Image Capture Time with IMAQ and Panasonic GP-MF602

[RPI_Physics_Kid]

I'm using a PCI-1407, IMAQ software, LabVIEW 6.0, and Windows 98 with a Panasonic GP-MF602 CCD Camera and I want to be able to set the rate the camera aquires an image at. I'm saturating really easily so I need to speed up the amount of time the electronic shutter is open. LabVIEW help isn't very useful in giving me suggestions or allowing me to understand what each IMAQ function does. If anyone has a clue or a basic idea on how to change the shutter speed, or can tell me that I can't change on such realtively cheap CCD; their input would be appreciated.

Message Edited by RPI_Physics_Kid on 06-14-2005 12:47 PM

[DJ_L.]

Hey RPI Physics Kid,

If you are trying to change the amount of time that the electronic shutter is open for with this camera, you will need to know more about this camera and how you can vary the electronic shutter speed. In LabVIEW, you would have to reference the camera attributes to be able to change this specific functionlity of your camera. I have copied and pasted the following from your camera's information:

Panasonic's GP-MF602 B&W Machine Vision Camera offers a 1/2" IT CCD with 768 H x 494 V pixels that produces 570 lines of horizontal resolution with a minimum scene illumination 0.5 lux at F1.4 and S/N of 56dB. Additional features include: a variable speed 7-step electronic shutter from 1/125th to 1/10,000th a second; 2:1 interlace / non-interlace scanning; user accessible pedestal level control; selectable field or frame integration modes; electronic shutter trigger and frame reset modes; sensor gate control input for extended exposures and strobe light applications; and internal / external synchronization.

You might want to contact your camera's manufacturer and ask them the best way to go about changing the rate the camera acquires an image.
Let me know if you have any further issues regarding this question. Thanks and have a great day.

Regards,
DJ
Applications Engineer
National Instruments

[RPI_Physics_Kid]

Thanks for the input. I ended up just manually turning the shutter speed to a faster setting and turning down the gain. It seemed to work fine for my purposes. I have a feeling this camera is probably not expensive enough to be controlled by LabVIEW, but I can keep trying for now. For the time being everything is going ok. Thanks for the reply.