Photron FASTCAM Mini Series User manual

F
FA AS ST TC CA AM M
HIGH-SPEED DIGITAL CAMERA
First-Step Guide Booklet
For FASTCAM Cameras
Revision 4.01 E
Easy to learn
Easy to use

INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your acquisition of a Photron high-speed camera system, the FASTCAM .
When using, you need to set up and operate the camera in the following steps. This First-step Guide
Booklet describes the very basic items (minimum of contents) regarding the setting and operation of
the camera. For detailed handling, refer to each of the product manuals included with the FASTCAM
Series SetupDisk (DVD).
Checking components
and accessories
Preparing and connecting
system components
Starting camera and PFV
Setting recording conditions
Recording
Playing saved image data
Playing recorded images
Saving recorded images in PC
Steps for Setup/Operation
FAQ and Contact
Information
Ⅲ
Ⅳ
Saving and playing
Playing saved image data
Saving recorded images in PC
Ⅰ
Preparing and connecting
system components
Network setup for PC
PFV Installation
Device Connections
Ⅱ
Starting and setting camera
Setting recording conditions
Starting camera and PFV
Contact Information
FAQ and Troubleshooting
２７
３１
Ⅵ
FAQ and Contact Information
Product Specifications
２４
Ⅴ
Product Specifications
PFV：Photron FASTCAM Viewer
２
６
７
１０
１１
１２
１４
２０
２２
Recording and reviewing
Playing recorded images
Recording
Using External Triggers
１８
First-step Guide to FASTCAM Camera
Table of Contents

PRECAUTIONS for FASTCAM
In order to prevent any physical injuries or damages to properties, please be sure to follow the below
precautions:
■Do not attempt to do anything that may damage AC cables and/or plugs (such as
scratching, modifying, bringing near heat-producing device, forcing to bend or twist,
pulling, placing under heavy object, binding, etc.). Using a damaged cord or plug may
result in a fire, electrical shock or short circuit.
■Do not use the equipment on voltage over the rating of power outlet or other wirings,
or other than power of properly rated voltage. Using the system on higher voltage may
cause a fire by overheating.
■Do not introduce metallic objects, water or any liquid in the equipment. It may cause a
fire or electrical shock.
■Do not try to disassemble or modify the equipment. It may cause electrical shock
because there is high voltage within the equipment.
■Do not handle the power plug with wet hand. It may cause electrical shock.
■Plug the power plug firmly into a power outlet to the full depth.
■Whenever an abnormality is found, unplug the power cord from the power outlet, such
as:
When water or any other liquid or metallic object is erroneously put inside the
equipment.
When the housing is somehow damaged as a result of a fall.
When smoke, unusual smell or sound is detected.
Using the equipment with any of the above abnormal conditions uncorrected may
cause fire or electrical shock.
•Copyright of this booklet belongs to PHOTRON LIMITED.
•Specifications of the camera system and the content of this booklet may be changed without prior
notice.
•This booklet has been written based on the best knowledge of the author at the time of drafting. If any
error is found, please let us know at the address given in the back of the booklet.
•Photron is unable to assume responsibility for any effects resulting from the use of the system and/or
this booklet. We at Photron appreciates your understanding
•The formal name of Windows is Microsoft® Windows® Operating System.
•Microsoft, Windows, Windows10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, are all trademarks or registered
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in USA.

２
Preparing and connecting system components
Ⅰ
Device Connections
Standalone type (Mini series)
Controller details
Status LEDs
DC22-32V 55VA
Power connector
Gigabit Ethernet
LAN cable connector
Power on/off SW
Rear panel
Camera body
PC with PFV installed
LAN Cable
(Gigabit Ethernet)
AC power adaptor
AC power cord
DC Cable
Note: The configuration of the AC
power supply unit and cable differs
based on the shipping period or
model.
・The FASTCAM camera supports 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet) only.
If your PC supports 10BASE-T or 100BASE-T only, you need to install a 1000BASE-T
interface board or use a switching hub that supports 10BASE-T, 100BASE-T and
1000BASE-T.
Please use an AC cable with a ferrite core.
CAUTION

３
Preparing and connecting system components
Ⅰ
Standalone type (SAZ series)
PC with PFV installed
AC power cord
Controller details
Rear panel
Status LEDs
DC22-32V 100VA
Power connector
Gigabit Ethernet
LAN cable connector
Power on/off SW
DC Cable
AC power adaptor
LAN Cable
(Gigabit Ethernet)
・The FASTCAM camera supports 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet) only.
If your PC supports 10BASE-T or 100BASE-T only, you need to install a 1000BASE-T
interface board or use a switching hub that supports 10BASE-T, 100BASE-T and
1000BASE-T.
Please use an AC cable with a ferrite core.
CAUTION
Camera body

４
Preparing and connecting system components
Ⅰ
Standalone type (SA series)
Camera body
AC power adaptor
PC with PFV installed
LAN Cable
(Gigabit Ethernet)
AC power cord
Controller details
Status LEDs
DC18-36V 100VA
Power connector
Gigabit Ethernet
LAN cable connector
Power on/off SW
Rear panel
Note: The connector location differs based on
the camera model, but the connector display
is the same. However, only the display of the
power supply connector may differ depending
on the model.
・The FASTCAM camera supports 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet) only.
If your PC supports 10BASE-T or 100BASE-T only, you need to install a 1000BASE-T
interface board or use a switching hub that supports 10BASE-T, 100BASE-T and
1000BASE-T.
Please use an AC cable with a ferrite core.
CAUTION

５
Preparing and connecting system components
Ⅰ
Separate head type (MC・MH Multi series)
AC power adaptor
PC with PFV installed
LAN Cable
(Gigabit Ethernet)
Camera Controller
Camera head
Camera cable
AC power cord
Front panel
Status LEDs
DC20-34V 180VA
Power connector
Gigabit Ethernet
LAN cable connector
Power on/off SW
CAMERA CABLE
Camera Cable connector
・The FASTCAM camera supports 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet) only.
If your PC supports 10BASE-T or 100BASE-T only, you need to install a 1000BASE-T
interface board or use a switching hub that supports 10BASE-T, 100BASE-T and
1000BASE-T.
Please use an AC cable with a ferrite core.
CAUTION
DC Cable
Multi example
For the MC/MH, refer to each of the product
manuals.
(The configuration differs for
each model.)

６
Preparing and connecting system components
Ⅰ
PFV Installation
1. Insert the PFV installation DVD in the DVD drive.
2. Click “Start Menu -> Computer” and open the DVD drive.
3. DVD-ROM is opened. Click “PFV SetupXX” folder and open it. (XX is 32 or 64. Select your
OS’s system bit. In case of the OS is a 64bit version of Windows, you select “PFV
Setup64”.)
4. Double click “setup.exe” in the folder.
The installer runs.
5. The license agreement and the install location are displayed.
Proceed with the installation by clicking [Next] or [Install].
6. When the PFV installation is finished, there is the icon “PFV 4”on the desktop.
・The latest PFV version does not support XP, Windows Vista OS ,so a PC with Windows 7,
or Windows 8.1 ,Windws10 OS is required to install the software.
CAUTION

７
Preparing and connecting system components
Ⅰ
Network setup for PC
IP address setup
1. Move the cursor to "MENU" on the upper left of the screen.
2. Click [Configuration] in the menu.
3. Click [Connection] on the left side of the
"Configuration" dialog box.
4. "Connection" is opened.
Click [Settings] button in the "PC network" box.
5. "PC Network Setup" is opened. Check on "Set
the LAN port's IP address for connecting with
cameras."
6. Input [192.168.0.1] in the IP address input box. And input [255.255.255.0] in the Subnet
mask box and click [Set] button.

８
Preparing and connecting system components
Ⅰ
Firewall setup
1. Move the cursor to "MENU" on the upper left of the screen.
2. Click [Configuration] in the menu.
3. Click [Connection] on the left side of the
"Configuration" dialog box.
4. "Connection" is opened.
Click [Settings] button in "PC network" box.
5. "PC Network Setup" is opened. Check on "Set
PFV to the allowed program list of Windows
Firewall."
6. Click [Close] button.
"PC's network settings are optimized. Restart PFV or PC to detect cameras." is displayed.
Click [OK] button and restart the PFV or reboot the PC.

９
Preparing and connecting system components
Ⅰ
Jumbo frame setup
The download speed may become fast if the Jumbo frame setting is changed. The setting
procedures are as follows.
1. Press [Windows] key + [R] key on the
keyboard.
Input "ncpa.cpl" on the window displayed and
click [OK] button.
2. "Network Connections" window is displayed.
Right click [Local Area Connection] or
[Ethernet] used for the camera connection and
select [Property].
3. "Ethernet Properties" window is displayed.
Click [Configure...] button.
"Property" window according to the network
device is opened.
Find "Jumbo Frame" in "Advanced" tab and
change the setting.
In this time, depending on the network device;
・The layout of the screen is different.
・The setting value is different like as 9014KB.
・There is no Jumbo Frame.
Be aware for above matters.

１０
Starting and setting camera
Ⅱ
Starting camera and PFV
1. Switch on camera system (Power switch).
2. Switch on PC.
3. See if the below status LED’s have lighted.
・[POWER] LED (Green)
・[IF LINK/TRANS] LED (Red)
4. Double click icon on desktop.
PFV starts up and live image is displayed.
Control panel
If live image is out of focus
Turn a focus ring (near the object) CW or CCW to readjust focus.
Before (out of focus)
After (in focus)
ビューウィンドウ
パネル
Recording/Playback panel

１１
Starting and setting camera
Ⅱ
If live image is too dark or too bright
Turn an iris ring (near lens mount) CW or CCW to readjust image brightness.
Setting recording conditions
Click each of
A[Frame rate] ,
B[Shutter speed] ,
C[Resolution] and
D[Trigger mode], at a time, and select recording conditions
in relevant menu.
EExecute [Shading] after setting the above recording
conditions. Or execute [Shading] right before recording to
shoot with best image quality.
* All of cameras except Mini UX, Multi, MH4, MH6, and SA8
require [Shading] calibration before recording.
A
B
C
D
E
Before (image too dark)
Before (image too bright)
After (brightness readjusted)
Recording and reviewing in the next page.
Ⅲ
・Menu items differ from model to model.
Please see Photron FASTCAM Viewer User’s Manual.
SUPPLEMENT

１２
Recording and reviewing
Ⅲ
Recording
Recording in START Mode
1. Click [Record] button.
2. Click [Ready] button.
[START] Mode
In START mode, camera starts recording at the moment a trigger is input (or REC button is pressed).
Recording continues until the memory is full, and automatically stops recording.
This mode is useful when you know for sure when an anticipated event will occur.
Waiting a trigger
Recording
Recording 2000 frames when the frame rate is 1000
frame/second.
Example: With a camera that can record 2 seconds
It records the high speed image for 2 seconds right after [Ready] button is
clicked.
Click
Click

１３
Recording and reviewing
Ⅲ
Recording in END Mode
1. Click [Record] button.
2. Click [Ready] button.
[END] Mode
END mode records the images of target event right before the trigger is input.
This mode is useful when it is hard to know when your target event will take place.
Recording continues up to the maximum number of frames (memory capacity of the camera).
After clicking [Record] button, the recording starts immediately and it continues until the memory
capacity of the camera for 2seconds is full.
After clicking [Ready] button, it ends and turns to the MEMORY mode.
Click
Recording
Recording 2000 frames when the frame rate is 1000
frame/second.
Click
Example: With a camera that can record 2 seconds

１４
Recording and reviewing
Ⅲ
Using External Triggers
SW IN and TTL IN
These products support a start and stop of recording triggered by external signals.
There are two types of trigger input terminals. Details are explained here, with two typical
camera systems as examples.
On SA-Z, connect the I/O cable to the camera.
On Mini AX, the connectors are equipped on the camera.
Each feature is described below.
1
TRIG SW IN (gray)
Advantages
・Open collector output is supported.
・Diverting the cable does not affect the trigger signal.
Disadvantages
・Compared to TTL input, relatively a longer delay of
approximately 26us occurs.
2
TRIG TTL IN
(yellow)
・
INPUT 2
(DEF: TRIG TTL
IN)
Advantages
・The industry standard of TTL 5V is supported, and up
to +12V can be input.
・Compared to TRIG SW IN, the delay is much shorter.
(approximately 0.1us)
・Shorter pulse signal than SW IN is supported.
Disadvantages
・Trigger signal is attenuated by diverting the cable,
which may result in abnormal trigger input.
Connect the BNC cable as shown in the pictures.
IO Port
(I/O cable)
SA-Z
Mini AX
INPUT2
(DEF: TRIG TTL IN)
TRIG SW IN

１５
Recording and reviewing
Ⅲ
How to Use Start Trigger
Settings of the start trigger mode when the TTL signal is used are explained here.
1. Using the BNC cable, send the TTL signal generated by an external device to TRIG TTL
IN connector of the camera.
Mini AX: “INPUT2”connector
SA-Z: “TRIG TTL IN”connector (yellow)
If the external device does not have a BNC
Connector, this kind of BNC-2 cable is useful.
2. Connection is shown below.
3. Click “Record”button on PFV, and let the
camera wait for “Trigger In”
4. Start the test equipment, and output the TTL
signal. If the camera starts recording, it is
successful.
The time that the signal was input is the trigger
point.
Test
equipment
BNC cable
TTL IN

１６
Recording and reviewing
Ⅲ
The time that the signal was input is the trigger point.
How to Use Center, End, Manual Trigger Modes
The settings of the other trigger modes are explained here.
The procedures 1~3 of “How to Use Start Trigger”are the same. The procedures thereafter
are described here.
1. Up to [Ready] are the same procedures. Click
[Record] button.
2. Let the status be [Ready]. Start the test equipment
and output the TTL signal.
3. In case of Center and manual triggers, the status
will become “Now recording”, and the rest are
recorded.
Trigger point (start trigger)
Trigger point (center trigger)

１７
Recording and reviewing
Ⅲ
Other Cautions for the Use of Triggers
Please beware of the following cautions.
1. Inputting over-voltage
The protection circuit is equipped, but it will be broken if over-voltage is input.
TRIG SW IN supports 0V~+5V, and TRIG TTL IN supports 0V~+12V.
2. How to divert the cable
In case of diverting the cable to input signals to camera or other equipments, the signal
level may be lowered depending on how to divert the cable.
In case of TRIG SW IN: Divert the cable with a T-connector.
In case of TRIG TTL IN: After inputting the signal to Camera 1, output the signal from TRIG
TTL OUT terminal of Camera 1 to another camera or device.
Test equipment
TRIG TTL IN
(INPUT2)
TRIG TTL OUT
(OUTPUT2)
TRIG TTL IN
(INPUT2)
Master Camera
Slave Camera
Master Camera
Slave Camera

１８
Recording and reviewing
Ⅲ
Playing recorded images
Use the playback control panel to play recorded images.
・At the end of a recording, the triggered frame is displayed in the view window.
・Setting of display on the control panel automatically switches from LIVE to MEMORY.
Playback control panel (lower portion)
Stop
Reverse play
Play
Jog reverse play
Go to triggered frame
Synchronized
playback
Go to event
Jog forward play
Playback speed
slider bar
Go to first frame
Go to last frame
Go to event ON/OFF
Repeat
Playback
Synchronization mode
Choose frame
synchronization or time
synchronization.
Number of
frames to skip