Exposure.cpp

Exposure.cpp shows how to set a custom exposure time on a device.

Exposure.cpp shows how to set a custom exposure time on a device. It relies on information provided in the Enumeration, Acquisition, and NodeMapInfo examples.

This example shows the processes of preparing the camera, setting a custom exposure time, and restoring the camera to its default state (without power cycling). Ensuring custom values do not fall out of range is also touched on.

Following this, we suggest familiarizing yourself with the ImageFormatControl example if you haven't already. ImageFormatControl is another example on camera customization that is shorter and simpler than many of the others. Once comfortable with Exposure and ImageFormatControl, we suggest checking out any of the longer, more complicated examples related to camera configuration: ChunkData, LookupTable, Sequencer, or Trigger.

Please leave us feedback at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TDYMVAPI More source code examples at: https://github.com/Teledyne-MV/Spinnaker-Examples Need help? Check out our forum at: https://teledynevisionsolutions.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/topics

//=============================================================================
// Copyright (c) 2025 FLIR Integrated Imaging Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
//
// This software is the confidential and proprietary information of FLIR
// Integrated Imaging Solutions, Inc. ("Confidential Information"). You
// shall not disclose such Confidential Information and shall use it only in
// accordance with the terms of the license agreement you entered into
// with FLIR Integrated Imaging Solutions, Inc. (FLIR).
//
// FLIR MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES ABOUT THE SUITABILITY OF THE
// SOFTWARE, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
// IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
// PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. FLIR SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES
// SUFFERED BY LICENSEE AS A RESULT OF USING, MODIFYING OR DISTRIBUTING
// THIS SOFTWARE OR ITS DERIVATIVES.
//=============================================================================
 
#include "Spinnaker.h"
#include "SpinGenApi/SpinnakerGenApi.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <sstream>
 
using namespace Spinnaker;
using namespace Spinnaker::GenApi;
using namespace Spinnaker::GenICam;
using namespace std;
 
// This function configures a custom exposure time. Automatic exposure is turned
// off in order to allow for the customization, and then the custom setting is
// applied.
int ConfigureExposure(INodeMap& nodeMap)
{
    int result = 0;
 
    cout << endl << endl << "*** CONFIGURING EXPOSURE ***" << endl << endl;
 
    try
    {
        //
        // Turn off automatic exposure mode
        //
        // *** NOTES ***
        // Automatic exposure prevents the manual configuration of exposure
        // time and needs to be turned off. Some models have auto-exposure
        // turned off by default
        //
        // *** LATER ***
        // Exposure time can be set automatically or manually as needed. This
        // example turns automatic exposure off to set it manually and back
        // on in order to return the camera to its default state.
        //
        CEnumerationPtr ptrExposureAuto = nodeMap.GetNode("ExposureAuto");
        if (IsReadable(ptrExposureAuto) &&
            IsWritable(ptrExposureAuto))
        {
            CEnumEntryPtr ptrExposureAutoOff = ptrExposureAuto->GetEntryByName("Off");
            if (IsReadable(ptrExposureAutoOff))
            {
                ptrExposureAuto->SetIntValue(ptrExposureAutoOff->GetValue());
                cout << "Automatic exposure disabled..." << endl;
            }
        }
        else 
        {
            CEnumerationPtr ptrAutoBright = nodeMap.GetNode("autoBrightnessMode");
            if (!IsReadable(ptrAutoBright) ||
                !IsWritable(ptrAutoBright))
            {
                cout << "Unable to get or set exposure time. Aborting..." << endl << endl;
                return -1;
            }
            cout << "Unable to disable automatic exposure. Expected for some models... " << endl;
            cout << "Proceeding..." << endl;
            result = 1;
        }
 
        //
        // Set exposure time manually; exposure time recorded in microseconds
        //
        // *** NOTES ***
        // The node is checked for availability and writability prior to the
        // setting of the node. Further, it is ensured that the desired exposure
        // time does not exceed the maximum. Exposure time is counted in
        // microseconds. This information can be found out either by
        // retrieving the unit with the GetUnit() method or by checking SpinView.
        //
        CFloatPtr ptrExposureTime = nodeMap.GetNode("ExposureTime");
        if (!IsReadable(ptrExposureTime) ||
            !IsWritable(ptrExposureTime))
        {
            cout << "Unable to get or set exposure time. Aborting..." << endl << endl;
            return -1;
        }
 
        // Ensure desired exposure time does not exceed the maximum
        const double exposureTimeMax = ptrExposureTime->GetMax();
        double exposureTimeToSet = 500000.0;
 
        if (exposureTimeToSet > exposureTimeMax)
        {
            exposureTimeToSet = exposureTimeMax;
        }
 
        ptrExposureTime->SetValue(exposureTimeToSet);
 
        cout << std::fixed << "Exposure time set to " << exposureTimeToSet << " us..." << endl << endl;
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// This function returns the camera to its default state by re-enabling automatic
// exposure.
int ResetExposure(INodeMap& nodeMap)
{
    int result = 0;
 
    try
    {
        //
        // Turn automatic exposure back on
        //
        // *** NOTES ***
        // Automatic exposure is turned on in order to return the camera to its
        // default state.
        //
        CEnumerationPtr ptrExposureAuto = nodeMap.GetNode("ExposureAuto");
        if (!IsReadable(ptrExposureAuto) ||
            !IsWritable(ptrExposureAuto))
        {
            cout << "Unable to enable automatic exposure (node retrieval). Non-fatal error..." << endl << endl;
            return -1;
        }
 
        CEnumEntryPtr ptrExposureAutoContinuous = ptrExposureAuto->GetEntryByName("Continuous");
        if (!IsReadable(ptrExposureAutoContinuous))
        {
            cout << "Unable to enable automatic exposure (enum entry retrieval). Non-fatal error..." << endl << endl;
            return -1;
        }
 
        ptrExposureAuto->SetIntValue(ptrExposureAutoContinuous->GetValue());
 
        cout << "Automatic exposure enabled..." << endl << endl;
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// This function prints the device information of the camera from the transport
// layer; please see NodeMapInfo example for more in-depth comments on printing
// device information from the nodemap.
int PrintDeviceInfo(INodeMap& nodeMap)
{
    int result = 0;
 
    cout << endl << "*** DEVICE INFORMATION ***" << endl << endl;
 
    try
    {
        FeatureList_t features;
        CCategoryPtr category = nodeMap.GetNode("DeviceInformation");
        if (IsReadable(category))
        {
            category->GetFeatures(features);
 
            FeatureList_t::const_iterator it;
            for (it = features.begin(); it != features.end(); ++it)
            {
                CNodePtr pfeatureNode = *it;
                cout << pfeatureNode->GetName() << " : ";
                CValuePtr pValue = (CValuePtr)pfeatureNode;
                cout << (IsReadable(pValue) ? pValue->ToString() : "Node not readable");
                cout << endl;
            }
        }
        else
        {
            cout << "Device control information not readable." << endl;
        }
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// This function acquires and saves 10 images from a device; please see
// Acquisition example for more in-depth comments on acquiring images.
int AcquireImages(CameraPtr pCam, INodeMap& nodeMap, INodeMap& nodeMapTLDevice)
{
    int result = 0;
 
    cout << endl << "*** IMAGE ACQUISITION ***" << endl << endl;
 
    try
    {
        // Set acquisition mode to continuous
        CEnumerationPtr ptrAcquisitionMode = nodeMap.GetNode("AcquisitionMode");
        if (!IsReadable(ptrAcquisitionMode) ||
            !IsWritable(ptrAcquisitionMode))
        {
            cout << "Unable to get or set acquisition mode to continuous (node retrieval). Aborting..." << endl << endl;
            return -1;
        }
 
        CEnumEntryPtr ptrAcquisitionModeContinuous = ptrAcquisitionMode->GetEntryByName("Continuous");
        if (!IsReadable(ptrAcquisitionModeContinuous))
        {
            cout << "Unable to get acquisition mode to continuous (entry 'continuous' retrieval). Aborting..." << endl
                 << endl;
            return -1;
        }
 
        int64_t acquisitionModeContinuous = ptrAcquisitionModeContinuous->GetValue();
 
        ptrAcquisitionMode->SetIntValue(acquisitionModeContinuous);
 
        cout << "Acquisition mode set to continuous..." << endl;
 
        // Begin acquiring images
        pCam->BeginAcquisition();
 
        cout << "Acquiring images..." << endl;
 
        // Retrieve device serial number for filename
        gcstring deviceSerialNumber("");
 
        CStringPtr ptrStringSerial = nodeMapTLDevice.GetNode("DeviceSerialNumber");
        if (IsReadable(ptrStringSerial))
        {
            deviceSerialNumber = ptrStringSerial->GetValue();
 
            cout << "Device serial number retrieved as " << deviceSerialNumber << "..." << endl;
        }
        cout << endl;
 
        // Get the value of exposure time to set an appropriate timeout for GetNextImage
        CFloatPtr ptrExposureTime = nodeMap.GetNode("ExposureTime");
        if (!IsReadable(ptrExposureTime))
        {
            cout << "Unable to read exposure time. Aborting..." << endl << endl;
            return -1;
        }
        // The exposure time is retrieved in µs so it needs to be converted to ms to keep consistency with the unit
        // being used in GetNextImage
        uint64_t timeout = static_cast<uint64_t>(ptrExposureTime->GetValue() / 1000 + 1000);
 
        // Retrieve, convert, and save images
        const unsigned int k_numImages = 5;
 
        //
        // Create ImageProcessor instance for post processing images
        //
        ImageProcessor processor;
 
        //
        // Set default image processor color processing method
        //
        // *** NOTES ***
        // By default, if no specific color processing algorithm is set, the image
        // processor will default to NEAREST_NEIGHBOR method.
        //
        processor.SetColorProcessing(SPINNAKER_COLOR_PROCESSING_ALGORITHM_HQ_LINEAR);
 
        for (unsigned int imageCnt = 0; imageCnt < k_numImages; imageCnt++)
        {
            try
            {
                // Retrieve next received image and ensure image completion
                // By default, GetNextImage will block indefinitely until an image arrives.
                // In this example, the timeout value is set to [exposure time + 1000]ms to ensure that an image has
                // enough time to arrive under normal conditions
                ImagePtr pResultImage = pCam->GetNextImage(timeout);
 
                if (pResultImage->IsIncomplete())
                {
                    cout << "Image incomplete with image status " << pResultImage->GetImageStatus() << "..." << endl
                         << endl;
                }
                else
                {
                    // Print image information
                    cout << "Grabbed image " << imageCnt << ", width = " << pResultImage->GetWidth()
                         << ", height = " << pResultImage->GetHeight() << endl;
 
                    // Convert image to mono 8
                    ImagePtr convertedImage = processor.Convert(pResultImage, PixelFormat_Mono8);
 
                    // Create a unique filename
                    ostringstream filename;
 
                    filename << "Exposure-";
                    if (deviceSerialNumber != "")
                    {
                        filename << deviceSerialNumber.c_str() << "-";
                    }
                    filename << imageCnt << ".jpg";
 
                    // Save image
                    convertedImage->Save(filename.str().c_str());
 
                    cout << "Image saved at " << filename.str() << endl;
                }
 
                // Release image
                pResultImage->Release();
 
                cout << endl;
            }
            catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
            {
                cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
                result = -1;
            }
        }
 
        // End acquisition
        pCam->EndAcquisition();
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// This function acts as the body of the example; please see NodeMapInfo example
// for more in-depth comments on setting up cameras.
int RunSingleCamera(CameraPtr pCam)
{
    int result = 0;
    int err = 0;
 
    try
    {
        // Retrieve TL device nodemap and print device information
        INodeMap& nodeMapTLDevice = pCam->GetTLDeviceNodeMap();
 
        result = PrintDeviceInfo(nodeMapTLDevice);
 
        // Initialize camera
        pCam->Init();
 
        // Retrieve GenICam nodemap
        INodeMap& nodeMap = pCam->GetNodeMap();
 
        // Configure exposure
        err = ConfigureExposure(nodeMap);
        if (err < 0)
        {
            return err;
        }
 
        // Acquire images
        result = result | AcquireImages(pCam, nodeMap, nodeMapTLDevice);
 
        // Reset exposure
        if (err == 0) 
        {
            result = result | ResetExposure(nodeMap);
        }
        else 
        {
            cout << "Skipping exposure reset" << endl << endl;
        }
        
 
        // Deinitialize camera
        pCam->DeInit();
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// Example entry point; please see Enumeration example for additional
// comments on the steps in this function.
int main(int /*argc*/, char** /*argv*/)
{
    // Since this application saves images in the current folder
    // we must ensure that we have permission to write to this folder.
    // If we do not have permission, fail right away.
    FILE* tempFile = fopen("test.txt", "w+");
    if (tempFile == nullptr)
    {
        cout << "Failed to create file in current folder.  Please check "
                "permissions."
             << endl;
        cout << "Press Enter to exit..." << endl;
        getchar();
        return -1;
    }
    fclose(tempFile);
    remove("test.txt");
 
    int result = 0;
 
    // Print application build information
    cout << "Application build date: " << __DATE__ << " " << __TIME__ << endl << endl;
 
    // Retrieve singleton reference to system object
    SystemPtr system = System::GetInstance();
 
    // Print out current library version
    const LibraryVersion spinnakerLibraryVersion = system->GetLibraryVersion();
    cout << "Spinnaker library version: " << spinnakerLibraryVersion.major << "." << spinnakerLibraryVersion.minor
         << "." << spinnakerLibraryVersion.type << "." << spinnakerLibraryVersion.build << endl
         << endl;
 
    // Retrieve list of cameras from the system
    CameraList camList = system->GetCameras();
 
    unsigned int numCameras = camList.GetSize();
 
    cout << "Number of cameras detected: " << numCameras << endl << endl;
 
    // Finish if there are no cameras
    if (numCameras == 0)
    {
        // Clear camera list before releasing system
        camList.Clear();
 
        // Release system
        system->ReleaseInstance();
 
        cout << "Not enough cameras!" << endl;
        cout << "Done! Press Enter to exit..." << endl;
        getchar();
 
        return -1;
    }
 
    // Run example on each camera
    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < numCameras; i++)
    {
        cout << endl << "Running example for camera " << i << "..." << endl;
 
        result = result | RunSingleCamera(camList.GetByIndex(i));
 
        cout << "Camera " << i << " example complete..." << endl << endl;
    }
 
    // Clear camera list before releasing system
    camList.Clear();
 
    // Release system
    system->ReleaseInstance();
 
    cout << endl << "Done! Press Enter to exit..." << endl;
    getchar();
 
    return result;
}