.

Property Value
Name ExposureMode
Interface IEnumeration
Access RW
Visibility Beginner

Enumeration Values
Timed
TriggerWidth

Exposure Time

Exposure time in microseconds when Exposure Mode is Timed.

Property Value
Name ExposureTime
Interface IFloat
Access
Unit us
Visibility Beginner

Exposure Auto

Sets the automatic exposure mode

Property Value
Name ExposureAuto
Interface IEnumeration
Access
Visibility Beginner

Enumeration Values
Off
Once
Continuous

Acquisition Frame Rate

User controlled acquisition frame rate in Hertz

Property Value
Name AcquisitionFrameRate
Interface IFloat
Access
Unit Hz
Visibility Beginner

Resulting Frame Rate

Resulting frame rate in Hertz. If this does not equal the Acquisition Frame Rate it is because the Exposure Time is greater than the frame time.

Property Value
Name AcquisitionResultingFrameRate
Interface IFloat
Access RO
Unit Hz
Visibility Beginner

Acquisition Frame Rate Enable

If enabled, AcquisitionFrameRate can be used to manually control the frame rate.

Property Value
Name AcquisitionFrameRateEnable
Interface IBoolean
Access RW
Visibility Beginner

Acquisition Line Rate

Controls the rate (in Hertz) at which the Lines in a Frame are captured.

Property Value
Name AcquisitionLineRate
Interface IFloat
Access
Unit Hz
Visibility Beginner

Trigger Selector

Selects the type of trigger to configure.

Property Value
Name TriggerSelector
Interface IEnumeration
Access RW
Visibility Beginner

Enumeration Values
AcquisitionStart
FrameStart
FrameBurstStart

Trigger Mode

Controls whether or not trigger is active.

Property Value
Name TriggerMode [Trigger Selector]
Interface IEnumeration
Access RW
Visibility Beginner

Enumeration Values
Off
On

Trigger Software

Generates an internal trigger if Trigger Source is set to Software.

Property Value
Name TriggerSoftware [Trigger Selector]
Interface ICommand
Access WO
Visibility Beginner

Trigger Source

Specifies the internal signal or physical input line to use as the trigger source.

Property Value
Name TriggerSource [Trigger Selector]
Interface IEnumeration
Access RW
Visibility Beginner

Enumeration Values
Software
Line0
Line1
Line2
Line3
Line4
Line5
Line6
UserOutput0
UserOutput1
UserOutput2
UserOutput3
Counter0Start
Counter1Start
Counter0End
Counter1End
LogicBlock0
LogicBlock1

Trigger Activation

Specifies the activation mode of the trigger.

Property Value
Name TriggerActivation [Trigger Selector]
Interface IEnumeration
Access RW
Visibility Beginner

Enumeration Values
LevelLow
LevelHigh
FallingEdge
RisingEdge
AnyEdge

Trigger Overlap

Specifies the overlap mode of the trigger.

Property Value
Name TriggerOverlap [Trigger Selector]
Interface IEnumeration
Access RW
Visibility Beginner

Enumeration Values
Off
ReadOut
PreviousFrame

Trigger Delay

Specifies the delay in microseconds (µs) to apply after the trigger reception before activating it.

Property Value
Name TriggerDelay [Trigger Selector]
Interface IFloat
Access
Unit us
Visibility Expert

Sensor Shutter Mode

Sets the shutter mode of the device.

Property Value
Name SensorShutterMode
Interface IEnumeration
Access RW
Visibility Guru

Enumeration Values
Global