Viewer Guide

Overview

This document guides you through the basic camera setup with Vimba X Viewer. You will learn how to select, control, and save settings such as image size, exposure time, and color display.

See also

For information on camera and driver installation and a detailed feature description, download the corresponding documents for your camera.

Note

Depending on the camera model, different features are available. The screenshots and examples in this document are generic.

Prerequisites

This manual assumes you have already installed and configured the host adapter card or frame grabber according to the instructions for your camera.

Quick start

You can access Vimba X Viewer from the Windows Start menu or in the Vimba X install directory /bin.

To use the Viewer:

  1. Connect the camera to the host.

  2. Start Vimba X Viewer.

  3. Click the camera you want to open.

Open camera

Open camera

The main window opens.

  1. To start image acquisition, click Freerun.

Freerun

Start continuous image acquisition (freerun)

Camera not detected

USB camera:

  • Check with the Driver Installer of Vimba X if the driver is installed.

  • Unplug the camera and plug in the camera again.

GigE camera:

  • Go to the install directory of the GigE TL and open its XML configuration file. In this XML file, check if GigE camera detection is switched on.

If the problem persists, Vimba X Viewer offers several possibilities:

  • Click Open camera, which opens the camera if you type in the IP address, Camera ID, or Mac address.

  • Use ConfigureIP to assign a Persistent IP or to change from DHCP to LLA.

  • In the ConfigureIP dialog, click ForceIP to open the ForceIP dialog.

Force IP

Open camera that was not discovered, Configure IP

Configure the IP address and access the Force IP dialog

Configure the IP address and access the Force IP dialog

Note

The Configure IP dialog doesn’t update the camera list.

See also

For smooth operation and best performance of your GigE camera, follow the instructions for your camera.

CSI camera:

  • Before using Vimba X, install the driver. It is provided at https://github.com/alliedvision.

  • CSI-2 is not a plug and play interface. To update the camera list, reboot the board.

Viewer tabs concept

To select and configure settings, Vimba X Viewer provides tabs with basic grouped camera features and the All tab, which contains a list of both the basic features and advanced features.

Viewer tabs

Viewer tabs

To quickly set up your camera, we recommend going through the tabs from left to right. The basic features can be adjusted either on the All tab or on the other tabs, whereas advanced features are available on the All tab only.

Note

The Color tab is available for color cameras only.

Finding features in the All tab

To quickly find features from the other tabs in the All tab, enter their first letters in the Search field.

The All tab provides tooltips and an optional feature description window. The description also lists which other features are affected by the selected feature.

Tooltips

Tooltips

Starting and stopping image acquisition

To start and stop image acquisition, click Freerun.

Freerun

Freerun

Loading and saving settings

Additionally to the user sets stored inside the camera, you can save the feature values as an XML file to your host PC. You can load this camera settings XML file to a camera or use the XML file with the Vimba X APIs. To load or save a settings file, click Load and Save.

Load and save settings

Load and save settings

Using saved settings files with Vimba X API

To use a saved settings file with Vimba X API:

  1. Set up your camera with Vimba X Viewer.

  2. Save the settings.

  3. Load the settings with the API (see the example and the API manuals).

Saving images

Saving one image

In the File menu, click Save Image As…

File menu

File menu

The Save Image window opens and you can save one image.

You can save the current image while the camera is running or you can save the current image displayed in Vimba X Viewer while the camera is stopped.

Saving an image series

  1. If the camera is running, stop image acquisition.

  2. In the File menu shown above, click Image Series Options….

  3. The Saving Options window opens. In the dialog, make sure the Number Of Images is > 0, select the other options, and click OK.

  4. Now Save Image Series is active. Clicking it triggers acquiring and saving the defined number of images. You can also use the icon:

Save image series

Save image series

If the icon is grayed out, make sure that image acquisition is stopped and the selected number of images is > 0.

Saving 16-bit images

By default, Vimba X Viewer saves 8-bit images, regardless of the selected pixel format or file format. Optionally, all images with mono or Bayer pixel formats > 8-bit per channel (e.g., Mono10, BayerRG12Packed, Mono14) can be saved as 16-bit TIFF. To enable this option, select Allow 16-Bit TIFF Saving.

16-Bit Tiff

Save 16-Bit Tiff

Tip

The option for saving 16-bit image files is not optimized for performance. Therefore, it is deselected by default when a camera is opened. We recommend selecting it on demand.

16-bit image files are saved if these conditions are true:

  • Allow 16-Bit TIFF Saving is checked.

  • TIFF or TIF is the selected file format for image (series) saving.

  • The camera’s current pixel format is a mono or Bayer format > 8 bits per channel.

Options

Go to ViewOptions to:

  • Display every completed frame (increases CPU load, not recommended for most use cases)

  • Change the number of used frame buffers

  • Enable or disable Alloc and Announce, which may optimize buffer allocation (depending on your use case).

Setting up your camera

Note

Available features and appearance GUI elements vary depending on camera interface and camera model.

Brightness tab

The Brightness tab contains features for controlling exposure, gain, black level, and gamma.

Brightness tab

Brightness tab

Exposure and Gain

To change the exposure time, either move the Exposure slider or enter a value and press the ENTER key. To enter exposure times in s, ms, and μs, click More.

Tip

If your camera does not reach the maximum frame rate, check if the exposure time is short enough. Example: If the exposure time is 100 ms, the camera cannot acquire more than approximately 10 fps.

To change the gain value, either move the Gain slider or enter a value and press the ENTER key. Your entry is automatically rounded up or down to the next possible value.

Using auto exposure and auto gain

The purpose of auto functions is to automatically compensate for changes of the lighting intensity. They use information from the camera’s current image and apply the optimized settings to the next image. Therefore, they can control values only if the camera is running. Large changes in scene lighting may require several frames for the algorithm to stabilize. The auto functions can be applied either once or continuously.

Tip

In most cases, you reach the best possible image quality by setting gain to the lowest possible value and increasing the exposure time as needed. The reason is that gain amplifies all image contents including noise.

If both auto features are used simultaneously, Exposure Auto has priority until ExposureAutoMax is reached. Then Gain Auto takes over priority.

See also

For a feature description, see the features reference document for your camera.

ROI tab

Selecting an ROI/AOI (region of interest/area of interest) enables working with a reduced image resolution to save bandwidth, achieve a higher frame rate (depending on the sensor), or crop the image according to your needs. Moreover, some cameras support binning.

ROI/AOI tab

ROI/AOI tab

Setting up ROI and binning

To set up the basic image format:

  1. Select a pixel format. Optionally (and if your camera supports it), activate binning by selecting a value greater than 1 (binning = 1 does not affect the image). Binning combines neighboring pixels into one pixel. This decreases resolution and increases light sensitivity. Depending on the camera model, binning may increase the frame rate.

  2. Select an ROI. To do this, either click in the blue ROI area and scale or move it with the mouse or enter values into the ROI fields. The buttons Full, 1/4, and 1/16 evoke a centered ROI of the full or partial image.

See also

For a feature description, see the features reference document for your camera.

Autofunction ROI tab

Autofunction ROI means that the auto functions react to lighting changes only within the selected image section.

Tip

If your camera has the Intensity Controller Region feature, go to the All tab and make sure AutoModeRegion1 is switched on.

Autofunction ROI tab

Autofunction ROI tab

With GigE cameras, Autofunction ROI (the DSPSubregion feature) is active as soon as auto exposure or auto gain are switched on. You cannot switch off DSPSubregion. Therefore, click Full if you want to apply auto gain and auto exposure to the whole image.

To change Autofunction ROI, either click in the green ROI area and drag it or enter values.

The buttons Full, 1/4, and 1/16 evoke a centered ROI of the full or partial image.

Tip

Exposure Auto controls the minimum and maximum exposure time values in μs. If you want to reach the minimum frame rate, limit the exposure time accordingly.

Trigger IO tab

Note

Unsuitable connections may damage the camera or cause electrical shock. Before connecting external devices, read the instructions for your camera.

Trigger IO Overview

Optionally, image acquisition can be started and stopped by a trigger signal from an external device or as a software command. Moreover, control signals can be transferred to external devices or additional cameras.

To trigger your cameras, you can use the presets as a start and modify them according to your use case. To configure trigger features such as Counters and Timers, open the Advanced Trigger dialog.

Note

If you change trigger features in the All tab, the Trigger IO tab preset doesn’t change to Custom.

Trigger IO tab

Trigger IO tab, click Open Dialog for advanced settings

In the I/O configuration table, a green status indicates true and a gray status indicates false.

The Advanced Trigger dialog provides access to all trigger-related features:

  • I/O configuration: Set debouncing (Configure inputs and outputs table)
    • Debounce Mode Delay: LineDebounceDuration controls how long the signal level must be sustained for before it is accepted.

    • Debounce Mode Stall: LineDebounceDuration controls the intensity duration after the falling edge of the signal.

  • Action Commands (including PTP)

  • Software signal

  • Counter and Timer

Advanced Trigger IO dialog

Advanced Trigger IO dialog

Presets

Turn Off All

Turns off all triggers and trigger sources, so that you can start image acquisition without using a trigger source. Other trigger settings like delay values keep their current settings.

Reset All

Resets all trigger features to default values. Other features such as white balance are not changed by this preset.

Custom

This preset becomes active when you apply changes to trigger features in the trigger IO tab.

Frame Trigger Software

Tip

The camera does not react immediately on a software trigger because a computer needs some time (latency) to process it. Since the CPU load varies all the time, the latency varies as well. If your application requires triggering with high precision, use a hardware device or, if your camera supports it, Trigger over Ethernet.

Trigger the camera by software:

  • Software trigger

  • FrameStart

  • RisingEdge

  • Continuous acquisition

  • Exposure mode: timed

To execute a software trigger, click Execute SW Trigger.

Frame Trigger IO Line0 Edge

Trigger the camera on rising edge:

  • FrameStart

  • RisingEdge

  • Line0

  • Continuous acquisition

  • Exposure mode: timed

  • Line0 (input)

Frame Trigger IO Line0 Level

Control the exposure time through an external device:

  • FrameStart

  • LevelHigh

  • Line0

  • Continuous acquisition

  • Exposure mode: trigger width

  • Line0 (input)

The camera exposes as long as the signal level from the trigger device is high.

Frame Trigger IO Line0 Bulk

Acquire an image series of n frames with a single trigger signal:

  • FrameStart

  • RisingEdge

  • Line0 (input)

  • MultiFrame, AcquisitionFrameCount: 10

  • Exposure mode: timed

PWM IO Line1 timer0 1khz 50%

Pulse Width Modulation with 1 kHz and 50% Duty Cycle:

  • Timer0, TimerDelay: 500, TimerDuration: 500

  • FallingEdge

  • Timer0Active

  • Line1 (output, source: Timer0Active)

  • Execute: TimerReset

Counter IO Line0

Count RisingEdge occurrences on Line0:

  • Counter0, CounterDuration: max

  • CounterEventActivation: RisingEdge

  • CounterEventSource: Line0, CounterResetSource: Off, CounterTriggerSource: Off

  • Line0 (input)

  • Execute: CounterReset

Trigger over Ethernet - Action Commands

Tip

If you use an Ethernet router, make sure all cameras are in the same subnet. Using a switch does not affect Action Commands.

See also

For detailed information, read the Action Commands application note.

Note

According to the GenICam standard, ActionDeviceKey is write-only. Reading the value from the camera is not possible (if the camera firmware complies to the standard).

Queue Size is read-only.

Using Action Commands requires configuring them first on the camera and then on the host PC.

To configure Action Commands on the camera:

  1. In the Advanced Trigger IO dialog, select the desired values for the camera. If you want to use Scheduled Action Commands, select PTP Enable.

  2. Adjust the other trigger parameters as required by your use case.

  3. Click Freerun.

Autofunction ROI tab

Action Commands - camera features

To configure Action Commands on the host PC:

  1. While the camera window remains open, go to the main window and click Action Commands.

Action

Trigger over Ethernet - Action commands

The Trigger over Ethernet - Action Commands window opens.

Trigger over Ethernet - Action commands window

Trigger over Ethernet - Action commands window

  1. Select the host adapter your cameras are connected to or select All interfaces.

Note

All Gigabit Ethernet adapters with a connected device are shown, even if the device does not support Action Commands.

Note

The Send Action Commands window does not reload when you plug in or out a camera. If you plug in GigE cameras while the Send Action Commands window is open, close the window, wait until the device is detected, an then reopen the window.

  1. Select the desired interface. To trigger a single device, check Single Device and enter the device’s IP address.

  2. Use the values for Device Key, Group Key, and Group Mask from the camera settings for the empty fields to configure them on the host PC.

  3. To execute an Action Command, click Send. The Command log shows successfully sent Action Commands.

Note

Action Device Key must be set each time a camera was opened.

Scheduled Action commands:

Tip

Check if your camera firmware supports Scheduled Action commands.

To use Scheduled Action commands, activate PTP for all cameras that receive the command.

Delay: The Action Command is scheduled after a user defined time interval in ms. Minimum value: 20 ms.

Action Time: Copy the timestamp latch value (in ns) from the camera and add the desired time (in ns).

See also

For a feature description, see the GigE Features Reference. See also the technical manual or user guide of your GigE camera, chapter Camera interfaces for advanced settings.

See also

For more information on triggering, read our application notes.

Color tab

Note

The Color tab is available for color cameras only.

The Color tab contains features for controlling white balance, hue, and saturation as well as a color transformation matrix.

Color tab

Color tab

Note

Hue, Saturation, and Color Transformation have no effect if you select any Bayer pixel format.

Auto white balance

Auto white balance automatically compensates for changes of the lighting source spectrum, for example, if artificial illumination is switched on and off additionally to daylight. Auto white balance uses information from the camera’s current image and applies the optimized settings to the next image. Therefore, it can control values only if the camera is running. Large changes in scene lighting may require several frames for the algorithm to stabilize. Auto white balance can be applied either once or continuously.

Hue and Saturation

In the color circle, hue is represented by the outer ring and saturation by the inner ring.

To change hue, click between the two small circles in the outer ring of the color circle (white circle: valid value, black circle: invalid value) or use the Hue box. To change saturation, click in the inner ring of the color circle or use the Saturation box or slider.

Color transformation matrix

The color transformation matrix enables you to adapt the color reproduction.

Color correction

Color correction compensates the overlap in the color channels. For example, a certain amount of blue light is “seen” not only by the blue pixels, but also by the red and green pixels. Depending on the spectrum of the light source and the sensor’s spectral response, different values are required to adjust the overlap and thus achieve the desired color reproduction.

In the color transformation matrix, Crr, Cgg, and Cbb represent the primary colors red (of the red pixel), green (of the green pixel), and blue (of the blue pixel).

For example, Crr represents red color of the red pixel. Increasing or decreasing Crr amplifies or attenuates red image components.

Values with two colors mean that the first color is mapped to the pixel of the second color. For example, Cgr means that green is mapped to the red pixel.

To better understand values affecting two colors, have a look at the Hue - Saturation circle.

For example, Cgr maps green light to the red color channel. Therefore, increasing Cgr amplifies green image components and shifts red image components towards green, resulting in a more orange red. Decreasing Cgr has the opposite effect: It attenuates green image components and shifts red image components towards magenta (the distance from red to green is larger).

Tip

For natural color reproduction (depending on the sensor’s capabilities), make sure all row sums are 1. Values that deviate from 1 may result in tinted images.

Tip

In machine vision, color correction is often used to emphasize a color of interest, to enhance the difference between two similar colors, or to reduce image complexity.

To reset the matrix to its default values, click Reset.

Image Processing tab

Default functionalities

Note

The Image Processing tab is available only for cameras with ImageProcessingControl features.

The Image Processing tab contains features for contrast stretching (ContrastControl), color interpolation, and Convolution Mode.

Image processing tab

Image Processing tab

Custom Convolution

If you select Custom Convolution as Convolution Mode, a matrix opens and you can enter the desired values.

Custom Convolution

Custom Convolution

Tip

If you want to use different custom convolution values, we recommend saving them together with the the other camera settings as an XML file.

If the value deviates from the preset and is present in the camera (for example, in the user set or because have changed it in the All tab), click Load Values from Camera to take over the values in the matrix.

To apply new values to the camera, click Write Values to Camera.

Note

The All tab reads and writes the custom convolution values directly. On the Image Processing tab, make sure to use Load Values from/to Camera.