NI-IMAQdx Captured Image is Black

[SamGISI]

Hi,

I'm trying to use NI MAX to capture an image using a Hamamatsu C11512 camera via CameraLink. I have the correct camera chosen in NI MAX but when I capture an image, it shows up as just a black square with the correct dimensions. If I unplug the camera, it tells me to plug it back in so I'm pretty sure the camera is recognized as present by the software but for some reason, it won't give me an image. Does anyone know what the problem might be?

Thanks!

Sam

[BruceAmmons · Accepted solution]

It is possible the exposure or gain is so low that everything looks black.  One way to check is to shine a very bright light directly into the lens.  Another is to change the display palette in MAX to binary or rainbow.  Are all the pixels zero, or very small numbers?  Is the iris open on the lens?  Kind of like leaving the lens cap on...

Bruce

[SamGISI]

Hi Bruce,

Thanks! It turned out that the exposure time is a bit too low but we can't seem to find any way to adjust it on the NI-MAX software since there's nothing under any of the camera attributes or acquisition attributes. 

Best,

Sam

[BruceAmmons]

There are a lot of names that could apply.  Exposure, shutter, acquisition time, integration time, etc.  There are other possibilities to brighten an image, like gain, integration, etc.  They might have used creative naming.  Also possible the attributes are not implemented in the camera file you have.

Bruce