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Notes on using the UI-1008XS (USB uEye XS)

uEye Camera Manual Version 3.80

Notes on using the UI-1008XS (USB uEye XS)

Hinweis

For the specifications of this model, please see Camera and Sensor Data > UI-1008XS.

Mounting and operation

It is recommended to set the camera to standby mode if you will not be using it for a prolonged time (see is_CameraStatus()).
As the USB uEye XS generates more heat than other uEye models, it has a lower permissible temperature range for the operating environment (see Ambient Conditions). It is recommended to fix the camera housing to a thermally conductive mounting material.
The power consumption depends on the operating mode and focus. The camera consumes the least power on infinity focus.
The integrated optical system is very sensitive to shock or vibration in the direction of the optical axis if the focus is not on minimum or infinity.

Camera parameters

The full sensor resolution is only available in single frame mode (snap mode) with software triggering.
The pixel clock can only be set to 8, 16 or 32 MHz. Which settings are allowed depends on the selected image resolution. Due to transfer in YCbCr format, two bytes of data are transferred per pixel clock.
If the camera cannot get enough bandwidth on the USB bus, transmission errors (Transfer Failed) can frequently occur. This applies in particular when operating the camera at the highest image resolution. If transmission errors occur too often, reduce the camera resolution or choose a USB connection that provides a better performance.
Reducing the frame rate has no influence on the frequency of transmission errors.
The camera transfers image data only in YCbCr format. Therefore, raw Bayer format is not supported.
To reduce the camera's load on the CPU, choose the Direct3D display mode and the YCbCr color format. Using the bitmap mode (DIB) or the RGB color format usually results in a higher load on the CPU.
The exposure time can only be changed in freerun mode.
The settings for image stabilization and Rop effects (e.g. mirroring) can only be changed in freerun mode. However, the settings you make there are also applied to the software trigger mode.
In the software trigger mode, the image stabilization function is only effective with resolutions < 1920 x 1080 pixels.
The camera achieves higher frame rates when you disable auto focus.
If automatic exposure control is enabled and you manually change a gain setting, the image will become brighter. In this case, changing the gain setting will not reduce the exposure time, as might be expected.
The scene modes adjust a number of camera parameters to suit specific image capture situations. The different modes correspond to the following camera parameters:

Scene mode

Sharpness

Image noise

Exposure time

Gain

SCENE_SENSOR_AUTOMATIC

high

medium

default

low

SCENE_SENSOR_PORTRAIT

low

low

default

low

SCENE_SENSOR_SUNNY

medium

medium

short

low

SCENE_SENSOR_ENTERTAINMENT

medium

medium

default

low

SCENE_SENSOR_NIGHT

medium

high

long

high

SCENE_SENSOR_SPORTS

low

high

very short

high

SCENE_SENSOR_LANDSCAPE

medium

medium

default

low

Image resolutions of 2 megapixels and below are created by binning on the uEye XS. This HS mode (High Sensitivity) reduces image noise when capturing images in poor light conditions. Binning reduces the resolution of the source image from 8 to 2 megapixels, which has a negative effect on image quality when using digital zoom. You can disable the mode to improve the image quality when working with digital zoom (see is_DeviceFeature()). The following table shows the application options for the HS mode:

Resolution

Live mode,

HS mode off

Live mode,

HS mode on *)

Snap mode,

HS mode off

Snap mode,

HS mode on *)

3264x2448 (8M)

Setting not supported.

Source image with 8 MP.

 

Better suited to high-resolution images and digital zoom.

Source image with 8 MP.

 

Better suited to high-resolution images and digital zoom.

3264x2176 (8M 3:2)

3264x1836 (8M 16:9)

2592x1944 (5M)

2048x1536 (3M)

1920x1080 Full HD (16:9)

1632x1224 (2M)

 

 

Source image with 2 MP
created by binning.

 

 

Better suited to situations with little light.

1600x1200

1280x960 (1.2M SXGA)

1280x720 (HD 16:9)

 

Source image with 2 MP created by subsampling.

 

 

 

 

 

Source image with 2 MP created by
binning.

 

Better suited to situations with little light.

960x480 (WVGA 2:1)

800x480 (WVGA)

640x480 (VGA)

640x360 (VGA 16:9)

400x240 (WQVGA)

352x288 (CIF)

288x352 (CIF Portrait)

320x240 (QVGA)

240x320 (QVGA Portrait)

*) Default setting

Trigger and flash

Software trigger mode: The continuous trigger mode is not supported.
The is_FreezeVideo() function cannot be called with the IS_DONT_WAIT parameter. Please use the IS_WAIT parameter.
The camera is not designed for use with a flash strobe. If you operate the camera with an external flash strobe, please keep in mind that the automatic brightness control will adjust the settings when the strobe is switched on. It is recommended to wait a moment until the adjustment is complete before you capture the image.

Additional notes on camera properties

The sensor has colored spots in the image, which are due to the micro lenses. The spots have a red tinge towards the image center and a green tinge towards the image edges.
The camera has a built-in IR cut filter that cannot be removed. The filter blocks light with a wavelength of 650 nm and higher.
The camera always internally sharpens the image data. This may cause inaccuracies when you are using contour-based image processing (e.g. optical character recognition, OCR)
The camera internally processes the image data by using a noise filter. This can cause some of the fine details to be lost.
In freerun mode, the camera's internal image preprocessing feature can cause a latency between capture and transfer to the PC. The latency can be up to two frames, depending on the selected image resolution.
When the internal image stabilization function is active, part of the field of view is used as a reserve for movement compensation. This reduces the visible field of view by about 10%.

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