Lumenera Blog - Items of Interest

Selecting the Right Coupler for your Microscope Camera

Selecting the Right Coupler for your Microscope Camera

Selecting a suitable coupler to connect a camera to a microscope is an important step in the instrument’s configuration. Another term for a coupler is a C-mount adapter, and the terms are often used interchangeably. When selecting a coupler, several factors must be considered in order to maximize the camera’s field of view, without compromising image quality.

What’s Involved in a Custom or OEM Camera Solution?

What’s Involved in a Custom or OEM Camera Solution?

Integrating an imaging solution into a new or existing vision system may seem like an overwhelming and costly process at first. Consumer-grade, off-the-shelf point and shoot cameras can sometimes do the job, providing an inexpensive short-term solution, but they often lack in features, capabilities, support, warranty eligibility and fail to meet the exact needs of a customer’s application. Turning to an OEM and custom camera manufacturer to provide an imaging solution for a customer’s unique requirements may sound like it would be a more expensive option, but this isn’t always the case.

Fluorescence Microscopy – The Importance of Quantum Efficiency and Low Noise

Fluorescence Microscopy – The Importance of Quantum Efficiency and Low Noise

Fluorescence microscopy is a specialized branch of microscopy that allows the observer to tag different elements of a specimen with proteins that will fluoresce under various wavelengths of light. The emitted fluorescent light from the specimen can be quite faint and is sometimes very difficult to see. The camera used to image the low emission target needs to be highly sensitive in order to detect the fluorescing light. It should also have minimal noise to ensure accuracy above the noise floor and offer the highest signal-to-noise ratio possible.

Why Deterministic Triggering is Important for Time Sensitive Applications

Why Deterministic Triggering is Important for Time Sensitive Applications

Capturing an event at the right moment is what makes an image so valuable. Whether it’s a photo of a car running a red light or a snapshot of an item to be inspected on an assembly line, timing is everything. In order to ensure that an event is captured at the appropriate time (within microseconds), a camera’s ability to deterministically trigger is vital.

Using NIR for Inspection Applications

Using NIR for Inspection Applications

This week, Lumenera is at the SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing show demonstrating our Lt16059HM, a USB 3.0 industrial grade 16 MP CCD large format monochrome camera with Canon lens and a visible light blocking filter. Using an 850 nm NIR light ring we will be demonstrating how the camera can help differentiate organic vs inorganic matter in inspection applications. The detail and sensitivity at this wavelength is a result of our superior camera design that does not contain infrared filters, anti-aliasing filters or data altering firmware commonly found consumer camera systems.

When Monochrome Cameras are the Best Solution

When Monochrome Cameras are the Best Solution

Monochrome cameras can easily be overlooked when searching for an imaging solution since many new cameras boast vivid color, sharp contrast, and improved low light performance. There are many applications, however, that would benefit from using a monochrome camera as they produce sharper images with better resolution, output smaller file sizes, and are more sensitive to light.

Capturing Accurate Color Through Demosaicing

Capturing Accurate Color Through Demosaicing

Capturing true and accurate color has always been one of the biggest challenges in digital imaging. Since monochrome sensors can only measure the intensity of light and are agnostic to its color, a method was devised to measure the intensity of a specific color of light over each pixel. This method involves placing small filters of alternating color over each pixel using a Bayer pattern.

USB Turns 20

USB Turns 20

Twenty years ago seven technology companies came together to simplify and unify the connectors found on personal computers. They wanted to create a new connector type that was simple, fast, and most of all, universal. In January 1996, the first official iteration of the Universal Serial Bus, USB 1.0, was born.

 The Best of Both Worlds: Sony’s New CMOS Sensors

The Best of Both Worlds: Sony’s New CMOS Sensors

Sony has recently introduced their latest global shutter CMOS sensors that are capable of producing CCD-like performance. Historically, CCD sensors have been known to be far superior to CMOS technology, boasting higher dynamic range, higher pixel density, and better color representation than their CMOS counterparts. CMOS imagers, however, are typically much less expensive to manufacture and require less power to operate. Sony’s latest Pregius global shutter CMOS sensors combine beneficial aspects of both CCD and CMOS in a pixel design resulting in impressive performance.

Avoiding Optical Low Pass Filters in Your Camera

Avoiding Optical Low Pass Filters in Your Camera

Optical Low Pass filters are present in the vast majority of digital cameras sold within the consumer market. Their purpose is to reduce or remove possible Moiré effect when capturing fixed details such as clothing with repetitive patterns, or an urban landscape where a number of horizontal or vertical lines are present, such as office building windows.