Chronos 1.4 User manual

USER MANUAL
CHRONOS 1.4 & CHRONOS 2.1-HD
Software Version 0.5.1
RE-PDEV-10007 Rev 1.0

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Preface
Thank you for choosing a Chronos high-
speed camera!
This camera was designed to be accessible to everyone, and we
hope that you will experiment, explore and create.
Please share videos, pictures, publications and details about your
user cases with our team at any time. We would love to see what
you’re creating, and perhaps share it with our audience on social
media, monthly newsletter, or even our website if you would like!
This guide will help you operate, troubleshoot, and get the most
out of your camera and its accessories. We also advise you to
read the separate document, Terms of Sale and Warranty (see
website). If you have any questions about either document,
please contact [e-mail].
Also, to receive important news about software updates, release
of new products, major company announcements, or special
discounts, please sign up for our monthly newsletter by:
•Visiting https://www.krontech.ca/chronos-newsletter/.
OR
•Scanning this QR code:

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Support Contacts
DIRECT SUPPORT
If you have questions or concerns about hardware, software or
special instruction for your Chronos camera and its accessories,
please don’t hesitate to contact us at: [email protected]a.
WEB SITE LINKS
FAQ https://krontech.ca/faq
Shipping Policy https://krontech.ca/shipping-policy
Warranty & Return https://krontech.ca/warranty-return
Chronos 1.4
Resources https://krontech.ca/chronos-1-4-resources
Chronos 2.1-HD
Resources https://krontech.ca/chronos-2-1-resources
USER FORUM
The User Forum is a great way to share questions with other Chronos
users, as well as get support directly from Kron Technologies staff;
use the search function on the forum to find answers to your
questions.
User Forum: https://forum.krontech.ca

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Table of Contents
Preface ........................................................................................................................................................................ 2
Support Contacts ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Unboxing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8
What’s included ...................................................................................................................................................... 8
First Look..................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Setup.......................................................................................................................................................................... 11
DISABLING THE SHIPPING MODE ............................................................................................................................ 11
LENS INSTALLATION................................................................................................................................................ 12
POWERING UP THE CAMERA................................................................................................................................... 12
POWERING DOWN THE CAMERA ............................................................................................................................. 13
BATTERY CHARGING............................................................................................................................................... 13
Getting Ready ........................................................................................................................................................... 14
SETTING RESOLUTION &FRAME RATE................................................................................................................... 14
BLACK CALIBRATION.............................................................................................................................................. 15
PERFORMING A BLACK CALIBRATION .................................................................................................................... 15
WHITE BALANCE..................................................................................................................................................... 16
WHITE BALANCE CALIBRATION .............................................................................................................................. 16
Recording.................................................................................................................................................................. 18
RING BUFFER CONCEPT ......................................................................................................................................... 18
SIMULTANEOUS RECORDING OF REAL-TIME FOOTAGE .......................................................................................... 19
CHEAT SHEET TO YOUR FIRST RECORDING ........................................................................................................... 20
SHUTTER BUTTON................................................................................................................................................... 21
EXTERNAL TRIGGERS.............................................................................................................................................. 21
SIGNAL CONDITIONING........................................................................................................................................... 22
SYNCHRONIZING TO EXTERNAL SOURCES.............................................................................................................. 22
TRIGGER MODES..................................................................................................................................................... 22
TOGGLE TRIGGER ............................................................................................................................................... 22
RECORD END TRIGGER ....................................................................................................................................... 23
EXPOSURE TRIGGER ........................................................................................................................................... 23
SHUTTER GATING ............................................................................................................................................... 24
SHUTTER GATING TIMING REQUIREMENTS......................................................................................................... 25
Playback .................................................................................................................................................................... 26
Saving ........................................................................................................................................................................ 27

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Network Interface..................................................................................................................................................... 29
STATIC IP ADDRESS CONFIGURATION ................................................................................................................... 29
DYNAMIC IP ADDRESS CONFIGURATION VIA DHCP.............................................................................................. 29
ETHERNET OVER USB............................................................................................................................................. 29
SAVING TO NETWORK STORAGE............................................................................................................................ 29
Web Control.............................................................................................................................................................. 31
ACCESSING THE CAMERA’S WEBPAGE .................................................................................................................. 31
NAVIGATING THE CAMERA’S WEBPAGE:MAIN...................................................................................................... 32
NAVIGATING THE CAMERA’S WEBPAGE:PLAY &SAVE......................................................................................... 33
NAVIGATING THE CAMERA’S WEBPAGE:SETTINGS............................................................................................... 34
NAVIGATING THE CAMERA’S WEBPAGE:I/O CONFIG -SIMPLE............................................................................. 35
NAVIGATING THE CAMERA’S WEBPAGE:I/O CONFIG -ADVANCED ...................................................................... 36
Annex A –Hardware................................................................................................................................................ 38
CAMERA’S BACK .................................................................................................................................................... 38
POWER BUTTON.................................................................................................................................................. 38
SHUTTER BUTTON............................................................................................................................................... 38
RECORD INDICATORS (2).................................................................................................................................... 38
POWER STATUS INDICATOR................................................................................................................................ 39
JOG WHEEL ........................................................................................................................................................ 39
SD CARD SLOT................................................................................................................................................... 39
CAMERA’S SIDE ...................................................................................................................................................... 40
HDMI.................................................................................................................................................................. 40
AUDIO IO ............................................................................................................................................................ 40
USB/ESATA ...................................................................................................................................................... 40
BNC.................................................................................................................................................................... 41
MINI USB OTG .................................................................................................................................................. 41
ETHERNET ........................................................................................................................................................... 41
AUX IO................................................................................................................................................................ 41
POWER INPUT...................................................................................................................................................... 41
CAMERA’S BOTTOM ............................................................................................................................................... 42
SYSTEM SD SLOT &CARD................................................................................................................................. 42
MOUNT POINT..................................................................................................................................................... 42
BACK-FOCUS LOCK SCREW............................................................................................................................... 42
BATTERY COMPARTMENT................................................................................................................................... 42
Annex B - Lenses ..................................................................................................................................................... 43

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LENS MOUNT &ADAPTER ...................................................................................................................................... 43
LENS SELECTION..................................................................................................................................................... 44
BACK-FOCUS ADJUSTMENT................................................................................................................................... 44
PRIME LENSES (NON-ZOOM).................................................................................................................................. 44
ZOOM LENSES (PARFOCAL LENSES ONLY).............................................................................................................. 45
Annex C –IR Filter ................................................................................................................................................... 46
IR FILTER ................................................................................................................................................................ 46
REMOVING THE IR FILTER....................................................................................................................................... 46
Annex D –Trigger Inputs/Outputs ......................................................................................................................... 47
TRIGGER INPUTS/OUTPUTS .................................................................................................................................... 47
TRIGGER IO 1AND 2............................................................................................................................................... 47
TRIGGER IN 3.......................................................................................................................................................... 48
Annex E –Troubleshooting..................................................................................................................................... 49
Annex F –Specifications......................................................................................................................................... 51
CHRONOS 1.4...................................................................................................................................................... 51
CHRONOS 2.1-HD ............................................................................................................................................... 54
Annex G –Maintenance & Care............................................................................................................................. 57
OPTICS.................................................................................................................................................................... 57
CAMERA BODY ....................................................................................................................................................... 57
SCREEN................................................................................................................................................................... 57
Annex H –Record Rates & Times.......................................................................................................................... 58
RECORD PRESET VS RECORD DURATION ............................................................................................................... 58
CHRONOS 1.4.................................................................................................................................................. 58
CHRONOS 2.1-HD ........................................................................................................................................... 59
RECORD FPS VS RECORD DURATION .................................................................................................................... 60
CHRONOS 1.4.................................................................................................................................................. 60
RECORD RESOLUTION VS RECORD DURATION ....................................................................................................... 61
CHRONOS 1.4.................................................................................................................................................. 61
Annex I –Storage & Shipping ................................................................................................................................ 62
Annex J –Mechanical Drawing .............................................................................................................................. 63
CHRONOS 1.4 / CHRONOS 2.1-HD ............................................................................................................. 63
Annex K –Spectral Response................................................................................................................................ 64
CHRONOS 1.4.................................................................................................................................................. 64
CHRONOS 2.1-HD ........................................................................................................................................... 65
Annex L –Software Functions................................................................................................................................ 66

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MAIN WINDOW........................................................................................................................................................ 66
RECORD SETTINGS ................................................................................................................................................. 68
RECORD MODE –NORMAL ..................................................................................................................................... 71
RECORD MODE -SEGMENTED ................................................................................................................................ 72
RECORD MODE –GATED BURST ............................................................................................................................ 74
RECORD MODE –LIVE SLOW MOTION ................................................................................................................... 76
TRIGGER /IO SETTINGS.......................................................................................................................................... 78
TRIGGER DELAY...................................................................................................................................................... 80
BLACK CALIBRATION.............................................................................................................................................. 82
WHITE BALANCE..................................................................................................................................................... 83
CUSTOM COLOR MATRIX WINDOW........................................................................................................................ 85
PLAY ....................................................................................................................................................................... 86
SAVE SETTINGS ...................................................................................................................................................... 88
COMPARISON OF SAVE FORMATS .......................................................................................................................... 90
UTILITIES SCREEN -MAIN....................................................................................................................................... 91
STORAGE TAB......................................................................................................................................................... 94
SOFTWARE UPDATES.............................................................................................................................................. 96
NETWORK TAB......................................................................................................................................................100
ABOUT TAB........................................................................................................................................................... 101
FACTORY TAB....................................................................................................................................................... 102

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Unboxing
IMPORTANT: The camera ships with a dust cap and installed CS-C Adapter Ring (above). Make sure you
don’t accidentally remove the CS-C Adapter Ring when removing the cap.
Unpack the camera and accessories, and check that all ordered accessories are included. If anything is
missing or damaged, please notify us immediately at [email protected]a.
What’s included
The following items are included as standard with all cameras:
•Chronos Camera
•EN-EL4a Battery
•19V 40W AC Adapter
•AC Power Cord (plug depends on region)
•CS-C Adapter Ring (installed on camera)
•C Mount Dust Cap (installed on camera)
•2mm Allen Wrench
•User Manual
If you have ordered lenses and other accessories, please check your package contents
against the invoice to make sure that your order is complete.
AC Power Cord
Chronos Camera
User Manual
EN-EL4a
Battery
19V 40W AC Adapter
2mm Allen Wrench
CS-C Adaptor Ring
CS Mount Dust Cap

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First Look
Shutter Button
Start or Stop Recording
Immediately
Power Status Indicator
Microphone
Speaker
Video Record Indicator
Video Record Indicator
Power Button
Jog Wheel
Playback Control
UI Navigation
Shutter Adjustment
User SD Card Slot
800x480 LCD Screen
With capacitive touchpad
C-Mount Lens Adaptor
Increases the Focal Distance for a
C-Mount Lens
Back-Focus
Adjustment Ring
Adjust the Focal Distance to
the sensor surface
Back-Focus Ring Adjustment
Screw
Battery Compartment Door
Camera Firmware Micro SD Card Slot

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Power Input
17V to 20V, 40W
2.5mm Barrel Connector
Positive Tip
Aux IO / Analog Input
Trig 2 and Trig 3 supported
IO 2 and IO 3 in Trigger Settings
0-6Volts Adjustable Threshold
30Volts - DC/AC - 50Vpk Max
Ethernet
1Gbits/100Mbits/10bits
Network Connectivity
API Camera Control
Webpage Camera Control
Micro USB
On-The-Go USB Port for Computer
Connectivity
USB / eSATAp
FAT32 and EXT2/3 Storage support
BNC
IO 1
0-6Volts Adjustable Threshold
30Volts - DC/AC - 50Vpk Max
Headphone Output Jack
Microphone Input Jack
HDMI
1080p & 720p Resolutions supported

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Setup
DISABLING THE SHIPPING MODE
After the camera is unpacked and ready to be fired up, the first thing to be done will be
to disable the shipping mode. The shipping mode disables the usage of the power on
button, so the camera doesn’t accidentally get activated during transit which would lead
to the battery being drained.
In order to disable that safety feature, connect your AC Power Adapter to a power outlet
and connect the barrel connector to the camera.
For the camera to disable the shipping mode, it needs to recognize that the camera is
connected to the main power source that recharges the battery. If the AC power adapter
is correctly installed and you press the power button to power up the camera, the
camera will boot up normally.
Once the camera has booted normally, shipping mode will automatically be disabled, so
that subsequent power-ups of the camera do not require an external power source.
It is recommended that the AC power supply remains connected until the battery is fully
charged.
IMPORTANT: If Shipping Mode was enabled and needs to be disabled prior to a power cycle, the
checkbox in the Util -> Factory menu can be de-selected.

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LENS INSTALLATION
Remove the body cap and install the lens by screwing it onto the mount.
IMPORTANT: For the COMPUTAR 12.5-75mm Zoom Lens, the CS-C Adapter needs to be left
on. If you're using another lens, refer to the table below for types and support materials to
determine whether the CS-C Adapter is needed.
Lens Model
Lens Mount
Adapter Required
COMPUTAR 12.5-75mm f/1.2 Zoom
C
CS - C
COMPUTAR 12mm f/1.4 Prime
C
CS - C
6-60mm f/1.7 Zoom*
CS
None
2.8-12mm f/1.4 Zoom*
CS
None
COMPUTAR 8mm f/1.4 Prime
C
CS - C
FUJIAN 35mm f/1.7
C
CS - C
Microscope Lens
C
CS - C
SIGMA 24-70mm f/2.8 Zoom
F
F - C
IMPORTANT: *Zoom lenses have the side effect of not covering the entire sensor, which will
create a black ring around the periphery of the image. This phenomenon is also called
“VIGNETTING” thus, the user ought to be aware of that fact. Please also note that the only lenses
that will not cause “VIGNETTING”with the Chronos 2.1-HD are the FUJIAN and SIGMA models in
the list above.
POWERING UP THE CAMERA
To turn on the camera, simply do a press and release of the power-on button. Give
about a minute for the camera to boot and to initialize itself. When the process is
complete you will be greeted by the screen below.

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POWERING DOWN THE CAMERA
To turn off the camera, press the power on button for at least 0.5 sec to less than 4
sec**.
Like a computer, the camera needs to shut down properly to avoid problems with the
operating system. Don't force a hard power down unless the camera is unresponsive
and will not power down normally.
IMPORTANT: ** Do not continue to hold the button; holding it for more than 4 seconds will force
a hard power-down. A hard power-down will shut down the camera without the OS knowing about
it and thus possibly creating instability in the system.
BATTERY CHARGING
Before you run the camera on battery power, charge the new battery up to at least 80%
(LED flashes green/orange, or is solid green). This should take less than 2 hours.
Battery Capacity and Voltage Level
Indicators

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Region of Interests
Interest
List of presets
Custom
Resolution
Entry Field
Record Settings
Getting Ready
SETTING RESOLUTION &FRAME RATE
The Chronos cameras allows you to trade image resolution
for frame rate. In many applications, temporal resolution
(frame rate) is far more important than spatial resolution
(image resolution).
The image resolution can be adjusted in two ways.
Common pre-set resolutions are available from the drop-
down menu on the bottom left of the Record Settings page. There are also direct
resolution controls at top right. Resolution can be adjusted in increments of 2 pixels
vertically, and 16 pixels horizontally on the Chronos 1.4, or 32 pixels on the Chronos
2.1-HD.
Tap on the text box to enter a resolution using the keyboard or use the up/down buttons
to adjust in minimum increments. As the resolution is changed, the Region of Interest
(ROI) display shows the resulting image size within the full resolution of the image
sensor. The maximum frame rate and minimum frame periods are displayed under the
ROI display.
Once the desired resolution is set, the frame rate can be adjusted from 60fps to the
maximum shown under the ROI display. The Max buttons will set the frame rate and
exposure to their respective maximum values for the current resolution.
IMPORTANT: When using resolutions other than those shown in the Common Resolutions drop-down
box, it is important to do a Black Calibration, as only common resolutions are calibrated at the factory.
When an un-calibrated resolution is selected, a basic Black Calibration is automatically taken with the
shutter speed at minimum. This allows a reasonable image display for immediate use, but a full Black
Calibration is recommended for best quality.
Full Frame
Chronos 1.4: 1280x1024
Chronos 2.1-HD: 1920x1080

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Black Calibration
BLACK CALIBRATION
For best image quality, the camera automatically subtracts a
black reference image from all captured frames, correcting
for pixel variations that occur on the image sensor. This
reference is updated by the Black Calibration.
This is unique for each resolution, gain setting, and shutter
speed, i.e. a Black Calibration performed at 1280x1024 with
0dB gain does not apply to 1280x1024 with 6dB gain. Black Calibration issues manifest
as lines across the video, or as a negative image of an object that was in frame.
PERFORMING A BLACK CALIBRATION
First, let the camera reach normal operating temperature by letting it run for 15-25
minutes. Fully close the iris or put the lens cap on. Once all light is completely blocked
from the image sensor, tap the Black Cal button on the main screen.
The Record LED will flash as the camera records the black reference frames. This will
discard any unsaved video. Once the Performing Black Calibration.. message goes
away, you can safely open the iris or remove the lens cap, as the black reference frames
are fully captured.
Depending on resolution, a Black Calibration can take up to 15 seconds. It is persistent
across restarts and will be remembered the next time you select the same resolution.
IMPORTANT: Perform a Black Calibration after changing the resolution, frame rate or shutter
speed.

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White Balance
Tap
“Set Custom”
To let Camera,
calculate the
necessary color
correction.
Make sure to select “Custom” in the presets
Tap here to select a preset
WHITE BALANCE
White Balance is an adjustment in electronic and film
imaging that corrects for the colour balance of the lighting -
so that white objects appear white, rather than coloured (for
example) yellow when lit by tungsten filament lights, or
excessively blue under sunlight.
Most digital cameras have automatic compensation for
white balance, and the more advanced allow some
manual adjustment - either to fixed settings or balancing
on a particular image (e.g. a grey card). The white
balance is adjusted by applying different weightings to the
red, green and blue (RGB) components of the image
coming from the sensor - based on the colour
temperature.
WHITE BALANCE CALIBRATION
1st Method:
The easiest and fastest way to adjust the white
balance is by evaluating the environmental light
around the subject. To put in front of the camera a
white piece of paper and to select from the drop-
down menu “White Balance” the presets that
matches the type of light used and to make the white
of the paper come out as white as possible without
any blue or orange tint.
2nd Method:
The second way to adjust the color
temperature to match the scene is to
put a properly lit white piece of paper
in front of the camera. Then, select
from the presets list “Custom” and
then tap the “Set Custom” button for
the camera to estimate the right
amount of correction to obtain the
best neutral white possible.

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Make sure to select “Custom” in the presets
3rd Method:
Another way to adjust the White
Balance is while in custom mode, a
standard “illuminant” matrix can be
chosen from the presets list.
4th Method:
If one would want to have more
flexibility when it comes to adjust
the White Balance, then one would
be using the “Custom Color
Matrix” to fine-tune each element
of the conversion matrix. Kron
Technologies would recommend
using this method only when the
understanding of White Balancing
has been mastered by the user.

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7 Frames of
video recorded
into an 8 frame
Ring Buffer.
8 Frames of video
recorded into an
8 frame Ring
Buffer.
Recording
RING BUFFER CONCEPT
Before starting to record, it is important to understand the concept of how the images
are stored in the camera. Considering that the camera needs to capture an immense
amount of data in a very short time, the quantity of very fast memory is limited, hence it
is paramount to manage that memory properly to mitigate the loss of frames after the
camera has been set to record.
In order to capture all these images, the Chronos cameras will record to what is called a
Ring Buffer in the internal high-speed RAM. The ring buffer is a data structure that
holds frames of recorded video. Once it’s full, the oldest frames are overwritten as new
frames are captured. This allows the camera to record for unlimited periods, but only the
most recent frames are kept.
The length of the buffer depends on the Record settings.
Reducing the frame rate below maximum will increase the
record time proportionally.
For example, if the maximum frame rate for your resolution is 3000fps, setting the rate
to 1000fps will result in 3x the record time available at maximum frame rate.
9 Frames of video
recorded into an 8
frame Ring
Buffer.
The 9th frame has
replaced the 1st
Frame.

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Another way to record for
longer is to record a
lower resolution video.
If 4 frames of 800×600
video fit into a Ring
Buffer, then 8 frames of
800×300 video will fit into
the same Ring Buffer.
SIMULTANEOUS RECORDING OF REAL-TIME FOOTAGE
While the camera excels at recording high-speed footage, it can also be used to
simultaneously record the 60 FPS version of an event. To enable this feature, navigate
to Util, then select the Live Record @ 60 FPS checkbox.
Once enabled, the camera will save a MPEG-4 video with audio to the specified location
while the record light is on. The camera will automatically switch from the built-in
microphone to the Microphone Input Jack if it detects a line input.
IMPORTANT: If this mode is enabled, the camera may take a few seconds longer to allow
interaction with the back-of-camera controls after the recording is stopped. Do not disconnect the
external storage device until it can be Safely Removed via the Storage menu in the Util screen.
8 Frames of
800x300 fit in
the same Ring
Buffer.
4 Frames of
800x600 fit in a
Ring Buffer.

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Set the desired resolution.
On the first boot:
-
Defaults to 1280x1024
-
Defaults to 1920x1080
Turning the resolution down will get
you a higher frame rate. However,
Horizontal resolution below 320 pixels
does not increase speed.
Perform a Black Cal with
the desired Resolution &
Frame Rate to ensure
best image quality
White Balance
Lens & Focus
Black Calibration
Record Settings
For Maximum sharpness on the
COMPUTAR 12.5-75mm lens, use
an iris of F/2 or above
Perform the white card test on your
scene and select the proper white
balance illuminant to achieve a neutral
white. (For Color Sensor Only)
To Start or to Stop recording, tap
Record on the LCD, or click the red
button on top of the camera.
Review Footage
Stop Recording
Start Recording
To enjoy immediately the captured
footage, you can get in the playback
menu by tapping on the “Play” button.
For more details on the playback
mode, see the section dedicated to it.
In normal Record mode, the camera
records continuously until stopped,
either by the Shutter button, the
Record/Stop button, or an external
trigger.
Please see the next section for
more information about the
different triggering modes.
Use the slider to go through the
captured footage.
CHEAT SHEET TO YOUR FIRST RECORDING