Go to Appendix

Trigger Properties


Trigger Connector
C9100-13/-14 has 3 connectors for trigger input. C9100-23B only has 1 connector.
DCAM_IDPROP_TRIGGER_CONNECTOR C9100-13/-14 C9100-23B
DCAMPROP_TRIGGER_CONNECTOR__INTERFACE Use CC1 in Camera Link connector. n/a
DCAMPROP_TRIGGER_CONNECTOR__BNC Use BNC connector on power supply unit. Use SMA connector on camera head.
DCAMPROP_TRIGGER_CONNECTOR__MULTI Use Multi I/O connector on camera head. n/a


Trigger times
Trigger times property can control how many trigger camera tins out at synchronous readout trigger mode. The value ranges are different between C9100-13/-14 and C9100-23B.
DCAM_IDPROP_TRIGGERTIMES C9100-13/-14 C9100-23B
min 1 1
max 10000 4095


Trigger delay
Trigger delay property can control how long wait from input trigger timing to action by the thrigger. This property is not supported by C9100-13/-14, but supported by C9100-23B.
DCAM_IDPROP_TRIGGERDELAY C9100-13/-14 C9100-23B
min n/a 0 sec
max n/a 10 sec

Go to of chapter "Trigger Properties".


Exposure control Properties


Mechanical shutter
C9100-23B has built-in mechanical shutter. This is for protecting image sensor from "afterglow". So, the shutter may not be able to shield from strong light. And it is not recommend to open and close at every frame capturing in fast frame rate. In fast frame rate, it is recommended to open the shutter at starting experiment and close at ending. By the way, at factory setting, mechanical shutter control is not available. To make enable, please turn on DIP SW 2 in rear panel of the camera.
DCAM_IDPROP_MECHANCALSHUTTER Note
DCAMPROP_MECHANICALSHUTTER__OPEN Open mechanical shutter
DCAMPROP_MECHANICALSHUTTER__CLOSE Close mechanical shutter


Internal Trigger Handling
As default, C9100-13/-14 and C9100-23B cannot use shorter exposure than frame readout time in INTERNAL trigger mode. If host software changes DCAM_IDPROP_INTERNALTRIGGER_HANDLING, it is possible with compensation. DCAMPROP_INTERNALTRIGGER_HANDLING__SHORTEREXPOSURETIME can support shorter exposure time than framer readout time but frame rate becomes slower. In case of C9100-13/-14, frame interval also becomes inconstant. DCAMPROP_INTERNALTRIGGER_HANDLING__FASTERFRAMERATE can support faster frame rate but minimum exposure time is limited.
DCAM_IDPROP_INTERNALTRIGGER_HANDLING note C9100-13/-14 C9100-23B
DCAMPROP_INTERNALTRIGGER_HANDLING __SHORTEREXPOSURETIME Exposure time can be shorter with slower frame rate and inconstant frame rate with slower frame rate
DCAMPROP_INTERNALTRIGGER_HANDLING __FASTERFRAMERATE Frame rate can be faster with longer minimum exposure time. with longer minimum exposure time.


Exposure time control
C9100-23B has capbility to use frame readout time always as exposure time. To do so, DCAM_IDPROP_EXPOSURETIME_CONTROL property has to be set DCAMPROP_EXPOSURETIME_CONTROL__OFF.
DCAM_IDPROP_EXPOSURETIME_CONTROL C9100-13/-14 C9100-23B
DCAMPROP_EXPOSURETIME_CONTROL__OFF n/a support
DCAMPROP_EXPOSURETIME_CONTROL__NORMAL n/a support


Exposure time
Exposure time range is different between C9100-13, -14 and -23B because of frame readout time. In case of INTERNAL trigger mode, the minimum exposure time is limited by frame readout time. In case of EXTERNAL EDGE / LEVEL and SOFTARE trigge rmode, exposure time can be shorter. If host software wants to use shorter exposure time than frame readout time in INTERNAL trigger mode, change value of DCAM_IDPROP_INTERNALTRIGGER_HANDLING.
DCAM_IDPROP_EXPOSURETIME C9100-13 C9100-14 C9100-23B
minimum (speed=3) 0.030530 0.10331 0.013900
maximum (speed=3) 7200 7200 1

Go to of chapter "Exposure control Properties".


Sensitivity and gain


Sensitivity
C9100-13/-14 and C9100-23B support sensitivity in EM-CCD mode. The value of DCAM_IDPROP_SENSITIVITY can be 0 to 255. The value is not linear scale. If DCAM_IDPROP_DIRECTEMGAIN_MODE is DCAMPROP_MODE__ON, the value range becomes 4 to 1200 and the value is nearly amplifier ratio of sensitivity. The value is converted in DCAM from ratio to camera parameter, then DCAM sends it to camera.
DCAM_IDPROP_DIRECTEMGAIN_MODE DCAM_IDPROP_SENSITIVITY
DCAMPROP_MODE__OFF 0 to 255
DCAMPROP_MODE__ON 4 to 1200


Measured sensitivity
C9100-23B can measure current sensitivity under certain condition. The following condition is necessary.
Item Condition
DCAM_IDPROP_CCDMODE DCAMPROP_CCDMODE__EMCCD (EMCCD Mode)
Intensity Not too dark, No saturation

This measured value is always updated inside camera. For better measurement, we recommend to do following.
Condition Recommend
After changing sensitivity value or binning/readout speed. Wait a few seconds because sensitivity requires a few seconds to be stable.
Capturing By software trigger or external edge/level trigger and after getting the image, then get MEASURED value.


Contrast gain
C9100-13/-14 supports contrast gain control in EM-CCD and Normal CCD mode. But in case of EM-CCD mode, sensitivity, which means EM-Gain, can improve S/N, but contrast gain is not. So C9100-23B supports contrast gain control in Normal CCD mode but not in EM-CCD.
DCAM_IDPROP_CONTRASTGAIN C9100-13/-14 C9100-23B
EM-CCD mode 1 to 5 Only 1
Normal CCD mode 1 to 5 1 to 5


Hardware intensity LUT
C9100-23B has build in intensity lut. This is LUT conversion done in camera hardware. Threr are three related properties.
Properties C9100-23B
DCAM_IDPROP_INTENSITYLUT_MODE Support ON and OFF. ON make intensity LUT enabled
DCAM_IDPROP_INTENSITYLUT_WHITECLIP Larger intensity than this value will be clipped
DCAM_IDPROP_INTENSITYLUT_BLACKCLIP Smaller intensity than this value will be clipped


Conversion factor
C9100-23B can return conversion factor under certain condition. By using conversion factor, host software can calculate electron number from intensity count of the image. The formula and properties are following.
V electron = ( V image - V offset ) × V coeff
V offset = Value of DCAM_IDPROP_CONVERSIONFACTOR_OFFSET
V coeff = Value of DCAM_IDPROP_CONVERSIONFACTOR_COEFF

Go to of chapter "Sensitivity and gain ".


Readout Properties


Readout speed
By changing sensor readout speed, camera will run on faster frame rate mode or on high precision mode which is lower readout noise. In case of C9100-13/-14, EM-CCD mode has 3 readout speeds, and Normal CCD mode has 2 readout speeds. In case of C9100-23B, EM-CCD mode has 3 readout speeds, too, but speeds are different. And Normal CCD mode has only 1 readout speed.
DCAM_IDPROP_READOUTSPEED C9100-13/-14 C9100-23B
3 11 MHz 22 MHz
2 2.75 MHz 11 MHz
1 687.5 KHz 687.5 KHz


Binning
C9100-13/-14 and C9100-23B support binning 1x1, 2x2 and 4x4 as standard. C9100-13/-14 also support binning 8x8 and 16x16 with M10354-01/-02 option. C9100-23B supports binning 8x8 and 16x16 with M10354-03 option.
DCAM_IDPROP_BINNING C9100-13/-14 C9100-23B
DCAMPROP_BINNING__1 Binning 1x1 Binning 1x1
DCAMPROP_BINNING__2 Binning 2x2 Binning 2x2
DCAMPROP_BINNING__4 Binning 4x4 Binning 4x4
DCAMPROP_BINNING__8 Binning 8x8 (with M10354-01/-02) Binning 8x8 (with M10354-03)
DCAMPROP_BINNING__16 Binning 16x16 (with M10354-01/02) Binning 16x16 (with M10354-03)

Go to of chapter "Readout Properties".


Output trigger


Number of output trigger connector
C9100-23B has 3 connectors for output trigger.
DCAM_IDPROP_NUMBEROF_OUTPUTTRIGGERCONNECTOR C9100-13/-14 C9100-23B
return value n/a 3


Output trigger kind
Each output trigger can output different kind of timing.
DCAM_IDPROP_OUTPUTTRIGGER_KIND note C9100-13/-14 C9100-23B
DCAMPROP_OUTPUTTRIGGER_KIND__LOW always LOW n/a support
DCAMPROP_OUTPUTTRIGGER_KIND__EXPOSURE active during sensor is exposing timing I/O 2 pin support
DCAMPROP_OUTPUTTRIGGER_KIND__PROGRAMABLE active as user programs timing I/O 3 pin support
DCAMPROP_OUTPUTTRIGGER_KIND__TRIGGERREADY active means trigger is ready n/a support
DCAMPROP_OUTPUTTRIGGER_KIND__HIGH always HIGH n/a support


Output trigger source
Programmable output trigger will start by other timing. In case of C9100-13/-14, it can only start from starting EXPOSURE but in case of C9100-23B, it can also start from starting TRIGGER input.
DCAM_IDPROP_OUTPUTTRIGGER_SOURCE note C9100-13/-14 C9100-23B
DCAMPROP_OUTPUTTRIGGER_SOURCE__EXPOSURE start by starting EXPOSURE only this mode support
DCAMPROP_OUTPUTTRIGGER_SOURCE__TRIGGER start by starting TRIGGER n/a support

Go to of chapter "Output trigger".


Appendix


Read before using
This document and the software sample codes are internal documents of Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.(it is described as the following HPK) and are disclosed upon request in order to enable the user to create a host software using DCAM-API.
This document and the software sample codes are disclosed only for the purpose described above, and do not constitute a license, transfer, or any other entitlement for the owner.
All of risk and result of using software depending on this document remains with the user.
This document may include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. HPK does not guarantee any damage arising from such errors or this document.
HPK makes no commitment to update or keep current the information contained in this document.
All brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. HPK has copyright of this document with all rights reserved.
No part of this documentation may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language or computer language, in any form, or by any means, in any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual or otherwise, without the prior written permission of HPK.


Overview
This document explains different functions between C9100-13 (ImagEM) / C9100-14 (ImagEM 1K) and C9100-23B (ImagEM X2) and how to control them by DCAM Properties. This document requires knowledge of basic concept of DCAM-API and SDK. If you need description about them, please reffer other documents.
dcamgeneral

Go to of chapter "Appendix".