THORLABS DCU223 SERIES Operating and installation instructions

CCD and CMOS Cameras
DCU223x, DCU224x
DCC1240x
DCC1545M, DCC1645C
DCC3240X
DCC3260X
DCx Camera Functional
Description and SDK Manual
2016

Version:
Date: 4.80 8/11/2016
Copyright© 2016 Thorlabs Scientific Imaging

Foreword
Contents 9
1 General Information 10
101.1 Safety 121.2 Ordering Codes and Accessories 121.3 Requirements 131.4 DCx Camera Family 151.5 Contents 171.6 What's New in this Version?
2 Camera Basics 18
182.1 Operating Modes 182.1.1 Freerun Mode 202.1.2 Trigger Mode 212.1.3 Standby 222.2 Image Display Modes 252.3 Sensor 252.3.1 Sensor Sizes 262.3.2 Micro Lenses 292.3.3 Color Filter (Bayer filter) 312.3.4 Hot Pixels 332.3.5 Shutter Methods 372.3.6 Line Scan Mode 382.4 Reading Out Partial Images 382.4.1 Area of Interest (AOI) 422.4.2 Subsampling 432.4.3 Binning 442.5 Digitizing Images 442.5.1 Characteristics and LUT 472.5.2 Bit Depth and Digital Contrast Adjustment 502.6 Camera Parameters 502.6.1 Pixel Clock, Frame Rate, Exposure Time 512.6.2 Gain and Offset 512.6.3 Automatic Image Control 532.6.4 Applying New Parameters 532.7 Firmware and Camera Start 532.8 Digital Inputs / Outputs 542.8.1 Using Digital Inputs/Outputs 542.8.2 Flash Timing (Trigger Mode) 562.8.3 Flash Timing (Freerun Mode) 572.8.4 Serial Interface RS-232 (DC3240x only)

582.9 USB Interface 582.9.1 History and Development 582.9.2 Structure and Topology 592.9.3 USB 2.0 Cabling and Connectors 602.9.4 USB 3.0 Cabling and Connectors 602.9.5 Data Transmission and Bandwidth
3 Operation 62
623.1 uc480 Quick Start 643.2 Installation and Connection 643.2.1 System Requirements 653.2.2 DCx Driver Compatibility 653.2.3 Connecting a DCx Camera 673.3 Application Notes by Camera Model 673.3.1 DCC3260x Application Notes 683.3.2 DCC1240x / DCC3240x Application Notes 713.3.3 DCC1545M Application Notes 723.3.4 DCC1645C Application Notes 723.3.5 DCU223x Application Notes 723.3.6 DCU224x Application Notes 723.4 Installed uc480 Programs 733.4.1 uc480 Camera Manager 743.4.1.1 Camera List 743.4.1.2 Control Center 763.4.1.3 General Information 773.4.1.4 Camera Information 773.4.1.5 Creating a Support File 773.4.1.6 Additional Functions 813.4.1.7 Parameters 823.4.2 uc480 Hotpixel Editor
4 Programming (SDK) 85
864.1 First Steps to uc480 Programming 884.2 How to Proceed 884.2.1 Preparing Image Capture 884.2.1.1 Querying Information 894.2.1.2 Opening and Closing the Camera 894.2.1.3 Allocating Image Memory 914.2.1.4 Image Memory Sequences 924.2.2 Selecting the Display Mode 934.2.3 Capturing Images 934.2.3.1 Image Capture Modes 1014.2.3.2 Event / Message Handling

1054.2.4 Setting Camera Parameters 1054.2.4.1 Setting and Getting Parameters 1084.2.4.2 Automatic Image Control 1094.2.4.3 Image Pre-processing 1094.2.4.4 Get Camera Status 1094.2.4.5 Using the Camera EEPROM 1104.2.5 Saving Images and Videos 1104.2.5.1 Saving and Loading Single Frames 1104.2.5.2 Capturing AVIs 1134.2.6 Using Inputs and Outputs 1134.2.6.1 Input/Output Control 1164.3 Function Descriptions 1174.3.1 is_AddToSequence 1184.3.2 is_AllocImageMem 1204.3.3 is_AOI 1304.3.4 is_AutoParameter 1334.3.5 is_Blacklevel 1364.3.6 is_CameraStatus 1384.3.7 is_CaptureStatus 1414.3.8 is_CaptureVideo 1434.3.9 is_ClearSequence 1444.3.10 is_ColorTemperature 1484.3.11 is_Configuration 1554.3.12 is_Convert 1574.3.13 is_CopyImageMem 1584.3.14 is_CopyImageMemLines 1594.3.15 is_DeviceFeature 1614.3.15.1 Configuring the AOI Merge Mode 1654.3.15.2 Using the Log Mode 1684.3.15.3 Using Level Controlled Trigger 1694.3.15.4 Switching the Shutter Mode 1704.3.15.5 Using the Internal Image Memory 1724.3.15.6 Using the Line Scan Mode 1734.3.15.7 Configuring the Timestamp 1744.3.16 is_DeviceInfo 1774.3.17 is_DirectRenderer 1874.3.18 is_DisableEvent 1884.3.19 is_EdgeEnhancement 1914.3.20 is_EnableAutoExit 1924.3.21 is_EnableEvent 1954.3.22 is_EnableMessage 1974.3.23 is_ExitCamera

1984.3.24 is_ExitEvent 1994.3.25 is_ExitImageQueue 2004.3.26 is_Exposure 2024.3.26.1 Setting the Exposure Time 2054.3.26.2 Exposure Time with Fine Increments 2074.3.26.3 Setting the Long Exposure 2084.3.26.4 Setting the Dual Exposure 2104.3.27 is_ForceTrigger 2124.3.28 is_FreeImageMem 2144.3.29 is_FreezeVideo 2164.3.30 is_Gamma 2174.3.31 is_GetActiveImageMem 2194.3.32 is_GetActSeqBuf 2214.3.33 is_GetAutoInfo 2254.3.34 is_GetBusSpeed 2264.3.35 is_GetCameraInfo 2284.3.36 is_GetCameraList 2304.3.37 is_GetCameraLUT 2314.3.38 is_GetColorConverter 2324.3.39 is_GetColorDepth 2334.3.40 is_GetDLLVersion 2344.3.41 is_GetError 2354.3.42 is_GetFramesPerSecond 2364.3.43 is_GetFrameTimeRange 2384.3.44 is_GetImageHistogram 2414.3.45 is_GetImageInfo 2454.3.46 is_GetImageMem 2464.3.47 is_GetImageMemPitch 2484.3.48 is_GetNumberOfCameras 2494.3.49 is_GetOsVersion 2504.3.50 is_GetSensorInfo 2524.3.51 is_GetSensorScalerInfo 2534.3.52 is_GetSupportedTestImages 2554.3.53 is_GetTestImageValueRange 2564.3.54 is_GetTimeout 2574.3.55 is_GetUsedBandwidth 2584.3.56 is_GetVsyncCount 2594.3.57 is_HasVideoStarted 2604.3.58 is_HotPixel 2654.3.59 is_ImageFile 2694.3.60 is_ImageFormat 2764.3.61 is_InitCamera

2804.3.62 is_InitEvent 2824.3.63 is_InitImageQueue 2844.3.64 is_InquireImageMem 2864.3.65 is_IO 2994.3.66 is_IsVideoFinish 3014.3.67 is_LockSeqBuf 3024.3.68 is_LUT 3054.3.69 is_Measure 3094.3.70 is_ParameterSet 3124.3.71 is_PixelClock 3154.3.72 is_ReadEEPROM 3174.3.73 is_RenderBitmap 3194.3.74 is_ResetToDefault 3214.3.75 is_SetAllocatedImageMem 3244.3.76 is_SetAutoParameter 3324.3.77 is_SetBinning 3354.3.78 is_SetCameraID 3374.3.79 is_SetColorConverter 3394.3.80 is_SetColorCorrection 3414.3.81 is_SetColorMode 3454.3.82 is_SetDisplayMode 3494.3.83 is_SetDisplayPos 3504.3.84 is_SetErrorReport 3514.3.85 is_SetExternalTrigger 3534.3.86 is_SetFrameRate 3554.3.87 is_SetGainBoost 3564.3.88 is_SetGamma 3584.3.89 is_SetHardwareGain 3614.3.90 is_SetHWGainFactor 3634.3.91 is_SetImageMem 3644.3.92 is_SetOptimalCameraTiming 3664.3.93 is_SetRopEffect 3684.3.94 is_SetSaturation 3694.3.95 is_SetSensorScaler 3724.3.96 is_SetSensorTestImage 3744.3.97 is_SetSubSampling 3784.3.98 is_SetTimeout 3804.3.99 is_SetTriggerCounter 3814.3.100 is_SetTriggerDelay 3824.3.101 is_StopLiveVideo 3834.3.102 is_Trigger 3854.3.103 is_TriggerDebounce

3894.3.104 is_UnlockSeqBuf 3904.3.105 is_WaitEvent 3914.3.106 is_WaitForNextImage 3934.3.107 is_WriteEEPROM 3954.4 AVI Function Descriptions 3954.4.1 isavi_AddFrame 3964.4.2 isavi_CloseAVI 3964.4.3 isavi_DisableEvent 3974.4.4 isavi_EnableEvent 3984.4.5 isavi_ExitAVI 3994.4.6 isavi_ExitEvent 4004.4.7 isavi_GetAVIFileName 4014.4.8 isavi_GetAVIFileNameW 4024.4.9 isavi_GetAVISize 4034.4.10 isavi_GetnCompressedFrames 4044.4.11 isavi_GetnLostFrames 4054.4.12 isavi_InitAVI 4064.4.13 isavi_InitEvent 4074.4.14 isavi_OpenAVI 4084.4.15 isavi_OpenAVIW 4094.4.16 isavi_ResetFrameCounters 4104.4.17 isavi_SetFrameRate 4114.4.18 isavi_SetImageQuality 4124.4.19 isavi_SetImageSize 4144.4.20 isavi_StartAVI 4154.4.21 isavi_StopAVI 4164.5 RAW function descriptions 4164.5.1 israw_AddFrame 4164.5.2 israw_CloseFile 4174.5.3 israw_ExitFile 4174.5.4 israw_GetFrame 4184.5.5 israw_GetImageInfo 4194.5.6 israw_GetSize 4194.5.7 israw_InitFile 4204.5.8 israw_OpenFile 4214.5.9 israw_SeekFrame 4214.5.10 israw_SetImageInfo 4224.6 Obsolete functions 4254.7 Programming Notes 4254.7.1 Programming in C/C++ 4264.7.2 Programming in C# 4274.7.3 Programming in VB.NET

4274.7.4 Programming in Delphi 4274.7.5 Programming with ActiveX 4274.7.6 Thread Programming 4294.8 Lists 4294.8.1 Complete List of All Return Values 4334.8.2 Error Codes of AVI Functions 4334.8.3 Linux: Not Supported Functions
5 Specifications 435
4365.1 Model Comparison 4385.2 Model Naming Conventions 4385.3 Camera and Sensor Data 4395.3.1 DCC3260x 4405.3.2 DCC1240x / DCC3240x 4445.3.3 DCC1545M 4465.3.4 DCC1645C 4485.3.5 DCU223x 4515.3.6 DCU224x 4545.4 Mechanical Specifications 4555.4.1 DCU223x, DCU224x 4565.4.2 DCC1240x 4575.4.3 DCC3240x 4585.4.4 DCC1545M, DCC1645C 4595.4.5 Flange Back Distance 4595.4.5.1 Calculating the Flange Back Distance 4615.4.5.2 Maximum Immersion Depth for Lenses 4625.4.6 Position Accuracy of the Sensor 4635.4.7 Filter Glasses 4635.4.7.1 Filter Types 4675.4.7.2 Mounting the Filter 4685.4.7.3 Cleaning the Filter Glasses 4705.4.8 Ambient Conditions 4715.5 Camera Interface 4715.5.1 DCU223x, DCU224x, DCC1240x 4715.5.1.1 I/O Connector - Pin Assignment 4735.5.1.2 Digital Input (Trigger) Circuit 4745.5.1.3 Digital Output (Flash) Circuit 4765.5.2 DCC3240x 4765.5.2.1 I/O Connector Pin Assignment 4775.5.2.2 GPIO Interface 4795.5.2.3 Digital Input (Trigger) Circuit 4805.5.2.4 Digital Output (Flash) Circuit 4815.5.2.5 RS-232 Serial Interface

4825.5.3 Camera EEPROM Specification 4835.6 Accessories for DCx cameras 4835.6.1 Accessories for DCU22xX / DCC1240X 4845.6.2 Accessories for DCC1x45X 4845.6.3 Accessories for DCC3240x / DCC3260x
6 Appendix 485
4856.1 Troubleshooting/FAQ 4866.1.1 PCs with Energy Saving CPU Technology 4876.2 Status LED on USB DCx Cameras 4896.3 Color and Memory Formats 4926.4 uc480 Parameter File (ini file) 4996.5 Definition of IP Protection Classes 4996.6 History of API functions 5016.7 Certifications and Compliances 5036.8 Thorlabs 'End of Life' Policy (WEEE) 5046.9 Exclusion of Liability and Copyright 5056.10Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts

© 2016 Thorlabs Scientific Imaging
Warning
Sections marked by this symbol explain dangers that might result in
personal injury or death. Always read the associated information
carefully, before performing the indicated procedure.
Attention
Paragraphs preceeded by this symbol explain hazards that could
damage the instrument and the connected equipment or may cause
loss of data.
9

© 2016 Thorlabs Scientific Imaging10
DCxCamera Functional Descriptionand SDK Manual
1 General Information
Thank youfor purchasing a DCxcamera!
Youshould firstread the following chapters to get a quick overview on what is new in this software
versionand ongetting started withyour newcamera.
Getting started
DCxquick-start
Firststeps to DCxCamera programming
Further important information
What is new inthis version?
Contents of this Manual
The DCxcamera family
Specifications
Enjoy your new DCx camera!
1.1 Safety
Attention
All statements regarding safety of operation and technical data in this instruction manual
will only apply when the unit is operated correctly as it was designed for.
Prior to applying power to the DCx Camera Functional Description and SDK Manual,
make sure that the protective conductor of the 3 conductor mains power cord is correctly
connected to the protective earth ground contact of the socket outlet! Improper
grounding can cause electric shock with damages to your health or even death!
The DCx Camera Functional Description and SDK Manual must not be operated in
explosion endangered environments!
Do not remove covers!Do not obstruct the air ventilation slots in the housing!
Do not open the cabinet, there are no parts serviceable by the operator inside!
Refer servicing to qualified personnel!
Only with written consent from Thorlabs Scientific Imaging may changes to single
components be made or components not supplied by Thorlabs Scientific Imaging be
used.
This precision device is only serviceable if properly packed into the complete original
packaging. If necessary, ask for a replacement package prior to return.
Attention
The following statement applies to the products covered in this manual, unless otherwise
specified herein. The statement for other products will appear in the accompanying
documentation.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital
device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules and meets all requirements of the Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment Standard ICES-003 for digital apparatus. These limits are

© 2016 Thorlabs Scientific Imaging
1 General Information
11
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the
equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses,
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with
the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in
which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.
Thorlabs Scientific Imaging is not responsible for any radio television interference caused
by modifications of this equipment or the substitution or attachment of connecting cables
and equipment other than those specified by Thorlabs Scientific Imaging. The correction
of interference caused by such unauthorized modification, substitution or attachment will
be the responsibility of the user.
The use of shielded I/O cables is required when connecting this equipment to any and all
optional peripheral or host devices. Failure to do so may violate FCC and ICES rules.
Attention
Mobile telephones, cellular phones or other radio transmitters are not to be used within
the range of three meters of this unit since the electromagnetic field intensity may then
exceed the maximum allowed disturbance values according to IEC 61326-1.
This product has been tested and found to comply with the limits according to IEC 61326-
1 for using connection cables shorter than 3 meters (9.8 feet).

© 2016 Thorlabs Scientific Imaging12
DCxCamera Functional Descriptionand SDK Manual
1.2 Ordering Codes and Accessories
DCU223M
CCD camera, monochrome, 1024x768 pixel, C mount
DCU223C
CCD camera, color, 1280x1024 pixel, C mount
DCU224M
CCD camera, monochrome, 1280x1024 pixel, C mount
DCU224C
CCD camera, color, 1280x1024 pixel, C mount
DCC1545M
CMOS camera, monochrome, 1280x1024 pixel, CS mount
DCC1645C
CMOS camera, color, 1280x1024 pixel, CS mount
DCC1240M
CMOS camera, monochrome, 1280x1024 pixel, C mount
DCC1240C
CMOS camera, color, 1280x1024 pixel, C mount
DCC3240M
CMOS camera, monochrome, 1280x1024 pixel, C mount, USB 3.0
DCC3240C
CMOS camera, color, 1280x1024 pixel, C mount, USB 3.0
DCC3240N
CMOS camera, NIR enhanced, 1280x1024 pixel, C mount, USB 3.0
DCC3260M
CMOS camera, monochrome, 1936x1216 pixel, C mount, USB 3.0
DCC3260C
CMOS camera, color, 1936x1216 pixel, C mount, USB 3.0
CAB-DCU-T1
Trigger cable for DCU22xX and DCC1240X cameras (Trigger In/Out)
CAB-DCU-T2
Trigger cable for DCU22xX and DCC1240X cameras (Trigger Inonly)
CAB-DCU-T3
I/O cable for DC3240 CMOS USB 3.0 cameras
Thorlabs C Mount Camera Lenses (objectives): See Thorlabs' website
1.3 Requirements
For operating the DCxcameras,the following system requirements must be met:
Recommended
CPU speed
>2.0 GHz Intel Core i5 or Core i7
Memory (RAM)
8 GByte
For USB DCx cameras:
USB host controller
USB 3.0 Super Speed
Intel®motherboard chipset
Graphics card
Dedicated AGP/PCIe graphics card
Latest version of Microsoft DirectXRuntime 9.0c
Operating system
Windows 8.1 32 or 64 bit
Windows 7 32 or 64 bit
Drivers for network cards
To ensure optimum performance of the network connection, you need to install the latest drivers for your
network card. We recommend using the drivers of the following versions:
Intel®chipsets: version 8.8 or higher
Realtek chipsets: version 5.7 or higher
USB interface
Onboard USB 2.0 ports usually provide significantly better performance than PCI and PCMCIA USB

© 2016 Thorlabs Scientific Imaging
1 General Information
13
adapters.
Current generation CPUs with energy saving technologies can cause bandwidth problems on the USB
bus. See section on PCs With Energy Saving CPU Technology.
Large multi-camera systems
Connecting a large number of cameras to a single PC may require a large working memory (RAM). This
is especially the case when many cameras with high sensor resolution are used.
If you want to set up such a system we recommend to use PCs with 64 bit operating systems and more
than 4 GB of RAM.
Note on color cameras with high frame rates
For uc480 color cameras, the color conversion is done by software in the PC. When you use a color
camera with a high frame rate, the conversion might lead to a high CPU load. Depending on the PC
hardware used you might not be able to reach the camera's maximum frame rate.
Direct3D graphics functions
The uc480 driver can use Direct3D to display the camera image with overlay information (Microsoft
DirectXRuntime had to be installed). On Windows systems, you can use the supplied "DXDiag"
diagnostic tool to check whether your graphics card supports Direct3D functions. To start the diagnostic
tool, click "Run…" on the Windows start menu (shortcut: Windows+R) and enter "DXDiag" in the input
box.
On the "Display" page of the diagnostic tool, click the button for testing the Direct3D functions.
OpenGL graphics functions
For OpenGL version 1.4 or higher must be installed. The OpenGL graphics functions do not work with QT
under Linux.
1.4 DCx Camera Family
DCx cameras stand for a range of compact and cost-effective cameras for professional use in
industrial, security and non-industrial applications. Equipped with the widely used USB 2.0 and
particularlyUSB 3.0 ports,theycaneasilybe interfaced witha vast variety of systems. The images
are digitized in the camera and transmitted digitally to the PC. An additional frame grabber is not
required.
DCU cameras have state-of-the-art CCD sensors while the DCC models are CMOS based. The
CMOS models use either the global or the rolling shutter method; the CCD models use only the
global shutter method.
The DCx cameras are available as monochrome and color versions, DC3240 series has a NIR
versionas well. The Model Comparison chapter shows the most important features of every series
at a glance.
USB 3.0 DCC3260x and DCC3240x CMOS Cameras

© 2016 Thorlabs Scientific Imaging14
DCxCamera Functional Descriptionand SDK Manual
Compact, fast and lightweight. The new DCC3260x and DCC3240x.The
29 x 29 x 29 mm small camera housing is not only ultra-compact, but due
to its magnesium casing and a total camera weight of 43 g, it is also ultra-
lightweight and robust. The powerful camera offers a bandwidth of 400
MByte/s via USB 3.0. Power is supplied via the USB bus, hence an extra
power cable is obsolete.
Withits lockable Micro USB connector the camera is perfectly suited even
for rough environments. Offering trigger and flash as well as two GPIOs
(General Purpose I/O), which can also be changed into a serial interface
(RS232). Hence, peripheral devices can easilybe triggered or controlled.
But also the camera’s inner values are outstanding: brightness corrections
are easily realized by a comfortable 12 bit lookup table and hardware
gamma. 12 bit color depth offers a by factor 16 increased level of detail
compared to the usual 8 bit. Hardware based data preprocessing saves
additional CPU resources.
USB 2.0 DCC1240x (CMOS) and DCC22xX (CCD) Cameras
The DCC1240X and DCC22xX series feature a robust metal housing
with a standard mini-B USB 2.0 connector. Connection is additionally
possible via a lockable micro D-sub connector whichalso carries the opto-
isolated I/O signals.
The USB 2.0 interface is meanwhile available in every standard PC and
notebook/laptop and provides a gross bandwidth of 60 MByte/s. The
camera is connected and powered through the USB port by just a single
cable.
USB2.0 DCC1545M and DCC1645C Cameras
The DCC1x45X series features extremely compact cameras with high-speed
CMOS sensors. The LE models are designed for professional use in non-
industrial applications. Through the use of the widespread USB 2.0
technology, the cameras can easily be interfaced with a vast variety of
systems. These cameras are available with a plastic housing with CS-
mount lens adapter.

© 2016 Thorlabs Scientific Imaging
1 General Information
15
1.5 Contents
The DCx Camera Manual contains all the information you need for operating your DCx camera. It
comprises the following parts:
Section A: Camera basics
Inthis section youwill find a lot of important information on the technical background of your USB
camera. This section contains explanations on the DCx's operating modes, on sensor
technology, important camera parameters, and the USB interfaces. We recommend to read this
chapter to become familiar withthe general functionalityof the DCxCameras.
Section B: Operation
Quick start to using your DCxCamera
Installing and Using DCxCamera software
These sections show how to connect cameras and start operationusing the software tools .
Applicationnotes bycamera model
This section explains special features and limitations of some camera models.
Section C: Programming
First steps to programming withyour DCxCamera
How to proceed
If you are not yet familiar with DCxCamera programming, we suggest that you first explore the
basic functional flows inthis chapter. The functionblocks containalmost all the functions available
for the uc480 API ordered by topics. The flowcharts help to easily find the appropriate API
functionfor a certaintask.
Descriptionof functions/Descriptionof AVIfunctions
These chapters cover all the functions of the uc480 APIinalphabetic order.
The AVI functions for video recording are implemented by the uc480_tools.dll which is also
included in the DCxCamera software package.
Obsolete functions
This chapter lists obsolote APIfunctions and recommended alternatives.
Lists and programming notes
Inthis chapter, you will find useful information on how to use the DCxCamera programming API.
Programming environments, modes for DCxCamera color and image display as well as the
automatic image controlfunctions are discussed here.
Section D: Specifications
Specifications
All information on the camera's sensor and performance, mechanical as well as electrical
specifications are contained in this section.
Accessories
Here youwill find a list of accessories for DCxCameras sorted bymodel.
Appendix
InformationonTroubleshooting
Status LEDs onUSB DCxcameras
Color and memoryformats
uc480 parameter file (ini file)

© 2016 Thorlabs Scientific Imaging16
DCxCamera Functional Descriptionand SDK Manual
Definitionof IP protection classes

© 2016 Thorlabs Scientific Imaging
1 General Information
17
1.6 What's New in this Version?
Version 4.80 of the DCxCamera software package includes many new features and
enhancements.The following table gives you anoverview of the major new functions.
New in Version 4.80.00
Cameras & functions
Described in chapter
New models inthe USB 3 DCC camera family:
DCC3260
DCC3260
Older versions
See the Historyof uc480 Software Versions and History of uc480 APIfunctions chapters.

© 2016 Thorlabs Scientific Imaging18
DCxCamera Functional Descriptionand SDK Manual
2 Camera Basics
This chapter explains the basics of DCxCamera technology.
Operating modes
Image displaymodes
Sensor
Reading out partial images
Digitizing images
Camera parameters
Firmware and camera start-up
Digital inputs/outputs
USB interface
2.1 Operating Modes
DCxCameras support the following operating modes:
Freerunmode
Trigger mode
Standby
2.1.1 Freerun Mode
In freerun mode, the camera sensor captures one image after another at the set frame rate.
Exposure and readout/transfer of the image data are performed in parallel. This allows the
maximum camera frame rate to be achieved. The frame rate and the exposure time can be set
separately. The captured images canbe transferred one byone or continuouslyto the PC. If trigger
mode is active, youneed to disable it before activating freerunmode.
Note
Note on the schematic diagrams: These illustrations show a schematic view of the image capture
sequence. The sensor exposure and readout times and the transmission times depend on the
camera model and settings. The pre-processing time depends on the API functions you are using
(e.g. color conversion, edge enhancement).
For more informationonflashtiming see the Digital In-/Output (Trigger/Flash) chapter.
Continuous mode (live mode)
Images are captured and transferred continuously. Youcanuse the DCxCamera flashoutputs.