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Q Imaging Retiga ELECTRO User Manual

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U S E R M A N U A L
DIGITAL IMAGING MADE EASY
www.QIMAGING.com

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Summary of Contents for Q Imaging Retiga ELECTRO

  • Page 1 U S E R M A N U A L DIGITAL IMAGING MADE EASY www.QIMAGING.com...
  • Page 2 ™ RETIGA ELECTRO USER MANUAL Applicability This document applies to the QImaging Retiga ELECTRO camera. For the latest updates, please visit www.qimaging.com. Notice of Copyright Copyright © 2017 Quantitative Imaging Corporation. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication of this document is prohibited.
  • Page 3 ™ RETIGA ELECTRO USER MANUAL QIMAGING LIMITED WARRANTY Standard Product Warranty Plan A Standard Product Warranty Plan is included with every QImaging camera purchase. This Warranty Plan includes parts and labor for two full years (starting from the shipping date of the camera). The Standard Product Warranty Plan is provided on all new and used equipment, including retired demonstration cameras.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Install the Camera Driver ....................5 Connect the Camera ......................5 Note on Selecting the Optimal USB 3.0 Port ............... 6 Note on Optimum Mounting of Retiga ELECTRO Camera ........... 8 USING YOUR RETIGA ELECTRO CAMERA ..............9 Imaging Software ....................... 9 Basic Camera Parameters ....................

  • Page 5: Introduction

    ™ RETIGA ELECTRO USER MANUAL CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The Retiga ELECTRO is the ideal camera for highly sensitive microscopic imaging and documentation. With peak quantum efficiency of 75%, combined with extraordinarily low electronic and thermal noise, the Retiga ELECTRO provides higher resolution and sensitivity in a form factor that saves space in laboratory settings.

  • Page 6: Precautions

    C-mount lenses as long as its optics do not extend behind the flange of the lens. If desired, the Retiga ELECTRO may be mounted to a tripod or other device using the mounting attachment located on each side of the camera’s front plate. See the Specifications chapter for more information.

  • Page 7: Cleaning

    Do not touch the window. Repair The Retiga ELECTRO contains no user-serviceable parts. Repairs must be done by QImaging. Should your camera system need repair, contact QImaging Support. Please save the original packing materials so you can safely ship the camera system to another location or return it for repairs if necessary.

  • Page 8: Installation

    RETIGA ELECTRO USER MANUAL CHAPTER 2 INSTALLATION This chapter will detail the proper installation of your Retiga ELECTRO camera. In order to install and use the camera, the following items are required: Retiga ELECTRO camera (supplied) ■ USB 3.0 data cable (supplied) ■...

  • Page 9: Camera Power Requirements

    1. Install the Camera Driver In order for the Retiga ELECTRO camera to communicate with the host PC, the camera’s device driver must first be installed. The latest version of the PVCAM driver installer is available on the QImaging website as well as the provided USB drive.

  • Page 10: Note On Selecting The Optimal Usb 3.0 Port

    ELECTRO camera power supply’s cable to the power connector located on the back of the camera. (Your Retiga ELECTRO camera is powered by the 7.5V 2.5A or greater power supply provided by QImaging.) Lastly, plug the power supply’s cord into an appropriate power source.
  • Page 11 Each USB host controller has a Root Hub to which multiple physical ports are connected. Each port can have a device plugged in or another hub to allow connection of more devices. However, the Retiga ELECTRO camera should be the only device connected to a single USB Root Hub. If other devices are connected to the same Root Hub, then camera communication may fail, which can result in camera hanging or image tearing depending on the bandwidth consumed by the other devices.

  • Page 12: Note On Optimum Mounting Of Retiga Electro Camera

    Note on Optimum Mounting of Retiga ELECTRO Camera It is important to maintain a minimum of 1” clearance on the vented sides of the Retiga ELECTRO camera to allow proper air flow, removing heat generated by Thermoelectric Cooling of the sensor. Blocking this air flow will impede the camera’s ability to cool, and may cause the camera to overheat.

  • Page 13: Using Your Retiga Electro Camera

    Basic Camera Parameters Exposure Time The Retiga ELECTRO camera’s exposure controls allow you to adjust the integration time for each acquisition. By increasing the exposure time, more light is captured by the sensor and a better signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is achieved. The exposure time should be adjusted to a level that achieves the shortest integration time possible while still maintaining sufficient SNR.

  • Page 14: Sensor Cooling

    Sensor Cooling To further reduce thermally generated noise, the Retiga ELECTRO camera system provides regulated sensor cooling of 0ºC in a 22°C ambient, which effectively eliminates dark current noise from typical imaging scenarios.

  • Page 15: Roi / Binning

    TTL input and output operations. An optional cable is available to access primary signals such as “Trigger-in,” “Expose out,” “End of Frame” and “Shutter Out”. The camera triggers on the rising edge of a TTL signal. The Retiga ELECTRO camera supports three trigger modes: Trigger-First Mode In this mode, the camera requires one trigger to begin the acquisition of a stream of images.

  • Page 16: Bulb Mode

    Exposure time entered into the software is not used in this mode. Triggers received when Trigger Ready is low are ignored. Non-Overlap Mode is shown below. TRIGGERING NOTE: though present on some trigger cables, the Retiga ELECTRO does not provide a “Trigger Ready” signal.

  • Page 17: Recommended Initial Settings

    ™ RETIGA ELECTRO USER MANUAL Recommended Initial Settings Initial settings for microscopic imaging (available options depend on application software): 14 bits ■ Gain State 1 ■ 30 msec exposure time ■ Clear Pre-Exposure ■ Clear count 2 ■ Display gamma of 1 ■...

  • Page 18: Embedded Image Processing Algorithms

    USER MANUAL CHAPTER 4 Intelligent Quantification Embedded Image Processing Algorithms The Retiga ELECTRO camera includes user controllable features designed to enhance camera performance and image quality. Defective Pixel Correction QImaging only uses sensor manufacturers with the highest grade CCD sensors in your Retiga ELECTRO camera. However, manufacturer’s specifications do not always meet customer...

  • Page 19: Troubleshooting

    Confirm that the camera is operational by taking an image with a standard C-mount lens attached ■ to your Retiga ELECTRO camera. Using normal room lighting, place the camera on a table about 3 meters away from an object and acquire an image.
  • Page 20 ™ RETIGA ELECTRO USER MANUAL Camera Running Too Warm It is normal for the camera to be slightly warm to the touch while in operation. However, if the camera is more than slightly warm to the touch (and at least one inch of space has been left around the camera housing), switch off the camera immediately and contact QImaging Support.

  • Page 21: Unresolved Problems - Contacting Qimaging Support

    ™ RETIGA ELECTRO USER MANUAL Unresolved Problems - Contacting QImaging Support If you are still unable to resolve your problem, contact QImaging Support for assistance in one of four ways: 1. Visit http://www.qimaging.com/support/faq/ for a list of all frequently asked questions. Your issue may be resolved in one of these faqs.

  • Page 22: Specifications

    ™ RETIGA ELECTRO USER MANUAL CHAPTER 6 SPECIFICATIONS Camera Front Dimensions (mm) 100 3.937 100 3.937 Camera Side Dimensions (mm) 98.73 3.887 4X 1/4-20 UNC 6.35 www.qimaging.com ©2017 QImaging. All rights reserved. 58-608-007 REV A00...
  • Page 23 1/4”-20 thread, located near front of camera Connectors on Back of Camera Power Supply Specifications IMPORTANT: Only operate the Retiga ELECTRO camera with the power supply provided by QImaging. For applications requiring use of instrumentation supplied power, please contact your QImaging Customer Support for advice.
  • Page 24 When operating in USB3.0 mode, 50 MHz digitization is accomplished on the Retiga ELECTRO camera by reading the sensor out of two ports in parallel, each running at 25 MHz pixel rates for a net 50 MHz.
  • Page 25 ™ RETIGA ELECTRO USER MANUAL I/O Connector Pinout The I/O (Input/Output Status) connector provides information about trigger function. Inputs must be at least 3.15 V for a high and less than 0.9 V for a low. The I/O trigger cable connects to Hirose connector HR212-10RA-8P on the back of the camera. Below is a description of each of the trigger pins.
  • Page 26 ■ Shutter Output – TTL output to control timing of an external shutter driver ■ Ground – system digital ground ■ Types of triggering supported by the Retiga ELECTRO Camera: Trigger-first Mode (Overlap/Non-Overlap) ■ Strobe Mode (Overlap/Non-Overlap) ■ Bulb Mode (Non-Overlap) ■...
  • Page 27 www.qimaging.com tel +1 800.874.9789 support@qimaging.com www.qimaging.com 58-608-007 REV A00...
  • Page 28 www.qimaging.com tel +1 800.874.9789 support@qimaging.com DIGITAL IMAGING MADE EASY © 2017 QImaging. All rights reserved.

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