Vimba Viewer Guide

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VIMBA VIEWER 2.1.3

Setting up your camera
Configuration Guide

V2.1.3

Allied Vision Technologies GmbH // Taschenweg 2a, D-07646 Stadtroda/Germany

September 2017

Contents

Contents
Contact us ...................................................................................................................................... 5

Document history and conventions .....................................................6
Document history ........................................................................................................................... 7
Conventions used in this manual ................................................................................................... 7
Styles ......................................................................................................................................... 7
Symbols and notes .................................................................................................................... 7

Overview ...............................................................................................9
Scope of this document .......................................................................................................... 10
Prerequisites ........................................................................................................................... 10
Vimba Viewer tabs concept .................................................................................................... 11
Starting and stopping image acquisition ................................................................................ 12
Loading and saving your settings ........................................................................................... 13
Saving images .......................................................................................................................... 13
Saving 16-bit images ..........................................................................................................16

Setting up your GigE camera ..............................................................17
Brightness tab .............................................................................................................................. 18
Exposure and Gain .................................................................................................................. 18
Using auto exposure and auto gain ........................................................................................ 18
Using Exposure Auto and Gain Auto simultaneously ....................................................... 19
Exposure Auto Target ............................................................................................................. 19
Black Level ............................................................................................................................... 19
ROI tab .......................................................................................................................................... 20
Setting up ROI and binning ..................................................................................................... 20
Autofunction ROI tab ................................................................................................................... 21
Exposure Auto ......................................................................................................................... 22
Trigger IO tab ............................................................................................................................... 23
Quick settings .......................................................................................................................... 23
Trigger scenarios ..................................................................................................................... 24
Scenario A: Master/slave mode ........................................................................................ 24
Scenario B: Controlling exposure externally ..................................................................... 25
Scenario C: Acquiring an image series .............................................................................. 26
Scenario D: Software trigger ............................................................................................. 26
Scenario E: Trigger over Ethernet - Action Commands .................................................... 27
Advanced trigger and I/O settings .......................................................................................... 30
Color tab ....................................................................................................................................... 31
Auto white balance ................................................................................................................. 31
Hue and Saturation ................................................................................................................. 32
Using the color transformation matrix ................................................................................... 32
Color correction ................................................................................................................. 33

Setting up your FireWire camera .......................................................34
Brightness tab .............................................................................................................................. 35

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Contents

Exposure and Gain .................................................................................................................. 35
Using auto exposure and auto gain ........................................................................................ 35
Using Exposure Auto and Gain Auto simultaneously ....................................................... 36
Exposure Auto Target ............................................................................................................. 36
Black Level ............................................................................................................................... 36
AOI tab .......................................................................................................................................... 37
Setting up AOI and IIDC Mode ................................................................................................ 37
Advanced binning settings ................................................................................................ 38
Autofunction AOI tab ................................................................................................................... 39
Exposure Auto ......................................................................................................................... 39
Timebase ............................................................................................................................ 40
Trigger IO tab ............................................................................................................................... 41
Quick settings .......................................................................................................................... 41
Trigger scenarios ..................................................................................................................... 41
Scenario A: Master/slave mode ........................................................................................ 41
Scenario B: Controlling exposure externally ..................................................................... 43
Scenario C: Acquiring an image series .............................................................................. 44
Scenario D: Software trigger ............................................................................................. 44
Advanced trigger and I/O settings .......................................................................................... 45
Color tab ....................................................................................................................................... 46
Auto white balance ................................................................................................................. 46
Hue and Saturation ................................................................................................................. 47
Using the color transformation matrix ................................................................................... 48
Color correction ................................................................................................................. 48

Setting up your USB camera ...............................................................50
Brightness tab .............................................................................................................................. 51
Exposure and Gain .................................................................................................................. 51
Black Level ............................................................................................................................... 51
ROI tab .......................................................................................................................................... 52
Setting up ROI and binning ..................................................................................................... 52
Trigger IO tab ............................................................................................................................... 53
Quick settings .......................................................................................................................... 53
Trigger scenarios ..................................................................................................................... 54
Scenario A: Master/slave mode ........................................................................................ 54
Scenario B: Controlling exposure externally ..................................................................... 55
Scenario C: Acquiring an image series .............................................................................. 56
Scenario D: Software trigger ............................................................................................. 57
Advanced trigger and I/O settings .......................................................................................... 57

Setting up your Goldeye CL camera ...................................................58
ROI tab and tap settings ............................................................................................................... 59
ROI, binning, and tap configuration ....................................................................................... 59
Brightness tab .............................................................................................................................. 60
Exposure .................................................................................................................................. 60
Trigger IO tab ............................................................................................................................... 61
Quick settings .......................................................................................................................... 61
Trigger scenarios ..................................................................................................................... 62
Scenario A: Master/slave mode ........................................................................................ 62

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Contents

Scenario B: Controlling exposure externally ..................................................................... 63
Scenario C: Acquiring an image series .............................................................................. 64
Scenario D: Software trigger ............................................................................................. 65
Advanced trigger and I/O settings .......................................................................................... 65

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Find an Allied Vision office or Allied Vision distributor
https://www.alliedvision.com/en/about-us/where-we-are.html

Email
info@alliedvision.com
support@alliedvision.com

Telephone
Europe, Middle East, and Africa: +49 36428-677-0
North and South America: +1 978 225 2030
Asia-Pacific: +65 6634 9027
China: +86 21 64861133

Headquarters
Allied Vision Technologies GmbH
Taschenweg 2a
07646 Stadtroda
Germany
Tel: +49 36428 677-0
Fax: +49 36428 677-28
President/CEO: Frank Grube
Registration Office: AG Jena HRB 208962

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Document history and conventions

This chapter includes:
•
•

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Document history
Conventions used in this manual

Document history and conventions

Document history
Version Date

Remarks

V2.0.0

22 Feb 2016

New manual: Release status

V2.1.0

14 Feb 2017

Added Action Commands and saving images

V2.1.3

September 2017

Corrected some typos, Setting up your Goldeye
CL camera on page 58: Added
DeviceTapGeometry

Table 1: Document history

Conventions used in this manual
To give this manual an easily understood layout and to emphasize important
information, the following typographical styles and symbols are used:

Styles
Style

Function

Example

Emphasis

Highlights important items and GUI elements

Emphasis

Names

Highlights proper names, features, and GUI
non-interactive elements

Names

Reference

Links inside this document or to web pages

Link

Input

Input commands

Command

Table 2: Styles

Symbols and notes
Caution
Warning to prevent personal injuries

Notice
This symbol addresses important information to avoid material damage; however,
is not related to physical injury.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Document history and conventions

Practical Tip
This symbol highlights a practical hint that helps to better understand the
features and functions.
Safety-related instructions to avoid malfunctions
This symbol highlights instructions to avoid malfunctions.

Further information available online
This symbol highlights URLs for further information.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Overview

This chapter includes:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Scope of this document
Prerequisites
Vimba Viewer tabs concept
Starting and stopping image acquisition
Loading and saving your settings
Saving images

Overview

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

Further information available online
For information on camera and driver installation and a detailed feature description, download the corresponding documents for your camera from:
https://www.alliedvision.com/en/support/technical-documentation.html

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

Screenshots in this document
All screenshots in this document were made with Windows 7. If you use a different
operating system, the user interface may look slightly different.

Prerequisites
This manual assumes you have already installed and configured the host adapter
card or frame grabber and applicable drivers according to the instructions in the
installation manual.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Overview

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

Figure 1: Basic features tabs and All tab
To quickly set up your camera, we recommend going through the tabs from left to
right (except for Goldeye CL). 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.

Example

You can adjust the exposure time either on the Brightness tab or on the All tab. If
you set exposure time to 30 ms on the Brightness tab, the All tab automatically
takes over this value and vice versa.

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.

Figure 2: Finding features

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Overview

Color tab
The Color tab is available for color cameras only.

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

Figure 3: Tooltips available in the All tab

Starting and stopping image acquisition
To start and stop image acquisition, click the Freerun button.

Figure 4: Freerun button

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Overview

Loading and saving your settings
Additionally to the user sets stored inside the cameras, 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 Vimba API. To load or save a settings file, use the
Load and Save buttons:

Figure 5: Load and Save buttons

Using saved settings files with Vimba API
To use a saved settings file with Vimba API:
1. Set up your camera with Vimba Viewer.
2. Save the settings.
3. Load the settings with the API (see the programming example and the API
manuals).

Saving images
Saving one image
To save one image:
1. In the File menu, click Save Image As...

Figure 6: Saving one image

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Overview

The Save Image window opens.

Figure 7: Save Image window
2. Select the save location, type a file name, select the file type, and click Save.
You can save the current image while the camera is running or you can save the
current image displayed in Vimba Viewer while the camera is stopped.

Saving an image series
To save an image series:
1. If the camera is running, stop image acquisition.
2. In the File menu, click Image Series Options...

Figure 8: Image Series Options

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Overview

The Saving Options window opens.

Figure 9: Saving Options
3. Make sure the Number Of Images is > 0, select the other options, and click OK.
Now Save Image Series is active. Clicking it triggers acquiring and saving the
defined number of images.

Figure 10: Trigger acquiring and saving an image series - File menu
You can also use the icon in the menu bar.

Figure 11: Trigger acquiring and saving an image series - icon bar
If the icon is grayed out, make sure that image acquisition is stopped and the
selected number of images is > 0.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Overview

Saving 16-bit images
By default, Vimba 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.

Figure 12: Allow 16-Bit TIFF Saving

Saving 16-bit image files and performance
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.

Supported pixel formats
•
•
•
•
•
•

Mono10, Mono10p
Mono12, Mono12p, Mono12Packed
Mono14, Mono16
BayerGR10, BayerRG10, BayerGB10, BayerBG10, BayerGR10p, BayerRG10p,
BayerGB10p, BayerBG10p
BayerGR12, BayerRG12, BayerGB12, BayerBG12, BayerGR12Packed,
BayerRG12Packed, BayerGB12Packed, BayerBG12Packed, BayerGR12p,
BayerRG12p, BayerGB12p, BayerBG12p
BayerGR16, BayerRG16, BayerGB16, BayerBG16

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

This chapter includes:
•
•
•
•
•

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Brightness tab
ROI tab
Autofunction ROI tab
Trigger IO tab
Color tab

Setting up your GigE camera

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

Figure 1: 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.
Exposure time and maximum frame rate
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.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

The auto functions can be applied either once or continuously.

Figure 2: Auto functions - modes

Best practice

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.

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

Exposure Auto Target
Exposure Auto Target defines the desired mean gray scale value in percent.
Increase or decrease it if you want Exposure Auto to produce a brighter or darker
image.

Black Level
If dark objects are indistinguishable and appear black or if the image lacks contrast
because black objects in the camera image appear gray, adjust the BlackLevel
slider.

Best practice

Before adjusting black level, make sure your display is properly calibrated. Then
adjust black level with a test chart.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

ROI tab
Selecting an ROI (region 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.

Figure 3: ROI tab

Setting up ROI and binning
To set up the basic image format:
1. Select a pixel format.
a. 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.

Figure 4: Full - 1/4 - 1/16 buttons

Further reading

For the maximum frame rate as a function of ROI, see the technical manual of your
camera, chapter Specifications.
For a feature description, see the GigE Features Reference.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

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

Figure 5: 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 the Full button 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, half, or quarter
image.

Figure 6: Full - 1/4 - 1/16 buttons

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

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

Figure 7: Exposure Auto

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

Trigger IO tab
Observe safety when using electrical connections.
Unsuitable connections may damage the camera or cause electrical shock.
Before connecting external devices, read the instructions in the technical manual,
especially chapter Camera interfaces, section Camera I/O connector pin assignment
and following.

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

Figure 8: Trigger IO tab

Quick settings
Allied Vision cameras offer numerous options for triggering and I/O configuration.
The quick settings cover typical machine vision scenarios. You can use the quick
settings as a start and modify all features according to your needs.

Figure 9: Quick settings

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

Trigger scenarios
Scenario A: Master/slave mode
If you want one camera to serve as master and a second camera as slave, connect
the trigger device with the master camera’s input and connect the slave camera
with the master camera’s output (for I/O pin assignments, see technical manual).
To configure master/slave functionality, open both cameras in Vimba Viewer:
Master camera
1. Click the Edge button.
2. Select Source: Select the chosen input, for example, Line 1
3. In the Output section, go to SyncOut and select Exposing.
4. Click the Freerun button.

Figure 10: Master camera
Slave camera
1. Click the Edge button. Make sure that Source is switched to your selected
input.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

2. Click the Freerun button.

Figure 11: Slave camera
Now both cameras start acquiring images when the trigger signal edge is falling.

Scenario B: Controlling exposure externally
To control the exposure time with an external device, connect the trigger device
with the master camera’s input:
1. Click the Level button.
2. Click the Freerun button.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

Now the camera exposes as long as the signal level from the trigger device is high
or low (select Activ.: LevelHigh or LevelLow).

Figure 12: Level Mode

Scenario C: Acquiring an image series
To acquire n frames with a single trigger signal:
1. Click the Bulk button.
2. Click the Freerun button.
Now the camera acquires an image series when it receives a trigger signal.
To select the desired number of frames, go to the Acquisition section and enter the
number in the FrameCount box.
By default, the frames triggered with Bulk mode are acquired with the maximum
possible frame rate. To acquire the image series with a frame rate of your choice:
1. Go to the All tab.
2. Select AcquisitionFrameRateAbs.
3. Enter the desired frame rate.

Scenario D: Software trigger
Software trigger and latency
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.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

To trigger the camera by clicking the SW Trigger button:
1. Select Source: Software.(If Software is unavailable, click the Edge button.)
2. Checkmark Mode: On/Off.
3. Click the Freerun button.
Now the camera starts acquiring images when you click the SW Trigger button.

Scenario E: Trigger over Ethernet - Action Commands
Action Command support
Action Commands are supported by selected Allied Vision GigE camera models with
the latest firmware.

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

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

Configuring Action Commands on the camera
1. On the Trigger IO tab, select Source: Action0 or Action1 and Mode: On.

Figure 13: Select an Action and switch on trigger
2. Adjust the other trigger parameters as required by your use case.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

3. On the All tab, open ActionControl and enter your desired values.

Figure 14: Enter ActionControl values
4. Click the Freerun button.

Configuring Action Commands on the host PC
1. While the main window remains open, go to the Camera Selector window and
click the Action Commands icon.

Figure 15: Action Commands icon
The Trigger over Ethernet - Action Commands window opens.

Figure 16: Trigger over Ethernet - Action Commands window

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

2. Select the host adapter your cameras are connected to or select All interfaces.
Listed host adapters
All Gigabit Ethernet adapters with a connected device are shown, even if the device
does not support Action Commands.

No reload
The Send Action Command window does not reload when you plug in or out a
camera. If you plug in a GigE cameras while the Send Action Command is open,
close the Send Action Command window, wait until the device is detected, an then
reopen the Send Action Command window.
3. Select the desired interface. To trigger a single device, check Enable Unicast
and enter the device’s IP address.
4. Copy the values for Device Key, Group Key, and Group Mask from the camera
settings into the empty fields to configure them on the host PC.
5. To execute an Action Command, click the Send button. The Command log
shows successfully sent Action Commands.

Figure 17: Command Log

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

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

Advanced trigger and I/O settings
In addition to the Quick Settings, the Trigger IO tab provides advanced settings.
More information is provided in the following documents:

Further reading

For a feature description, see the GigE Features Reference. See also the technical
manual of your GigE camera, chapter Camera interfaces.
For advanced information on triggering, download the application note: Triggering
Concept for Allied Vision GigE Cameras, available at:
https://www.alliedvision.com/en/support/technical-documentation.html

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

Color tab
Color cameras only
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.

Figure 18: Color tab

Bayer pixel formats
Hue, Saturation, and Color Transformation have no effect if you select any Bayer
pixel format on the ROI tab.

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.

Figure 19: Auto functions - modes

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

To adapt white balance, either move the White Balance slider or enter a value and
press the ENTER key.

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

Figure 20: Hue and Saturation
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.

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

Figure 21: Color transformation

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your GigE camera

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).

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.

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).

Natural color reproduction
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.

Best practice

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 the image
complexity.

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

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

This chapter includes:
•
•
•
•
•

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Brightness tab
AOI tab
Autofunction AOI tab
Trigger IO tab
Color tab

Setting up your FireWire camera

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

Figure 1: Brightness tab

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

The auto functions can be applied either once or continuously.

Figure 2: Auto functions - modes

Best practice

In most cases, you achieve 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.

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

Exposure Auto Target
Exposure Auto Target defines the desired mean gray scale value in percent.
Increase or decrease it if you want Exposure Auto to produce a brighter or darker
image.

Black Level
If dark objects are indistinguishable and appear black or if the image lacks contrast
because black objects in the camera image appear gray, adjust BlackLevel.

Best practice

Before adjusting BlackLevel, make sure your display is properly calibrated. Then
adjust BlackLevel with a test chart.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

AOI tab
Selecting a AOI (area of interest, also called: ROI, region 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.

Figure 3: AOI tab
Change values while the camera is running
Change all values on the AOI tab while the camera is running.

Setting up AOI and IIDC Mode
To set up the basic image format:
1. Select a pixel format.
a. Optionally, select an IIDC Mode with smaller resolution and binning.
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 a AOI. To do this, either click in the blue AOI area and scale or move it
with the mouse or enter values into the AOI fields.
The buttons Full, 1/4, and 1/16 evoke a centered AOI of the full or partial image.

Figure 4: Full - 1/4 - 1/16 buttons

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

Advanced binning settings
To apply advanced binning settings, access the camera register and follow the
instructions in the technical manual.

Figure 5: Register access

Further reading

For the maximum frame rate depending on AOI, see the technical manual of your
camera, chapter Video formats, modes and bandwidth.
For more information about binning, see the technical manual of your camera,
section Binning. Advanced binning settings are described in section Binning and
subsampling access.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

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

Figure 6: Autofunction AOI tab
To activate the autofunction AOI, checkmark Enable. To change the autofunction
AOI, either click in the green area and drag it or enter values. Show Area highlights
the autofunction AOI in the camera image.
The buttons Full, 1/4, and 1/16 evoke a centered AOI of the full, half, or quarter
image.

Figure 7: Full - 1/4 - 1/16 buttons

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

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

Figure 8: Exposure Auto

Timebase
Timebase values determine the possible range of exposure time values. To work
within a range of short exposure times, select a small timebase value. For long
exposure times, select a large timebase value.

Further reading

For more information, see the technical manual of your FireWire camera.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

Trigger IO tab
Observe safety when using electrical connections.
Unsuitable connections may damage the camera or cause electrical shock.
Before connecting external devices, read the instructions in the 1394 Installation
Manual, chapter Camera interfaces.

Figure 10: Quick settings

Trigger scenarios
Scenario A: Master/slave mode
If you want one camera to serve as master and a second camera as slave, connect
the trigger device with the master camera’s input (GPIn1 in the technical manual is
shown as Line0 in Vimba) and connect the slave camera with the master camera’s
output (With FireWire cameras, GPOut1 in the technical manual is shown as Line4
in Vimba).
To configure master/slave functionality, open both cameras in Vimba Viewer:

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

Master camera
1. Click the Edge button.
2. In the Trigger Input section, use Line Sel. to select the input.
3. In the Output section, go to Line (select the output line used) and select ExposureActive.
4. Click the Freerun button.

Figure 11: Master camera

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

Slave camera
1. Click the Edge button and make sure Line Sel: activates the input line used.
2. Click the Freerun button.

Figure 12: Slave camera
Now both cameras start acquiring images when the trigger signal edge is falling.

Scenario B: Controlling exposure externally
To control the exposure time with an external device, connect the trigger device
with the master camera’s input (GPIn1 in the technical manual is shown as Line0 in
Vimba) and:
1. Click the Level button.
2. Click the Freerun button.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

Now the camera exposes as long as the signal level from the trigger device is high
or low (select Activ.: LevelHigh or LevelLow).

Figure 13: Level Mode

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

To trigger the camera by clicking the SW Trigger button:
1. Select Source: Software.
2. Checkmark Mode: On/Off.
3. Click the Freerun button.
Now the camera starts acquiring images when you click the SW Trigger button.

Advanced trigger and I/O settings
In addition to the Quick Settings, the Trigger IO tab provides advanced settings.
More information is provided in the following documents:

Further reading

Technical manual and Installation guide, chapter Camera interfaces, technical
manual, chapter Controlling image capture.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

Color tab
Color cameras only
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.

Figure 14: Color tab

Bayer pixel formats
Hue, Saturation, and Color Transformation have no effect if you select any Bayer
pixel format on the AOI tab.

Auto white balance
Auto white balance automatically compensates for changes of the lighting source,
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.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

Auto white balance can be applied either once or continuously.

Figure 15: Auto functions - modes

Auto functions: Once
If you select Once, consider that the algorithm may need several images to find the
optimal values, especially if the lighting conditions changed considerably since the
last image was taken. In this case, activate Once several times.
To adapt white balance, either move the White Balance slider or enter a value and
press the ENTER key.

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

Figure 16: Hue and Saturation
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.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

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

Figure 17: Color transformation

Example

Natural color reproduction
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.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your FireWire camera

Best practice

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 the image
complexity.

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

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your USB camera

This chapter includes:
•
•
•

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Brightness tab
ROI tab
Trigger IO tab

Setting up your USB camera

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

Figure 1: Brightness tab

Black Level
If dark objects are indistinguishable and appear black or if the image lacks contrast
because black objects in the camera image appear gray, adjust the BlackLevel
slider.

Best practice

Before adjusting black level, make sure your display is properly calibrated. Then
adjust black level with a test chart.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your USB camera

Figure 2: ROI tab

Figure 3: Full - 1/4 - 1/16 buttons

Further reading

For the maximum frame rate as a function of ROI, see the technical manual of your
camera, chapter Specifications.
For a feature description, see the USB Features Reference.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your USB camera

Figure 4: Trigger IO tab

Figure 5: Quick settings

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your USB camera

Trigger scenarios
Scenario A: Master/slave mode
If you want one camera to serve as master and a second camera as slave, connect
the trigger device with the master camera’s input and connect the slave camera
with the master camera’s output (for pin assignments, see technical manual).
To configure master/slave functionality, open both cameras in Vimba Viewer:
Master camera
1. Click the Edge button.
2. Select Source: Select the chosen input line, for example, Line 2.
3. In the Output section, go to the selected output line and select Exposing.
4. Click the Freerun button.

Figure 6: Master camera

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your USB camera

Slave camera
1. Click the Edge button. Make sure that Source is switched to your selected
input.
2. Click the Freerun button.

Figure 7: Slave camera
Now both cameras start acquiring images when the trigger signal edge is falling.

Scenario B: Controlling exposure externally
To control the exposure time with an external device, connect the trigger device
with the master camera’s input line:
1. Click the Level button.
2. Click the Freerun button.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your USB camera

Now the camera exposes as long as the signal level from the trigger device is high
or low (select Activ.: LevelHigh or LevelLow).

Figure 8: Level Mode

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your USB camera

Advanced trigger and I/O settings
In addition to the Quick Settings, the Trigger IO tab provides advanced settings.
More information is provided in the following documents:

Further reading

For a feature description, see the USB Features Reference. See also the technical
manual of your USB camera, chapters Camera interfaces and Triggering.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your Goldeye CL camera

This chapter includes:
•
•
•

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

ROI tab and tap settings
Brightness tab
Trigger IO tab

Setting up your Goldeye CL camera

ROI tab and tap settings
Identical settings in Vimba and frame grabber software
The settings on the ROI tab and for DeviceTapGeometry (All tab) must be identical
with the corresponding settings in the frame grabber software.

Selecting an ROI (region of interest) enables working with a reduced image
resolution to save bandwidth, achieve a higher frame rate, or crop the image
according to your needs. Moreover, Goldeye CL cameras support binning and
1-tap or 2-tap configuration.

Figure 1: ROI tab

ROI, binning, and tap configuration
To set up the image format:
1. On the ROI tab, select a pixel format.
a. Optionally, 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.
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.

Figure 2: Full - 1/4 - 1/16 buttons
3. On the All tab, select the desired DeviceTapGeometry.

Figure 3: DeviceTapGeometry

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your Goldeye CL camera

Brightness tab
The Brightness tab contains features for controlling exposure

Figure 4: Brightness tab

Exposure
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.
Exposure time and maximum frame rate
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.

Further reading

For the maximum frame rate as a function of ROI, see the technical manual.
For a feature description, see the Goldeye G/CL Features Reference.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your Goldeye CL camera

Figure 5: Trigger IO tab

Figure 6: Quick settings

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your Goldeye CL camera

Trigger scenarios
Scenario A: Master/slave mode
If you want one camera to serve as master and a second camera as slave, connect
the trigger device with the master camera’s input line 1 (LineIn1) and connect the
slave camera with the master camera’s output 1 line (LineOut1).
To configure master/slave functionality, open both cameras in Vimba Viewer:
Master camera
1. Click the Edge button.
2. In the Output section, go to SyncOut1 and select Exposing.
3. Click the Freerun button.

Figure 7: Master camera

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your Goldeye CL camera

Slave camera
1. Click the Edge button and make sure Source: Line1 is selected.
2. Click the Freerun button.

Figure 8: Slave camera
Now both cameras start acquiring images when the trigger signal edge is falling.

Scenario B: Controlling exposure externally
To control the exposure time with an external device, connect the trigger device
with the master camera’s input line 1 (LineIn1) and:
1. Click the Level button.
2. Click the Freerun button.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your Goldeye CL camera

Now the camera exposes as long as the signal level from the trigger device is high
or low (select Activ.: LevelHigh or LevelLow).

Figure 9: Level Mode

Scenario C: Acquiring an image series
To acquire n frames with a single trigger signal:
1. Click the Bulk button.
2. Click the Freerun button.
Now the camera acquires an image series when it receives a trigger signal.
To select the desired number of frames, go to the Acquisition section and enter the
number in the FrameCount field.
By default, the frames triggered with Bulk mode are acquired with the maximum
possible frame rate. To acquire the image series with a specific frame rate:
1. Go to the All tab.
2. Select AcquisitionFrameRateAbs.
3. Enter the desired frame rate.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

Setting up your Goldeye CL camera

Advanced trigger and I/O settings
In addition to the Quick Settings, the Trigger IO tab provides advanced settings.
More information is provided in the following documents:

Further reading

For a general feature description, see the Goldeye G/CL Features Reference. See
also the technical manual.

Vimba Viewer Configuration Guide V2.1.3

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