LabVIEW 8.5 high-speed camera

[mb056145]

Hi,

I'd like to take many high-speed images with a camera, and save them to a disk, or my computer's hard drive. I congfigure the camera (it is a Pulnix TM-6740cl camera) with the Measurement and Automation Explorer (MAX.) I take the pictures with LabVIEW. I've found an example program in LabVIEW that is close to what I want; it was written by two members of this forum, N_Holmes and reut. The only differences between that program, and the program that I'd like to run is that I need to be able to change the shutter speed of the camera (although I believe that I can do this with MAX), I'd like to be able to change the target directory (for some reason, if I change the directory with the reut program, the camera only takes 1 "frame" and stops), and I'd like to be able to save a file for each frame taken by the camera (I can only get the reut program to save 1 file.) I have LabVIEW version 8.5. If you could help me out in any way, then that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[chris.b]

Hey mb056145,

Just a few questions...

Which PCI/PXI card are you using, and are you using a trigger on your camera?  When you run the "grab images and Save to FileReut-1.vi" does it save multiple images into the default directory?  Also, what framerate are you acquiring at?  Finally, when the VI only saves one file, does the image display update with multiple files?

[chris.b]

I forgot...
yes, you should be able to change the shutter speed of the camera in MAX.


Message Edited by Bolin on 06-19-2008 01:27 PM

[mb056145]

Hi Bolin,

I'm using an NI PCI 1426 with NI-IMAQ, 18MB. Thanks for your previous help. I've actually worked on the program, and I got the camera to take multiple pictures. I also incorporated a part in the program that decodes the raw bayer image that this camera outputs.

I do have some other questions, though. First of all, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "trigger." I use the computer to take the pictures; MAX configures the camera, and LabVIEW sends the signals to the camera to take the pictures, and then saves them on the computer. Also, I know this is probably a bad question, but I'm not 100% sure where in MAX I can look to find out what framerate I'm acquiring at. I'd like to acquire pictures at the camera's maximum framerate, which I believe is somewhere over 1000fps. I tried many different methods in order to capture at the maximum framerate, and the best option seemed to be at the settings: manual shutter, shutter setting 0, 4X4 binning. However, my pictures were of extremely poor quality, and they were very dark.

Also, where can I go in MAX to change the shutter speed? I've tried changing the shutter control setting and the shutter setting number; I just want to verify that this is correct.

Thanks again for your help! Once I can figure out how to make these pictures take at maximum speed, and at the best quality, then I can finally start on my project!

[chris.b]

When "triggering" is enable, the camera waits for a signal on its trigger line before snapping or grabbing an image.  It sounds like you are most likely not using it in your application, so I would not worry about it.

[chris.b]

As far as the shutter speed goes, this all depends on your camera, the Pulnix TM-6740 CL.

The NI Industrial Camera Advisor (ni.com/cameras) has information on all our supported cameras, including your camera.

Pulnix TM-6740 CL info

Camera Compatibility Report (detailed test info) for the TM-6740 CL

That last link is very helpful, and contains notes from our R&D department's test of the camera.


Message Edited by Bolin on 06-24-2008 05:53 PM

[chris.b]

Per the Pulnix TM-6740 CL Camera Compatibility Report:

In "Asynchronous Fixed Shutter Control":
Setting 0 is no shutter. Setting one is fastest shutter speed.  Setting 8 is slowest shutter speed. Acquisition window size does not affect frame rate in this mode

"Manual Shutter Control":
Tested shutter settings 0-9 and observed expected results.  Frame/sec: 200 fps

There is also information on all the other Feature/Acquisition Modes.

[ashish_garg]

Hi mb056145

I also have the same camera ( it is Pulnix TM-6740CL camera) with me, which I want to control using lab view. Can you tell me the procedure, how you set it up before using this .vi to grab the images

I mean what all drivers and files is required in NI MAX for it. ? 

thanks and regards

Ashish