Q Imaging OptiMOS Series User manual

USER MANUAL
www.QIMAGING.com

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0
optiMOS USER MANUAL
Applicability
This document applies to the optiMOS camera. For the latest updates, please visit www.qimaging.com.
Notice of Copyright
Copyright © 2014 Quantitative Imaging Corporation. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication of this
document is prohibited.
Trademarks and Proprietary Names
optiMOS™is a trademark of QImaging. QImaging®and PVCAM®are registered trademarks of Roper Scientific,
Inc. Product names mentioned in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of QImaging or
other hardware, software or service providers, and are used herein for identification purposes only. Microsoft®
and Windows®are registered trademarks in the U.S. and other countries of Microsoft Corporation and are
used herein for identification purposes only.
QImaging Corporation Address Information
19535 56th Avenue,
Suite 101
Surrey, BC, Canada V3S 6K3
604.530.5800
www.qimaging.com
QImaging Technical Support
Technical support is available to all registered users of QImaging products from 9am to 5pm Pacific
Standard Time.
[email protected]
800.874.9789
http://www.qimaging.com/support/contact

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0
optiMOS USER MANUAL
QIMAGING LIMITED WARRANTY
Standard Product Warranty Plan
A Standard Product Warranty Plan is included with every QImaging camera purchase. This Warranty Plan
includes parts and labor for two full years (starting from the shipping date of the camera). The Standard
Product Warranty Plan is provided on all new and used equipment, including retired demonstration cameras.
Extended Product Warranty Plan
Extended Product Warranty Plans are conveniently priced and very easy to purchase. Available for all QImaging
cameras, the Extended Product Warranty Plan includes parts and labor, and is available in one-year increments
up to five years.
When you purchase an Extended Product Warranty Plan from QImaging, you are assured of our commitment
to minimizing down times. Your needs are our top priority and QImaging responds immediately. The QImaging
Service and Support team is focused on expediting all customer requests to provide a fast and complete
solution.
QImaging also offers on-site training as well as online operational training programs. These programs are
designed to get you up and running with your new camera quickly and efficiently.
Contact a QImaging Representative to learn more about Extended Product Warranty Plan options.

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0
optiMOS USER MANUAL
optiMOS CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMITY

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0
optiMOS USER MANUAL
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1
System Components ........................................................................................................1
Precautions ........................................................................................................................2
Environmental Conditions for Operation and Storage.........................................................2
Microscopes, Lenses, Tripods..............................................................................................2
Cleaning ............................................................................................................................3
Repair ................................................................................................................................3
INSTALLATION ............................................................................................................... 4
Host Computer Requirements ............................................................................................4
Camera Power Requirements .............................................................................................5
Install the High Speed PCIe Board....................................................................................... 5
Install the Camera Driver .................................................................................................... 6
Connect the Camera..........................................................................................................7
USING YOUR optiMOS CAMERA................................................................................... 9
Imaging Software...............................................................................................................9
Basic Camera Parameters ...................................................................................................9
Exposure Time....................................................................................................................9
Rolling Shutter ................................................................................................................... 9
Gain ................................................................................................................................11
Clearing Mode.................................................................................................................11
Regions of Interest (ROI)...................................................................................................13
Digital Binning ................................................................................................................. 13
Device Synchronization ....................................................................................................13
Hardware Triggering Modes .............................................................................................14
Expose Out Behaviors ......................................................................................................15
TROUBLESHOOTING .................................................................................................... 18
Resolving Problems with the Camera................................................................................ 18
Unresolved Problems - Contacting QImaging Support ...................................................... 20
SPECIFICATIONS ........................................................................................................... 21

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 1
optiMOS USER MANUAL
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
optiMOS from QImaging is the live cell
replacement to CCD cameras. Featuring
faster frame rates and lower noise,
optiMOS was designed as the budget
friendly alternative that avoids complex
data management in the PC. Capable
of streaming 100fps with <2e- of read
noise, optiMOS delivers 10x the temporal
resolution of CCD cameras without trading
off on resolution or sensitivity. Offered as
the affordable sCMOS solution, optiMOS
brings the advantages of low noise and
high speed imaging to a broader range of
cell biology applications.
This manual describes the installation
and configuration procedures for your
new optiMOS Scientific CMOS camera.
Descriptions of the recommended optiMOS
camera settings are also included.
System Components
Your new camera system includes:
■optiMOS Scientific CMOS camera
■High Speed PCIex4 Data Card
■9V 8.33A Power Supply
■International Power Cord Set
■3 Meter High Speed Data Cable
■Black Lens Cap
■USB flash drive: PVCAM driver, manual, datasheet, training materials

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 2
optiMOS USER MANUAL
Precautions
The sCMOS sensor and other optiMOS camera system electronics are extremely sensitive to electrostatic
discharge (ESD). To avoid permanently damaging the system, please observe the following precautions:
■If you are using high-voltage equipment (such as an arc lamp) with your camera system, be sure to
turn the camera power on last and power the camera off first.
■Never connect or disconnect any cable while the camera system is powered on.
■Although you should turn off the camera’s power supply before disconnecting any camera system
cable, you do not need to power off your computer to detach the cables.
■Use caution when triggering high-current switching devices (such as an arc lamp) near your
system. The sCMOS can be permanently damaged by transient voltage spikes. If electrically noisy
devices are present, an isolated, conditioned power line or dedicated isolation transformer is highly
recommended.
■Always leave at least one inch of space around the camera housing.
■Never open the camera. There are no user-serviceable parts inside the optiMOS camera. Opening
the camera voids the warranty.
■Use only the integrated data interface, cables, and power supply designated for this camera system.
Using non-optiMOS cables or power supplies may result in permanent damage to your system.
■Do not use a C-mount lens that has optics that extend behind the flange of the lens.
Environmental Conditions for Operation and Storage
Your optiMOS camera system should be operated in a clean, dry environment. The camera system’s ambient
operating temperature is 0°C to 20°C with 80% relative humidity, noncondensing.
Store the optiMOS camera system in its original containers. To protect the system from excessive heat, cold,
and moisture, store at an ambient temperature between -20°C and 60°C with a relative humidity of 0% to
90%, noncondensing.
Microscopes, Lenses, Tripods
optiMOS has a standard threaded video mount and can be mounted to any microscope that accepts a standard
C-mount adapter. The camera also allows you to install any lens that is compatible with a standard threaded
video mount as long as its optics do not extend behind the flange of the lens.
The optiMOS camera can be mounted to a tripod using the tripod mounting attachment located on the top
and bottom of the camera. See the Specifications chapter for more information.

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 3
optiMOS USER MANUAL
Cleaning
Clean the exterior surfaces of the camera with a dry, lint-free cloth. To remove stains, contact QImaging
Support. To clean the camera’s imaging window, use only a filtered compressed-air source. Handheld cans are
not recommended, as they may spray propellant onto the window. Do not touch the window.
Repair
The optiMOS camera system contains no user-serviceable parts. Repairs must be completed by QImaging.
Should your camera system need repair, contact QImaging Support. Please save the original packing materials
so you can safely ship the camera system to another location or return it for repairs if necessary.
IMPORTANT: DO NOT OPEN the camera. Opening the optiMOS camera voids the warranty.

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 4
optiMOS USER MANUAL
CHAPTER 2
INSTALLATION
This chapter will detail the proper installation of your optiMOS camera. In order to install and use the camera,
the following items are required:
■optiMOS camera (supplied)
■High Speed Data Cable (supplied)
■High Speed PCIex4 Data Card
■9V 8.33A power supply (supplied)
■USB “installer” flash drive (supplied)
■110V/220V power connection
■A PC that meets the host computer requirements
Host Computer Requirements
The host computer for your optiMOS camera must include at a minimum:
■Windows 7 operating system (64 bits)
■2.0 GHz or faster Intel processor: either Xeon or Core i7
■4+ GB RAM
■250+ GB serial ATA (SATA) HDD and/or >64 GB solid state drive (SDD) for high-speed imaging and
storage
■256+ MB slot-based ATI/NVIDIA video graphics card (i.e., not an “onboard/integrated graphics”
adapter)
■USB drive or internet access to install the driver
■At least 1 available PCIex4 slot
NOTE: Minimum requirements as of October 2013. Supported computer systems will change as new cameras,
computer hardware, and operating systems are introduced and older models become obsolete. For current
information on recommended computer specifications, please visit: http://www.qimaging.com/support/
recommended-computer-specifications.php

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 5
optiMOS USER MANUAL
Camera Power Requirements
■9V DC, 8.33A (maximum)
A power supply for use with your optiMOS camera has been provided by QImaging.
IMPORTANT: Follow the below steps in order.
DO NOT install the driver until the PCIe card is installed.
1. Install the High Speed PCIe Board
Because of the 100 fps frame rate with a 16-bit output, the data rate of the optiMOS is significantly higher
than traditional CCD cameras. At 420MB/s the optiMOS requires a more powerful data transfer interface than
the frequently used USB or FireWire interfaces. For that reason, the optiMOS is supplied with a proprietary High
Speed PCIe card that is capable of sustaining the bandwidth requirements of the camera.
Before doing anything with the camera, first install this interface card with the following steps:
1. Shut down desktop PC
2. Unplug desktop power supply
3. Open the side of the computer to access the PCI and PCIe slots

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 6
optiMOS USER MANUAL
4. Locate an available 4 channel or higher PCIe slot (marked x4). Refer to the PC’s documentation or
side covers for motherboard’s PCIe slots information.
5. Holding the optiMOS PCIe card (careful not to touch the board components or PCIe bridge pins)
insert with the proper orientation into the open slot. The card should slide into place with minimal
resistance and snap when fully inserted.
6. Once installed, close computer case, plug in power supply and power on the desktop. The
computer is now ready to install the camera’s drivers.
2. Install the Camera Driver
In order for optiMOS to communicate with the host PC, the camera’s device drivers (PVCAM) must first be
installed. Before connecting the camera to the computer, use the supplied USB flash drive to run the PVCAM
installer executable. Be sure to select the appropriate installer based on your PC’s operating system (32-bit or
64-bit).

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 7
optiMOS USER MANUAL
After completing the PVCAM installation, restart your PC when prompted by the wizard. Next, install the
imaging software application of your choice that supports the optiMOS (e.g. Micro-Manager). The camera is
now ready to connect to the computer. Make sure the camera’s power switch is set to the Off position.
NOTE: Supplemental PVCAM installation information can be found on the QImaging website:
http://www.qimaging.com/support/downloads/
3. Connect the Camera
The back plate of the optiMOS has a power switch, an LED light labeled “WAIT” and three connector ports:
one data interface port, one power supply port, and one Trigger port. Connect the camera following these
steps:
1. First, connect the data cable to the interface port on the High Speed PCIe card now installed in your
computer. Then connect the other end of the cable to the interface port located on the back of the
camera.
2. Connect the optiMOS power supply cable to the power supply port located on the back of the
camera. (Your optiMOS camera is powered by the 9V 8.33A power supply provided by QImaging.)
Lastly, plug the power supply’s cord into an appropriate 110V/220V power source.
Note: Make sure the camera’s power switch is set to the Off position and then connect the
camera
3. Power on your camera by setting its power switch to the On position.
4. When powered on, an orange LED light labeled “WAIT” will begin to blink. Wait until this light
stops blinking before launching the imaging software application.
Note: the blinking LED indicates that the camera is running through its boot and
configuration process. This is required before running the camera in any software
application and will take approximately 20 seconds.
IMPORTANT: The camera is ready to be used ONLY when the orange WAIT LED stops blinking
IMPORTANT: DO NOT power off the camera before the orange WAIT LED stops blinking
5. Once the LED stops blinking, the camera is ready to be used with any compatible software package.

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 8
optiMOS USER MANUAL
(BOTTOM)
(TOP)
Note: The Trigger connector provides multiple I/O signals that allow highly precise synchronization with
external hardware components such as light sources and motorized microscope stages via TTL signals.
Information on how to set up and configure the optiMOS camera for hardware triggering can be found in the
next chapter of this manual.

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 9
optiMOS USER MANUAL
CHAPTER 3
USING YOUR optiMOS CAMERA
Imaging Software
The QImaging optiMOS camera is supported in a multitude of software applications including Micro-Manager.
For an up-to-date list of compatible third-party imaging software applications, please visit:
http://www.qimaging.com/resources/pdfs/Software-Compatibility-Matrix.pdf
The optiMOS camera’s image capture capabilities are controlled entirely through the imaging software. Basic
functionalities include control over exposure time, region of interest (ROI), sequence size, time-lapse delay, and
hardware triggering modes. For information describing how to implement changes to the camera’s parameters,
refer to your imaging software’s instruction manual.
Basic Camera Parameters
Exposure Time
The optiMOS camera’s exposure controls allow you to adjust the integration time for each acquisition
(0ms – 30s). By increasing the exposure time, more light is captured by the sensor and a better signal-to-noise
ratio (SNR) is achieved. The longer the exposure time however, the longer you also expose your cells to more
light, increasing the effects of photo toxicity and photo-bleaching. The exposure time should be adjusted to a
level that achieves the shortest integration time possible while still maintaining sufficient SNR.
Rolling Shutter
Image sensors typically operate in one of two readout modes: Global Shutter or Rolling Shutter. Traditional
CCD cameras use a global shutter mode where every pixel exposes at the same instant in time and is then
digitized in sequence by a single ADC. This has the advantage of minimized spatial distortion across the entire
frame and is the only readout mode supported by most CCD cameras. The single ADC however, is also an
inherent disadvantage as it significantly limits the maximum frame rates of the camera.
CMOS sensors however are able to achieve much higher frame rates by employing a Rolling Shutter readout
mode. In this mode, each column of pixels has its own ADC that digitizes the collected signal one row at a time.
Because of this, each row of pixels begins exposing one line’s readout time after the previous row’s start. This
line time is based on the sensor’s clocking requirements and readout frequency. For the optiMOS at 283MHz, a
single line’s readout time and consequently, the delay between two adjacent rows is approximately 8.7us. With
1,080 rows of pixels, the time delay from the top to the bottom of the sensor is approximately 10ms, which also
corresponds to the maximum frame rate of 100fps and minimum temporal resolution of 10ms (at full frame).

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 10
optiMOS USER MANUAL
The graphic below depicts the time delay between each row of pixels in a rolling shutter readout mode with a
CMOS camera.
Rolling Shutter Exposure Row by Row Exposure Start/End Offset
With this rolling shutter behavior, it is possible to begin exposing the next frame in a sequence before
completing the previous frame, enabling the high frame rates of the optiMOS.
While high frame rates have advantages for some applications, there is the potential for spatial distortions
and added complexity when attempting to synchronize with other external devices. To maintain the low noise
and speed advantages of rolling shutter but also achieve a distortion free global shutter exposure, custom
triggering modes are implemented in the optiMOS. These triggering modes allow rapid shuttering of high
speed light sources (lasers, LEDs) while running the camera in rolling shutter mode to achieve a pseudo-global
shutter while using a rolling shutter readout mode. These triggering modes are described below under the
device synchronization section.

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 11
optiMOS USER MANUAL
Gain
Gain (with regards to cameras) is defined as the conversion factor of captured electrons to a digital signal,
often referred to as a grey value or ADU (Analogue to Digital Unit) and has units of electrons per ADU (e/ADU).
Knowing the gain of a camera allows users to directly compare an ADU value as measured from their software
to the physical number of electrons actually captured by the camera’s sensor. Gain plays a critical role in many
of the camera’s parameters including dynamic range and read noise.
While there are often several different gain settings that may be desirable for different sensors, the gain setting
predominately used in scientific imaging is one that maps the bit depth of the camera to the maximum full well
capacity of the sensor. This provides the largest single pixel dynamic range and allows an easy comparison of
the relative available well based on the measured ADU value. This gain is often referred to as a 1x gain.
The way this gain and bit depth is achieved in CMOS sensors however, is different than CCDs. With CCDs,
the ADC and gain are designed and defined by the analogue electronics of the camera. On CMOS sensors
however, the ADC design is inherent to the chip and is defined by the sensor manufacturer. In the sCMOS
sensors for example, each pixel is digitized by two gains: Low Gain (~21e-/ADU) and High Gain (~0.5e-/ADU).
Each individual gain has an 11-bit digitizer. In order to achieve a single gain and maximize the dynamic range
of the camera, the optiMOS combines these two 11-bit gains to a single 16-bit gain that is mapped to the
30,000e- full well of the camera. The result is a single 1x gain of approximately 0.5e/ADU.
With this combined gain, the original high gain represents the first 2,096 ADUs (~1,000e-) while the original
low gain is extrapolated out to represent the remaining 63,439 ADUs (~29,000e-). This extrapolation linearizes
the low and the high gains and makes it possible to combine them on a single image and preserve the
quantitative nature of the camera. It is important to be aware that this process does yield image histogram
gaps of 32 counts at light levels above 1,000e-. These gaps however are smaller than the shot noise at any
given measurement and are considered statistically insignificant for single frame measurements.
Clearing Mode
In order to capture the highest signal to noise ratio possible, it is important for any scientific camera to
minimize miscellaneous signal that’s not derived from the sample. One contribution to this miscellaneous signal
is the buildup of charge prior to an exposure, which includes stray light and dark current. To eliminate this pre-
acquisition charge, most CCD and CMOS sensors support a sensor clearing mode which allows an electronic
discharge of all accumulated signal without digitization. This ensures that the captured signal is strictly the
charge accumulated during the experimental exposure and not miscellaneous signal accumulated prior to the
exposure.
The sensor clearing mode supported by the optiMOS is called “Clear Pre-Sequence”. When the optiMOS is
set to “Clear Pre-Sequence”, one clear occurs prior to acquiring an image sequence (size 1 to “n” number
of frames). No global clear occurs between frames which allows the camera to expose and read out images

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 12
optiMOS USER MANUAL
simultaneously in an overlap behavior. Normally with CCD cameras, when the sensor is running in an overlap
mode, the shortest exposure time achievable is equal to the readout time of the camera which also determines
the frame rate. For example, for a 10 fps CCD camera in overlap mode, the shortest exposure time possible for
a stream would be 100ms.
Based on the readout architecture of the sCMOS chips however, this is not a limitation. Even when running
the sensor in an overlap mode with Clear Pre-Sequence, each row is individually cleared and reset before each
exposure. This allows <10ms exposure times even when running in an overlap mode with a 100fps frame
rate. For that reason, no other clearing modes are required. The following waveforms show how the overlap
behavior of Clear Pre-Sequence functions for the optiMOS camera.
Sensor Clear
Trigger Input Signal
Overlap Frame Exposure
Historical PVCAM CCD cameras had multiple clearing modes that determined the timing and frequency of
sensor clears which had different advantages in terms of frame rate and effective exposure length. optiMOS
however, only requires a single clearing mode which allows maximum frame rates and maximized signal to
noise. In some software applications, multiple clearing modes may be listed as they are required for other
cameras, but when using the optiMOS, be sure to only use “Clear Pre-Sequence.”
IMPORTANT: User must change the default setting to “Clear Pre-Sequence” for the optiMOS

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 13
optiMOS USER MANUAL
Regions of Interest (ROI)
Regions of Interest (ROIs) are defined areas within a single frame that the user selects to be captured and
delivered to the host PC. With an ROI, the camera exposes the entire frame for the specified exposure time but
only digitizes and delivers the pixel information from the defined ROI. This reduces the amount of data sent per
frame and has the advantages of reduced file storage demands as well as usually faster frame rates.
As of January 2014, this first generation optiMOS camera does support ROIs but not with speed improvements.
Meaning, if a 128x128 ROI is selected, the max possible frame rate of the camera is still 100 fps. ROIs with
speed improvement is under development as a firmware update for the optiMOS camera.
When ROIs with speed improvements are added, there will be a direct correlation in the achievable frame rates
of the camera and the number of rows digitized. Based on the sCMOS architecture, when any pixel in a row
is defined to be part of an ROI, the entire row must be digitized. In the FPGA of the camera, the pixels not
part of the ROI are dropped and only the user defined ROI is delivered to the host PC. Dropping the horizontal
pixel data however, does not improve the frame rate of the camera. Therefore, reducing the number of rows
will increase the camera’s frame rates, while reducing the number of columns will have no effect. Frame rates
above 1000 fps are expected to be achievable from ROIs with less than 100 rows.
Digital Binning
True hardware binning on a CCD is the process of summing charge together from multiple adjacent pixels
before digitizing the signal. The result is an increase in the signal to noise ratio and frame rate but at the
expense of reduced spatial resolution. Hardware binning on a CCD typically range from 2x2 to 16x16
depending on the application requirements. At 2x2 binning, the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) increases by a
factor of 4x.
With CMOS sensors however, there is no true hardware binning. Each pixel is digitized at the pixel level and
there are no extra output nodes to transfer charge into before digitizing. That said, if you pixel add in FPGA or
even in a host application (known as digital binning), you will see an increase in signal, and an increase in noise
as well. But because noise adds in quadrature, your effective increase in SNR is 2x (vs. 4x for hardware binning
on a CCD – for 2x2). This also does not improve your frame rate as it occurs once the data has already been
digitized.
As of January 2014, the first generation optiMOS camera does not support digital binning. Similar to ROIs with
speed improvements though, digital binning is under development as a firmware update for later in 2014.
Device Synchronization
Your optiMOS camera offers several methods of hardware synchronization via TTL signals with external devices
including function generators, light sources, shutters, and filters. Each camera has an I/O connector (pin out

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 14
optiMOS USER MANUAL
functions described in the specifications chapter) on the back of the camera for TTL communication. A special
trigger cable is available as an accessory which allows the user to access the primary hardware signals including
“Trigger in,” “Expose out,” and “Trigger Ready.”
As discussed above, unlike CCD cameras the optiMOS uses a rolling shutter readout. This readout mode
has the advantages of low noise and extremely high frame rates but also provides some challenges when
attempting to synchronize with external equipment. For some experiments, it is important to keep the
benefits of rolling shutter while avoiding spatial artifacts and fluorescence channel overlap. In order to achieve
this, both the camera’s triggering modes and the expose out behavior needs to be synchronized with other
hardware devices. optiMOS supports three trigger modes and three expose out behaviors for a total of nine
synchronization configurations that can be tailored to various experimental requirements. The triggering
modes and expose out behaviors of the camera are described below.
Hardware Triggering Modes
Timed Mode
Default mode of the optiMOS and is a software triggering mode. This means, the software/application initiates
the start of a sequence of acquisitions. Once initiated, each frame capture in the sequence is controlled by the
internal timing generators of the camera. Camera settings, expose out behavior and sequence size is set in the
software application prior to acquiring the sequence. Timed mode is used when synchronization with other
devices is either not required or is controlled independently through the software.
Trigger-First Mode
Similar to Timed Mode but requires a hardware trigger from the I/O connector instead of a software/application
trigger. Hardware triggers enable higher precision of acquisition timing than software triggers. Rising edge of
an external trigger initiates the start of a sequence of acquisitions. Once initiated, each frame capture in the
sequence is controlled by the internal timing generators of the camera. Camera settings, expose out behavior
and sequence size is set in the software application prior to acquiring the sequence.
Edge Mode
Like Trigger-First Mode, Edge Mode requires a hardware trigger but this time for every frame. The rising edge
of the external trigger initiates capture of a single frame. Each frame requires an external trigger from the I/O
connector. Camera settings, expose out behavior and sequence size is set in the software application prior to
acquiring the sequence.

www.qimaging.com ©2014 QImaging. All rights reserved. QI_OPTIMOS_UM_Rev_A0 15
optiMOS USER MANUAL
Expose Out Behaviors
Note: All timing diagrams below shown with Edge triggering mode
First Row
“Expose Out” I/O signal leaving the camera is high only when the first row of a single frame is being exposed.
The length of the signal is equal to the exposure time for the first row. Exposure time is equal to what is set
in the software application. Although this Expose Out mode enables maximum camera frame rates, it does
not avoid the overlap due to rolling shutter. This mode is not recommended if trying to alternate between
excitation wavelengths.
Trigger
Ready
Trigger
In
Frame
Exposure
Expose
Any Row
“Expose Out” I/O signal leaving the camera is high when any row in a single frame is exposing. The length of
the Expose Out signal is equal to the time between the start of the first row’s exposure and the end of the last
row’s exposure. Each line exposes for the same amount of time which is equal to what is set in the software
application. Maximum camera frame rates are not possible in this mode but this does avoid frame overlap.
Trigger
Ready
Trigger
In
Frame
Exposure
Expose
n x line time n x line time