User Manual

ALTRA20
2 MegaPixel CMOS Color Camera for Light Microscopy
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 Altra20

The Altra20 Camera 3

Manual layout 4

Camera and light microscope 4

Altra20

WHITE BALANCE .....................................................................4

Monitor settings for white balance .................................5
Executing white balance ................................................6

Image Acquisition 7

ACQUISITION METHODS ........................................................7

Live-Acquisition ........................................................7
Snapshot ..................................................................7
intelligent Exposure ..................................................7
ACQUISITION ...........................................................................8
CAMERA CONTROL ................................................................8
Exposure time ..........................................................9
White balance ...........................................................9
Color settings .........................................................10
Sharpen filter ..........................................................11
Automatic gain display ...........................................12
Sharpness Monitor .................................................12
SNAPSHOT .............................................................................13
INTELLIGENT EXPOSURE ....................................................14
EAltra0807
Altra20 •

Camera Set Up 17

SOFTWARE CAMERA CONTROL ......................................... 17

The Input tab ................................................................ 19
The Display tab ............................................................ 20

Appendix I: Microscope Settings 23

Appendix II: Camera Installation 26

INSTALLATION OF THE IMAGE ANALYSIS SOFTWARE .... 27

INSTALLATION OF THE CAMERA AND CABLES ................ 29
PROBLEMS DURING THE INSTALLATION .......................... 31
WHEN ENCOUNTERING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAMERA...
33

CE DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY 36
 The Altra20 Camera

Altra20

The Altra20 Camera

Definition Altra20 is a quick, high resolution CMOS color camera used for biomedi-
cal and material sciences applications. It was especially developed for
acquisitions using light microscopy, has a special compact design, and can
be connected to all types of light-microscopes via the C-mount.
Altra20 offers the following technical specifications:
Altra20
Dynamic range 3 x 8 bit

3
Exposure times 24 µs to 1.336 s,
depending on the resolution
Resolution adjustable 1156 x 1196
796 x 596 and
396 x 296
Camera Mount Standard C-Mount
PC-interface USB 2.0
System requirements To properly use Altra20, the following system requirements for your comput-
er and your image analysis system should be taken into consideration:
Hard- / Software Required
CPU P4 with at least 1,8 GHz
Memory 512 MB
Hard Disk Storage 20 GB
Interface USB 2.0 with Intel®82801DB/DBM USB2
ENHANCED HOST CONTROLLER
 Altra20 • Manual layout

Hard- / Software Required

Operating system Windows 2000 Professional,
Windows XP Pro
analySIS analySIS FIVE
Build 1054 or higher
Modern cameras with the respective software offer numerous possibilities
for correcting and modifying the acquired image. They enable the image to
be optimized quickly. However, the entire system, the sample, the micro-
scope and the camera, must be optimally set in order to attain the best pos-
sible results.

Manual layout
This manual will help you use your system to optimally acquire images.
Camera Settings All basic camera settings are handled by the software via one or more logical
input channels. Options for the input channels are defined in the chapter
"Camera Set Up". This chapter is at the end of the book, since hardly any
alterations are made to the input channels in day-to-day use.
Camera and light The chapter entitled "Camera and Light Microscope" describes the elements
microscope of the microscope which have the greatest influence on the image quality.
The correct microscope settings are also explained.
Image Acquisition The chapter entitled "Image Acquisition" deals with the uses and possibili-
ties of a digital camera, as well as the software required for image acquisi-
tion. This chapter will be the most used chapter for day-to-day use. The in-
dividual acquisition methods (live-acquisition, snapshot, intelligent expo-
sure) are explained in this chapter in detail.

Camera and light microscope

Both the camera settings as well as the microscope settings are vital for the
quality of the image to be acquired. The most important rules for the micro-
scope settings are mentioned here; a more thorough explanation to the topic
can be found in the appendix:
4

1) Use ND-filters to reduce the illumination intensity; do not alter the lamp
voltage.
2) Establish Köhler illumination conditions.
3) Select the appropriate total magnification and the objective for the
problem in question.

White balance
The human eye reacts very sensitively to color variations which are per-
ceived as a color tingeing effect. Therefore, when wanting to acquire quality
images with a digital camera, it is vital that the individual color channel set-
tings are set so that the entire image does not show color tingeing. The ad-
justment of the color channels (the white balance) depends on the illumina-
tion conditions. When changing the lamp or altering the lamp voltage, the
white balance should be repeated.
Related Topics
Camera Set Up 17
Camera and light microscope 4
Image Acquisition 7
 White balance

When using white balance, the individual color channels are adjusted in a
way that the white or neutral gray area of the image displayed on the monitor
is displayed correctly as white or gray. The white balance can be carried out
automatically on each image or manually for individual images.
Mode of operation An area is selected on the image which is uniformly gray or white. Such an
area contains an equal intensity of the three color components: red, green
and blue. White balance sets the color channels in such a way that this re-
quirement for the selected area is satisfied as much as possible.
White balance is carried out on a part of the image (ROI). The program alters
the color settings in such a way that the image area in the ROI appears as
white or gray as possible. After you have once carried out the white balance,
you can reapply it any time, also to a running live-acquisition.
Automatic White Balance For the automatic white balance, a test image is acquired using optimal illu-
mination. The individual color channels are now set so that the acquisition
also appears white or gray on the monitor. These channel settings are saved
and used automatically for all additional acquisitions.
Separate White Balance A separate white balance is carried out on the current image. To do this, you
need an area in the image which is, for the most part, gray or white.
Microscope Settings Use the same microscope settings for the white balance that you will use for
the acquisitions later. This especially holds true for the filter and the lamp
voltage settings. The lamp voltage of a 12V halogen lamp should be set to
9V. It should, however, not be set lower than 5V. Use the ND-filters, should
you have to reduce light intensity.

Monitor settings for white balance

Monitor Settings The monitor settings are decisive for the image you see on the monitor. Set
your monitor to the appropriate color temperature, should your device allow
this. To do this, compare the image's color impression on the monitor and in
the eyepiece.
Note The color temperature setting can be altered on most monitors via the mon-
itor menu buttons located on the monitor. In other cases, the color temper-
ature can be altered via the operating system.

5
How to... This is how you change the color temperature using the operating system:
1) Right click on Desktop.
" The Desktop's context menu is opened.
2) Select the Properties entry from the context menu.
" The Display Properties dialog box is opened.
3) Select the Settings tab.
4) Click the Advanced... button.
" Another Display Properties dialog box is opened. The appearance
and function of this dialog box depends on the graphics card in-
stalled on your system and your monitor.
" Search for a tab with the name Color or Color Management.
Note Adapting the color temperature might differ from the procedure described
here because it is not part of the operating system, but rather made acces-
sible by the monitor manufacturer or the graphics card being used.
5) Select a color temperature whose color impression best corresponds
to that seen in the eyepiece.
" Should your system offer a slide control with the options warm and
cold, do not alter your color temperature with these.
 Altra20 • White balance

Executing white balance

Specialized microscopy It is very difficult to execute a white balance in some microscopy techniques,
techniques i.e. DIC or polarization. In these cases, execute the white balance using the
bright field method and only then begin with the specialized microscopy
techniques.
Transmitted Light When using the transmitted light method, look for a position through which
the light passes through the cover slip, embedding material, and microscope
slide, but not through the sample. Should there not be such an area, remove
the object to be observed. Thus, the lamp light used for illuminating the sam-
ple falls directly on the objective. This is white when using a white lamp.
Reflected light When using the reflected light method, you need the appropriate reference
surface. Standardized gray cards are best for this. Should one not be avail-
able, you can also use white laboratory porcelain or neutral density filter pa-
per. Should your samples contain very reflective areas, defocus your micro-
scope when setting the white balance.
How to... This is how you set up the white balance:
1) Acquire an appropriate image.
2) Use the Image > Camera Control... command.
" The Camera Control dialog box is opened.
3) Click the Set ROI for White Balance button.
4) Move the ROI's red frame shown in the image to a position which is
more or less a uniform white or gray.
" Change the size of the area by keeping the mouse button de-
pressed and moving the mouse. The size of the ROI used for the
white balance is limited.
" The ROI can be difficult to see if the image has a reddish shade. In
this case, use the Special > Preferences > View command to
change the color of the frame. You can select a more appropriate
color from the Primary list located in the Mouse cursor group.
5) Rightclick to confirm position and size of the ROI.
6) Click the White Balance button to execute an automatic white balance.
" The settings for the individual color channels are optimized in the
6

set area.
7) Click the Color Settings button.
" The Color Settings dialog box is opened.
8) Click the Define...button.
" The Define Default Color Settings dialog box is opened.
9) Click the Current settings button to adopt the current values for the rest
of the work.
" When using this setting, the white balance is valid for all images
which are acquired with this input channel during the current ses-
sion.
10) Click the OK button to return to the Color Settings dialog box.
11) Click the Standard button to save these values as general standards.
" The current values for the white balance are now saved and will be
imported when the program is restarted. A manual change of the
color settings changes the white balance.

Related Topics
Camera Control 8
 Image Acquisition

The program alters the color settings in such a way that the image area in
the ROI appears as white or gray as possible. After you have once carried
out the white balance, you can reapply it any time, also to a running live-ac-
quisition.

Image Acquisition
The chapter about "image acquisitions" deals with the various acquisition
methods you can use with the image analysis program.

Acquisition Methods
The software offers you various acquisition methods for various tasks.

Live-Acquisition
When using live-acquisition, the image is continually transferred from the
camera to the monitor. This mode is suited for setting various parameters,
including image segments, focussing, and camera settings. The live-acqui-
sition is concluded after a snapshot has been acquired. You can use the Im-
age > Camera Control... command to change numerous camera settings
during a live-acquisition.

Snapshot
The Image > Snapshot command concludes the live-acquisition and saves
the current image to the active image buffer. The same settings which are
used for the live-acquisition are also used for the snapshot. You can make
a snapshot without switching to live-acquisition before.

intelligent Exposure
The Image > intelligent Exposure... command offers you an extensively au-
tomated image acquisition. The automated functions being used coordinate
the amplification of the image signals and the exposure time of the acquired

7
image so that a good image result is guaranteed. The exposure time of a
live-acquisition, through the resetting of the camera's acquisition mode, are
kept so short that a very good adjustability of the live-image is guaranteed.

Related Topics
Acquisition 8
Snapshot 13
intelligent Exposure 14
 Altra20 • Acquisition

Acquisition
Use the Image > Acquire command to display the acquired image on the monitor live.

You may also You may also click the Standard (button bar) > Acquire button.

Available The command is not available if the active image buffer is write protected.

What will happen... The live-image is displayed in the active viewport. The camera symbol locat-
ed in the status bar blinks and the name of the camera appears in red. As
long as the live-image is shown in the active viewport, the image analysis
program only offers commands which can be effectively used.
Why use live-images? You need the live-image for focussing, or when you are determining the im-
age segment you want to work with.The Image > Snapshot command stops
the live-image display and inserts the image last shown into the active image
buffer.
Live-image settings You can determine the settings for the image acquisition in the logical input
channel. Use the Image > Set Input...and Image > Configure Input... com-
mand to create an input and to determine its properties.
Editing other images in By default, the live-image is shown in only one viewport. If you are using two
live mode monitors or have numerous viewports in your image window, you can en-
able another viewport in live mode and at the same time load another image
and display it in this viewport, for example. In addition, you can measure an-
other image with the interactive measurement functions, save it, or insert it
into a database while live mode is active.
Live overlay The Live overlay function enables you to write and draw directly onto the im-
age's overlay during the live-acquisition. To do this, use the buttons in the
Overlay button bar.
Available The live overlay is only available if you have activated it with the Image >
Configure Input command located on the Display tab.

Camera Control
8

Use the Image > Camera Control... command to alter the settings for acquisitions with the camera.

The Camera Control command and the corresponding dialog box enables
you to control numerous settings required for acquiring single images and
live-acquisitions. The commands in this dialog box are closely related to the
settings available from the Image > Set Input command.
Available The Camera Control command is only available if the Set Input dialog box
is closed.
You may also You can also click the Standard (button bar) > Camera Control button.

Related Topics
Live overlay 21
 Camera Control

The Camera Control dialog

box for a Altra20 camera.

Exposure time
The exposure time required for high-quality acquisitions depends on the il-
lumination, the properties of the sample, and the camera being used. The
exposure time should be longer than 1 ms and shorter than 125 ms. Should
the exposure time be outside of these limits, you can take the following ac-
tions.
Exposure time shorter The best means of increasing the exposure time is by placing neutral density
than 1 ms filters in your microscope's light path. If no neutral density filters are avail-
able, you should reduce your lamp voltage. But make sure that the voltage
of a halogen lamp doesn't drop to below 5 volts. When you have reduced
your lamp voltage you will need to carry out a white balance again.
Exposure time longer To reduce the exposure time, first remove any ND-filters that are in use. At
than 125 ms the microscope, you can also additionally set the prism or the phototube's
mirror to "only photo". Should the result still not be adequate, you can then
increase the lamp voltage. After you have increased the lamp voltage, you
should carry out another white balance.
Exposure Time You can set the camera's exposure time in the Exposure time group.
Click the - and + buttons to alter the exposure time in pseudo-logarithmic
steps. Alternatively, you can manipulate the exposure time with the arrow
buttons next to the text field. The minimum and maximum exposure times
depend on the resolution that has been set.
Auto Click the Auto button to initiate an automatic setting of the exposure time.
The Auto button is only available in live mode.

9
White balance
The white balance takes place as described above (p. 6).
Available The Set ROI for White Balance button is only available, if the Live-Overlay
check box has been marked (on the Display tab, in the Configure Input dia-
log box).

Related Topics
White balance 9
Live overlay 21
 Altra20 • Camera Control

Color settings
Click the Color Settings button to manually alter the camera's color settings.

The current settings can be altered using the five slide controls: Hue, Satu-
ration, Brightness, Contrast and Gamma.
Hue, Saturation, The Hue, Saturation and Brightness slide controls can each be set at from
Brightness 0.00 to 2.00 (Hue, Brightness) respectively 3.00 (Saturation). The meaning
of Hue, Saturation and Brightness is equivalent to that in the HSI model, a
value that has been set, however, cannot be transferred to the values in this
color space.When you set these slide controls, your aim should be to attain
an image on your monitor that looks more natural.
Contrast Use the Contrast slide control to increase or decrease the contrast in an im-
age.
Gamma Use the Gamma slide control to obtain a nonlinear contrast enhancement.
Please note that this gamma filter does not only affect monitor display but
also alters actual image information. If you are planning on quantitatively
evaluating your images at a later time, you are advised to use 1.0 for the
gamma filter. The Oper menu provides you with commands for adjusting im-
age contrast at any later time.
What is gamma? As is the case with the slide controls Hue, Saturation and Brightness, the nu-
merical value for gamma effects how the illuminance of the pixels of the
camera chip is converted into the color value for the corresponding pixel in
10

the image buffer. If gamma equals 1, the conversion from illuminance into
gray/color value is linear. A nonlinear contrast enhancement results should
the gamma not be equal to 1: if gamma is smaller than 1, the darker gray
values will be spread more significantly than the brighter ones. The result
will be enhanced contrast in the lighter areas of the image. The image as a
whole will become darker. If gamma is greater than 1, the darker gray values
will be spread more significantly than the brighter ones. The result will be en-
hanced contrast in the dark image areas. The image as a whole will become
lighter.
Default Click the Default button to use the values defined in the Define Default Color
Settings dialog box from now on.
Define… Click the Define... button to set the standard color settings. The Define De-
fault Color Settings dialog box is opened.
 Camera Control

Factory settings Click the Factory settings button to return the color settings to their original
levels. The factory settings have been adapted in such a way that the color
rendering with a specific equipment configuration is ideal for a large scope
without any additional changes having to be made.
Current Settings Click the Current settings button to make the current values be the future
standard.

Sharpen filter
Use the sharpen filter to increase the sharpness using edge enhancement
already with the live-acquisition.
Sharpen Filter Click the Sharpen Filter On/Off button to activate/deactivate the sharpen fil-
On/Off ter. This sharpen filtering takes place in real time during image acquisition.
The manner in which the acquired image is affected by the sharpen filter de-
pends on the sharpen filter parameter. You can adjust this parameter by us-
ing the Sharpen Filter Settings dialog box.
Sharpen Filter Click the Sharpen Filter Settings button to open a dialog box where you can
Settings set the sharpen filter parameter.

11
To adjust the numerical value of the sharpen filter parameter, use the mouse
to move the slide control to the right or left. Whether the contours of the im-
age appear to be sharper or softer when you apply the sharpen filter, de-
pends on the position of the Sharpen filter parameter slide control.
Raising sharpness will accentuate edges, but also brings out image noise
more.
Please note that when you use the sharpen filter you not only alter the mon-
itor display, but the actual image information as well. This means that when
you are planning on quantitatively evaluating your images later, you should
not use the sharpen filter. The Oper menu provides you with commands you
can use at any time to later adjust an image’s sharpness.
Available The Sharpen Filter Settings button is only available if the sharpen filter has
been activated.
 Altra20 • Camera Control

Automatic gain display

The automatic gain display analyzes the signals that are actually present in
order to display them with the maximum contrast possible. The actual range
of signals will be determined. The strongest of these signals will be ignored.
Use this method with images with a high dynamic range or low maximum
signal strength.
Use automatic Click the Use automatic gain display button to activate an automatic gain
gain display display. The live-image, independent from the illumination conditions, is al-
ways shown in optimal contrast. The behavior of the "automatic gain dis-
play" function depends on how this function's desired overflow has been set.
The desired overflow can be set using the Image > Configure Input com-
mand located on the Display tab.

Sharpness Monitor
The Sharpness Monitor allows you to control the focus settings during live-
acquisition. In the same way as for the white balance you can also define a
rectangular area of the image which is to be analyzed for the sharpness
monitor. The maximum contrast serves as indicator for the sharpness in this
area. Therefore this area should be limited to an image segment in which
the contrast is a good indicator for the sharpness.
Influence of the Sharp- The Sharpness Monitor consists of a dialog box in which a relative measure-
ness Monitor ment of the sharpness is displayed by a bar which changes between Blurred
and Focused.

If you start a live-acquisition with an activated Sharpness Monitor or activate

it during a live-acquisition, it will always show middle sharpness (50%). This
is because there is no absolute measurement for the sharpness in an image
and because the sharpness monitor only gives relative values which are re-
12

lated to the initial situation that was present when starting the live-acquisi-
tion.
Focussing and Sharp- The length of the bar changes if you alter the focus settings while a live-ac-
ness Monitor quisition with an activated sharpness monitor is in progress. A black line
shows the maximum sharpness that had been achieved since the start of
the live-acquisition, and a green line shows the minimum. Should the sharp-
ness increase due to your changes, the bar will move correspondingly to the
right. If the focus settings are already optimal when you start your acquisi-
tion, the bar can only move in the direction of Blurred.
Reset to 90% Click the Reset to 90%button to set the sharpness monitor's relative value
to 90%. Use this function when you are working with a section of the sample
that has little contrast, and as a result the sharpness monitor's bar stays at
the left edge. By resetting to 90%, you will be able to the evaluate the display
better while you are focussing. The Reset to 90% function is also helpful if
the sharpness drops drastically due to changes made to the microscope set-
tings (i.e. changing objectives) while an acquisition is in progress.
 Snapshot

How to... This is how you set the sharpness monitor to attain good acquisitions:
1) Set the optimal exposure time and white balance. The application of
the sharpness monitor should be the last step before image acquisition.
2) Make sure that the Live-Overlay check box on the View tab of the Con-
figure Input dialog box is marked.
3) Begin a live-acquisition.
4) Use the Camera Control command.
5) Click the Set ROI for sharpness monitor button to interactively define a
rectangular area of the image for the sharpness monitor.
" To do this, select an area of the sample for which a good sharpness
setting is especially important.
6) Click the sharpness monitor on/off button to open the sharpness mon-
itor dialog box.
" The sharpness monitor begins with a value of 50%.
7) Vary the focus settings and observe the sharpness monitor while doing
so.
" The sharpness monitor bar shows the current sharpness, the black
line shows the highest degree of sharpness that has been
achieved. A green line shows the lowest degree of sharpness that
has been achieved.
" Keep the exposure time in mind when setting the focus. The sharp-
ness monitor shows changes with a certain amount of delay when
you use longer exposure times (> 100 ms). Vary the focus settings
in small steps, and after each one, wait until the sharpness monitor
has registered the change. If you use exposure times, that are
much longer than 125 ms, the sharpness monitor will be of little use
to you.
8) Find the focus settings by which the sharpness monitor is at its maxi-
mum and use these settings for the acquisition.

Snapshot
Use the Image > Snapshot command to acquire a single image.

13
You may also You can also click the Standard (button bar) > Snapshot button.

Available The command is not available if the active image buffer is write protected.
If you have previously activated the live mode by using the Image > Ac-
quire command, it will be automatically disabled when you use the Snap-
shot command.
Before acquiring an You should first check the live mode if you are not certain if the object to be
image acquired is positioned, focussed and illuminated correctly. The illumination
of the object, the setting of the exposure time, as well as the setting of bright-
ness and contrast are important for the quality of your images.

Related Topics
Live overlay 21
Exposure time longer than 125 ms 9
 Altra20 • intelligent Exposure

intelligent Exposure
Use the intelligent Exposure acquisition methods to make good quality acquisitions with little effort.

intelligent Exposure makes the acquisition process largely automatic. The

exposure times for the live-acquisition and the snapshot are automatically
set, independent of one another, so that the dynamic range of the camera is
fully taken advantage of. The optimization of the exposure time occurs con-
tinually and automatically.
Histogram-Analysis intelligent Exposure analyzes the real time histogram during a live-acquisi-
tion in order to optimize the exposure times.
Optimizing the live- For the live-acquisition, intelligent exposure accepts that extremely short ex-
acquisition posure times result in a reduced dynamic range. The Automatic Gain Dis-
play is so well-regulated that the image will still be displayed brightly on your
monitor. This mechanism can create visible image noise.
Optimizing for snapshots For snapshots the exposure time will be increased. The resulting higher dy-
namic range avoids image noise.
Calibration intelligent Exposure arranges linear correlation between the exposure time
and the mean gray value for calculating the optimal exposure time. The
camera's dark current corresponds to the offset of this linear function. Thus,
the first step to working with intelligent Exposure is measuring this dark cur-
rent via the acquisition of an image using a darkened camera. When first
starting intelligent Exposure, you will be automatically asked to carry out this
calibration.

This calibration step measures the camera's dark current, in order to calcu-
14

late an offset correction. After successful measurement of the dark current,

intelligent Exposure asks you to do the next step.

The second calibration step consists of measuring the signals in various res-
olution settings. This detects the camera's sensitivity. A changing live-image
is displayed in this step.
intelligent Click the intelligent Exposure button to be able to make acquisitions using
Exposure this method. The intelligent Exposure dialog box is opened.
 intelligent Exposure

Exposure times The exposure times ascertained by intelligent Exposure are displayed in the
dialog box's status bar. The term Live Exp. stands for the exposure time of
the live-acquisition, while Snap Exp. stands for the exposure time of the
snapshot. Independent of the calculated exposure time for the snapshot, the
exposure time for the live-acquisition cannot exceed 125 ms. In doing so, a
quick live-image is guaranteed which simplifies the configuration of the mi-
croscope during live-acquisition. It is possible that the live-image is very
dark, should the changes you made to the setting result in very long expo-
sure times for snapshots. Please alter the microscope settings accordingly
in such cases.
Acquisition Click the Acquire button to start the live-acquisition using intelligent Expo-
sure. The live-image is displayed in the image document. You can make the
necessary settings (focus, stage settings) with the help of this live-image.
Characteristics of the The speed of the live-image has absolute priority when using intelligent Ex-
live-image posure. You can choose a lower resolution for the live-acquisition, to step up
the image's frame rate. These changes do not effect the snapshots that
were made with intelligent Exposure.
Snapshot Click the Snapshot button to initiate the acquisition of a snapshot. intelligent
Exposure acquires an image and saves it to the active image buffer. A mes-

15
sage informing you about the acquisition process appears if the exposure
time of a snapshot exceeds one second.
Note Use the Special > Preferences... command to be able to acquire numerous
snapshots successively without overwriting them. Enable the Images tab.
Select the Image buffers (All) entry from the Image acquisition> sequence
list. A new image buffer is automatically enabled after the acquisition of a
snapshot.
Exposure time The Exposure time correction slide control enables you to manually influ-
correction ence the exposure time for snapshots calculated by intelligent Exposure.
Position ’0’ on the slide control does not influence the exposure time which
was automatically calculated by intelligent Exposure. Move the Exposure
time correction slide control to the right in order to increase the exposure
time, or to the left to shorten it. The exposure times for live-acquisitions and
snapshots are equally altered during correction, as long as the exposure
time for snapshots is lower than 125 ms. The exposure time for the live-ac-
quisition remains unchanged for exposure times exceeding 125 ms.
Related Topics
Exposure time 9
Resolution 16
 Altra20 • intelligent Exposure

Note You should use the exposure correction function when working with sam-
ples that have a very high contrast, as for instance, printed circuit boards or
highly reflective metal samples. By doing this, you will ensure that such ar-
eas will not be ignored by the Automatic Gain Display.
Exposure Time Click the Exposure Lock button to lock the current exposure time for intelli-
Lock gent Exposure. As of now, no more alterations will be made to the exposure
time. Click the button anew to return to the dynamic adjustment of the expo-
sure time.
Preview Click the Preview button to use the setting for snapshots with live-images as
well. Now the resolution and exposure time for snapshots will be used. Click
the Preview button anew to once again use the settings for the live-acquisi-
tion.
White Balance Click the White Balance button to carry out a white balance when using in-
telligent Exposure. In the image, move the ROI's red rectangle to a white or
uniformly gray position on the sample. Change the size of the ROI by keep-
ing the right mouse key depressed and moving the mouse. Rightclick to con-
firm position and size of the ROI.
Options Click the Options button to set the options for intelligent Exposure. The in-
telligent Exposure dialog box is opened.

Dynamic limit in % Set the dynamic range in which intelligent Exposure works with the Dynamic
limit in % slide control. Move the slide control to the right to increase the dy-
16

namic limit. This setting results in lighter images with a higher contrast in
darker areas of the image. Move the slide control to the left to decrease the
dynamic limit. This setting results in darker images which may have a better
contrast in light areas of the image. This effect is not very evident when us-
ing color mode.
Note Due to the calculation procedure, even setting the Dynamic limit in % to 90
can lead to an overflow. You should reduce the Dynamic limit in % for acqui-
sitions whose high gray values contain important information for the image.
Resolution Select the size of the images to be acquired in the Resolution group. In doing
so, the resolution of the images changes, however not the image segment
shown.
Acquisition Select the image size for the live-acquisition from the Acquire list. As well as
the full resolution, lower resolutions with half and a third of the pixel count in
each direction are also available. The mean resolution (796x596 Pixel) is
preset.
 Camera Set Up

Snapshot Select the image size for snapshots from the Snapshot list. Next to the full
resolutions, you will also find lower exposures with half and a third of the pix-
el count in each direction available. intelligent Exposure initially sets the full
exposure.
Keep live after snap- Select the Keep live after snapshot check box, in order to continue the live-
shot acquisition directly after a snapshot. A snapshot is created in the live-acqui-
sition's image buffer and a new live-acquisition is started in the next image
buffer defined in the sequence. Keep live after snapshot is only available if
you have selected an entry other than None in the Sequence list located in
the Special > Preferences > Image > Image acquisition dialog box.
Calibration... Click the Calibration... button to begin the camera's calibration process. The
procedures for calibration are the same as the procedures located in the
section entitled "Calibration".

Camera Set Up
Status after installation An input channel is automatically created when installing the software, im-
mediately enabling you to acquire images. This channel is, in many cases,
adequate for all requirements.

Software Camera Control

After successful installation, you can configure the camera for use with the image analysis program.

Logical input channels
Configuration via tabs
The Altra20 software complies with the logical input channel concept. This
means the camera is as easy to operate as a regular video camera if it is
mounted onto the microscope and connected with the computer, and if the
software has been installed and configured. No additional menu appears in
the user interface's menu bar. When you have selected the Set input... com-
mand located in the Image menu, you will realize that you have additional
logical input channels at your disposal which can be set up to fit your needs.
You carry out the configuration by entering suitable values for your purpose
on several tabs. The 3 tabs relevant for Altra20 will be dealt with in-depth.
Logical input channels contain, for example, the information about the size

17
of the image, and how the signal is processed before it reaches the image
buffer. Each channel must be calibrated separately. A channel used for im-
age acquisition via Altra20 is usually called "Altra 20 ...".
Setting up an additional If you have to set up a new input channel, you can create a copy of an al-
input channel ready existing input channel and adapt it, or create an entirely new input
channel.
Set Input Use the Image > Set Input... command to select a new input channel or to
create a new one. You can also press the [F6] key. The Set Input dialog box
will be opened.

Related Topics
Calibration 14
 Altra20 • Software Camera Control

The Set Input dialog box

with the input channel that
was set up during the instal-
lation

New Channel Click the New Channel button to create an entirely new input channel. The
Select device dialog box will be opened. All connected image creating de-
vices are listed in the Available devices list.
The Select Device dialog
box with an Altra20 type
camera connected to it.

Select your camera from the Available devices list and click OK to create the
new channel.
18

Creating additional input Should you want to create additional input channels, for example to have dif-
channels ferent configurations immediately available for repeating tasks, use an al-
ready existing input channel.
Duplicate Click the Duplicate Channel button to make a copy of the active input chan-
Channels nel. The new input channel gets the same name as the channel from which
it was copied and receives a sequential number. The newly created channel
is automatically enabled.
Configure Click the Configure Input button to adapt the settings for the new channel.
Input The Configure Input dialog box will be opened. You can also open the dialog
box by using the Image > Configure Input command or by double clicking
the camera name located in the status bar.
 Software Camera Control

The Input tab

Exposure Enter the number of microseconds the CMOS chip of the camera is to be
exposed in the Exposure field. You can also use the arrow key (to the right
of the field) to select this value. The chapter entitled "Camera Control" ex-
plains how you can change the value in this field with the help of the Camera
Control... command interactively while viewing a live-image.
The limits of the exposure time depend on the set resolution.
Resolution You can select one of the three different resolutions that are possible with
the Altra20 from the Resolution list.
Mirror The Mirror group enables you to determine if the camera's image is to be
mirrored during transfer into the image analysis program. The two mirror

19
functions can be combined with each other.
Horizontal Select the Horizontal check box to mirror the image horizontally during ac-
quisition.
Vertical Select the Vertical check box to mirror the image vertically during acquisi-
tion.

Related Topics
Camera Control 8
 Altra20 • Software Camera Control

The Display tab

Over exposure The Over exposure group enables you to determine if and when you should
be warned of an overexposure. The software continually checks the image
intensity in live mode, by analyzing the image's gray-value histogram in real
time. You will be warned if the live-image is overexposed. The warning will
also appear following acquisition of an overexposed single image.
Display warning Select the Display warning check box to have a warning message shown if
the image is being overexposed:
20

In this case, reduce the exposure time until the warning message disap-
pears.
Overflow An image is overexposed when a certain percentage of its pixels attain the
maximum gray value possible. Enter this percentage in the Overflow field.
Automatic gain display Use the functions in the Automatic gain display group to have the image al-
ways displayed optimally onscreen, no matter what the actual illumination
conditions are. The system assesses the current gray-value histogram - in
real time - in order to calculate the optimal display of the live-image on the
monitor.
Please note that the Automatic Gain Display not only has an affect on the
display on your monitor, but also changes the image information itself.
Activate Select the Activate check box to enable the automatic gain display. The ef-
fect of this check box is the same as clicking the Use automatic gain display
button located in the Camera Control dialog box. The Activate check box is
not available if the check box with the same name in the Fixed Scaling group
is enabled.
 Software Camera Control

Left overflow When the automatic gain display is active, image intensity for the image on
Right overflow the monitor will be spread between the gray values Gmin and Gmax. The Gmin
gray value cannot be set for the Altra20 as this would lead to a change of the
colors. You set the Gmax value in the Right overflow field. There you enter
what percentage of the pixels with the highest gray values are to be shown
as white.
This is how you clip gray values that are to be ignored at the upper end of
the gray-value histogram. Make use of the overflow values so that individual
pixels or minute image areas that are too bright do not influence the auto-
matic gain display.
Online histogram Select the Online histogram check box to be able to keep an eye on the
gray-value distribution during image acquisition. During image acquisition, a
window showing the current histogram will appear automatically. This histo-
gram will be continually updated.

Minimum, mean, and maximum gray values of the image will be shown be-
neath the histogram. The percentages shown relate to the maximum possi-
ble gray value, they will only be displayed when the Automatic Gain Display
has been activated.
Live overlay Select the Live overlay check box if you want to use overlays in live-images.
It is essential that you use the live overlay when you are setting the ROI for
white balance and the sharpness monitor.
An image’s overlay contains information in the form of text, markers, or other
graphical elements. The overlay can be displayed together with the corre-
sponding image without the actual image information being affected.

21
The Live overlay check box is only available if your graphics card features a
so-called hardware overlay which is supported by Microsoft DirectX. Almost
any up-to-date AGP graphics card provides you with that feature. You can
look at the System Info dialog box to check whether your graphics card of-
fers this feature. To do this, select the About... command located in the ?
menu and click the System Info... button.The System Info dialog box will be
opened. Click on the "DirectX" entry in the list on the left-hand side to have
the desired information appear in the list on the right-hand side.
Image scaling Select one of the four selections for displaying an acquired image in a View-
port in the Image scaling list.
Underscan Select the Underscan entry to have the whole image displayed. The system
will select the largest zoom level - 25%, 50% or 100% - where the whole im-
age can still be displayed within the Viewport. In certain cases not all of the
Viewport’s available area will be used.

Related Topics
Use automatic gain display 12
 Altra20 • Software Camera Control

Overscan Select the Overscan entry to ensure that all the Viewport’s available area will
be used. The system will select the smallest zoom level - 25%, 50% or 100%
- where the image fills the whole Viewport. In certain cases parts of the im-
age will not be visible.
Adjust to viewport Select the Adjust to viewport entry to have the image size adjusted to opti-
mally fit the Viewport. The image will be adjusted to fit the current size of the
Viewport.
Full size (100%) Select the Full size (100%) entry to have the image displayed without any
zooming. Only the left upper corner of the image will be shown if the View-
port is smaller than the image.
22
 Appendix I: Microscope Settings

Appendix I: Microscope Settings

Your digital camera can only achieve high image quality if the microscope
has been optimally set. A subsequent correction to the software can never
correct deficiencies in the image resulting from faulty settings made to the
camera and microscope.
The optical system microscope offers numerous setting possibilities. In or-
der to attain best acquisition results, the settings must be made precisely.
In spite of varying models and observation methods, the microscope's im-
age producing components are all coordinated with each other.
A microscope basically consists of the optical components: objective and
eyepiece. The microscope's objective is the equivalent of the objective in a
slide projector, the function of which is to create a magnified image of the
slide. In this comparison, the eyepiece would be a magnifying glass through
which the image created by the objective can be looked at with an additional
magnification.
This illustration clarifies the
basic assembly of the
camera
components of a micro-
scope in transmitted light
microscopy. lens
ocular

objective projection

specimen

condensor

illumination

lamp

23
Illumination
Light is a decisive medium for creating images with a microscope. As a result, the light, i.e. illumination,
plays an important role in creating the image in the microscope.

The goal of the illumination settings is the equal distribution of light on the
sample with parallel light rays falling on the object. The illumination must be
bright enough to make all of the image details visible; however over-illumi-
nation leads to images being too bright and low-contrast. In addition, the col-
or of the light has a strong impact on the sample's color rendering.
Lamp Selection The tungsten-halogen lamps and gas discharge lamps are the most com-
monly used lamps in microscopy. The light creating processes of both lamp
types are fundamentally different.
Tungsten-halogen Tungsten-halogen lamps comply with their functionality to a conventional
lamps light-bulb. Electricity flowing through a metal wire heats the wire to the extent
that light is produced (thermal emitter). In doing so, the wire emits a contin-
uous spectrum, hence a broad spectral band is emitted. One can control the
 Altra20 • Illumination

brightness as well as the color (color temperature) of the lamp by controlling

the electrical current. Tungsten-halogen lamps can be widely used in mi-
croscopy, especially when acquiring color images.
Gas discharge lamps Gas discharge lamps excite gas at the atomic level using strong electrical
fields. The excited atoms return to their initial state and, in doing so, give off
the energy which initially excited them in the form of electromagnetic radia-
tion: light. The resulting photons each have characteristic energy which is
typical for the gas being used. As a result, this type of lamp does not emit a
broadband spectrum like the halogen lamp, but instead emits discrete wave-
lengths. This fundamental physical process cannot be externally influenced;
hence, such a lamp's perceived color is independent of the operation condi-
tions. Because of this discrete spectrum, gas discharge lamps do not emit a
color-neutral illumination. Its adjustable high intensity light and the emission
of short-wave spectral bands required for fluorescence microscopy is an ad-
vantage.
ND-filters Many microscope models enable the placement of ND-filters into the light
path, thus reducing the intensity of the lamp's light. These ND-filters ensure
a uniform reduction of light intensity throughout the entire frequency range
without altering the color temperature.

Köhler Illumination
This illumination process which was described by Dr. August Köhler as early
as 1893, is still an indispensable prerequisite for successful analysis using
light microscopy. The Köhler illumination enables an optimal, homogenous
illumination of solely the part of the sample to be analyzed.
Condenser The condenser handles the illumination of the sample. The main compo-
nents are the field diaphragm with which the size of the illuminated area is
set and the condensor lens which is responsible for the parallel emitted light
rays. The condenser lens can be opened and closed. The condenser lens is
height-adjustable and horizontally adjustable.
Note Set the aperture stop to 2/3 of the entire opening and do not use it to reduce
the brightness. To do that, you should always use ND-filters or a lower lamp
voltage.
24

Principle of Köhler Illumi- You will find comprehensive descriptions about the principle of Köhler illumi-
nation nation in microscopy text books. We will only give you a brief overview about
some important settings you should know.
Focussing the Field One vital step when setting up the Köhler illumination is the sharp view of
Diaphragm the field diaphragm at the specimen level.
1) Focus the object to be viewed.
2) Close the field diaphragm so that only a small bright spot is visible in
the eyepiece.
3) Focus the image in the field diaphragm by using the condenser's height
adjustment.
Adjusting the Now the illuminated area is optimally set.
Condenser 1) Open the field diaphragm so that its edge is still completely within the
visible area.
2) Center the image of the field diaphragm using the condenser's adjust-
ment screws.
" A precisely adjusted condenser guarantees that only the area of the
sample to be viewed is illuminated.
 Objective, Total Magnification and Useful Magnification

3) Repeat steps 1) and 2), until the edge of the field diaphragm is no long-
er visible in the visual field.

Objective, Total Magnification and Useful Magnification

There are no general rules for which objective you select; one should always
keep the sample and reason for observation in mind.
Terminology The two most important parameters of an objective (magnification and nu-
merical aperture) are engraved on the objective. There you will find first the
magnification, then the numerical aperture, which is separated by a diagonal
slash. Hence, the code 40 / 0.65 denotes an objective with a magnification
of 40X and the numerical aperture of 0,65.
Magnification An objective's magnification, which you see by what is engraved on it,
makes an important contribution to the total magnification achieved. Howev-
er, one should always remain within the range of useful magnification.
Numerical Aperture The numerical aperture is the characteristic of an objective which deter-
mines its capacity. The numerical aperture can also be found engraved on
the objective. It is based on the refraction index of the lenses being used, as
well as the objective's aperture angle. The manufacturers are narrowly lim-
ited when choosing the refraction index, whereas the objective's aperture
angle can be increased by using appropriate measures. To achieve this, a
fluid with a high refraction index is placed between the cover slip and the ob-
jective. The immersion objectives are labeled accordingly, and should only
be used with the appropriate immersion fluid.
Total magnification The system's total magnification, to which an installed TV adaptor contrib-
utes, is based on the actual size of the final image. This can just as well be
the image on the monitor, as the image printed on paper. To determine the
total magnification, it is best to use a stage micrometer which can be shown
on the monitor or the printout. You can determine the total magnification by
dividing the length of the object shown by the set length on the micrometer.
Useful Magnification The term useful magnification specifies a total magnification of the optical
system by which full resolution is used without having a negative effect on
contrast or sharpness. The useful magnification of the optical system's mi-
croscope depends on the numerical aperture being used (engraved on the

25
objective). The useful magnification is in the range of 500x to 1,000x the nu-
merical aperture.
Empty Magnification A loss of contrast and sharpness is the result if total magnification is larger
than the useful magnification. If this is the case, check to see if replacing the
TV adapter sufficiently reduces the total magnification. If you have been us-
ing a 1x TV adaptor, you can exchange it for a 0.5x or 0.63x one. If this is
not possible, you can also use an objective with the same magnification, but
with a higher numerical aperture.
 Altra20 • Appendix II: Camera Installation

Altra20

Appendix II: Camera Installation

Warning Please read the following carefully before installing the camera.

Requirements
Installation sequence
Checking the interface
26
The Altra20 can be used with the operating systems Windows 2000 and Win-
dows XP. The installation of the camera will be described for both operating
systems.
In order to avoid problems, you should follow the steps of the installation pro-
cedure in the order given here.
1) Install the image analysis program on your computer.
2) Mount the camera onto your microscope.
3) You may now connect the camera to the computer system.
For using the camera a USB 2.0 interface with an Intel®82801DB/DBM
USB2 ENHANCED HOST CONTROLLER is necessary. If you are not sure
whether a USB 2.0 interface is available on your computer, open the Win-
dows Device Manager via Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Hard-
ware > Device Manager... .

An entry with the name ’Intel®82801DB/DBM USB2 ENHANCED HOST

CONTROLLER’ in the USB Controller region indicates that the necessary
interface is available.

Related topics
Installation of the image analysis software 27
Installation of the camera and cables 29
 Installation of the image analysis software

USB Controller on a Should your computer's USB controller not be on the motherboard, but is
board built in on a separate board, no guarantee can be made that the camera can
be used without any problems. The Device Manager's display provides no
information as to whether the interface is available on the computer's moth-
erboard. Please either check this out in the computer's manual, or ask your
system administrator for help.
General Warnings!
• CMOS image sensors are easily damaged by static discharge. Do not
disassemble the camera housing.
• Do not attempt to touch the internals of the camera with your bare
hands.
• Do not touch the filter (over the chip) with your hand or have any object
come in contact with it. Should dust stick to the cover slip, blow it off
gently with an air blower. (For dust stuck due to static electricity, ionized
air is recommended.)
• It is best to use a LensPen to clean the filter. Do this only when abso-
lutely necessary.
• Do not expose the camera to strong light (sunlight) for long periods.
• Exposure to high temperature or humidity can affect the functionality of
the camera. Avoid storage or usage under such conditions.
• Do not subject the camera to too much mechanical shock.
• The USB plug is not symmetrical. You must make sure that the cable
plug is facing the same way as the camera socket when you plug the
cable into the camera jack.
• Do not disconnect the USB cable while the image analysis program is
running.

Installation of the image analysis software

Warning! Please be sure to install the image analysis program first, before connecting
the camera to the computer.
Requirements, PC The Altra20 camera requires the image analysis program, version 5.0, and

27
Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional.
Camera driver installa- Installation of the Altra20 camera driver is simply done via the image analysis
tion program setup. You are only required to select the Altra20 camera model.
Installation of the image For installation, follow the instructions given on the monitor.
analysis program
 Altra20 • Installation of the image analysis software

Select the Soft Imaging Sys-

tem manufacturer entry and
the Altra camera entry.

Automatic calibration You will be advised to carry out an automatic calibration of the camera when
installing the image analysis program.
In this dialog box you can
activate the automatic cali-
bration.
28

Select the TV adaptor's magnification from the list with the same name.
Should you have previously been using a remote microscope, but do not
wish to use the camera with it, clear the Automatic calibration using motor-
ized microscope check box. Then, mark the checkbox for all mounted objec-
tives in the Magnification of the microscope objectives list.
Note Should you use objectives with a magnification that does not appear in the
list, you will need to carry out a manual calibration for these objectives. You
will find a description of this procedure in your image analysis program's
step by step guide.
 Installation of the camera and cables

Installation as a TWAIN device

The Altra20 can also be used as a TWAIN device. In this mode of operation
the camera can also be used as an image source for other application pro-
grams. However in this case, no additional data, for instance, calibration
data, will be at your disposal.
Warning The Altra20 camera may not be operated in the image analysis program
simultaneously both via the normal commands for image acquisition and via
the TWAIN driver.

Installation of the camera and cables

Don’t forget... Please be sure to install the image analysis program first before connecting
the camera to the computer.
How to install the camera 1) The diagram shows a typical installation. You should have all required
components ready at hand.

29

2) Remove the protective cap from the camera.

3) Firmly screw the TV adaptor and the C-Mount (0,5x or bigger) onto the
camera. This should be done with the camera's microscope mount fac-
ing down to minimize the chance of dust landing on its surface.
4) Install this assembly onto the microscope's camera mount. Some mi-
croscopes may require additional optical elements installed between
the camera mount and the TV adapter. You may also need to align the
orientation of the microscope with that of the stage, and also match the
focus of the camera image with that of the eyepiece image. These set-
 Altra20 • Installation of the camera and cables

tings can be done later when you are able to obtain a live image on the
screen.
5) Plug the end of the camera's USB cable into a free socket of your PC.
" Should more than one USB slot be available, you can make an arbi-
trary choice of which jack you use.
" A dialog box with the message "Found New Hardware" will be
opened.
" Shortly afterwards the same dialog box will appear again.
6) Under Windows 2000 the rest of the installation occurs fully automati-
cally. Under Windows XP the following steps will have to be performed
manually.
" The Found New Hardware Wizard dialog box will open.

7) Select the No, not this time option and click the Next button.
" Another Found New Hardware Wizard dialog box will open.
30
 Problems during the installation

8) Insert the CD with your image analysis program, select the Install the
software automatically (Recommended) option, then click the Next >
button.
" The installation will begin. After a short pause the Hardware Instal-
lation dialog box will be opened.

9) Click the Continue Anyway button.

" The first part of the installation has then been completed.
" Shortly afterwards, the second part of the installation will begin. It
takes place as described in the steps 6 - 9.
When it's completed, you can start the image analysis program and acquire
images with the Altra20 camera.

Problems during the installation

What do I do if the When you start your image analysis program the following error message
camera cannot be appears, even though you have completely installed the image analysis pro-
found? gram and the camera:

31

The image analysis program has not succeeded in creating a connection to

the camera. Confirm the message with OK.
Check to see if the connector cable between the camera and the computer
has been correctly plugged-in. Should a connector be loose or not plugged
in correctly, correct this by firmly plugging it into the corresponding jack.
Restart the image analysis program.
Windows reports that a During the installation of the camera under Windows XP, the operating sys-
driver has not been tem warns you that the driver you have selected for the installation has not
tested passed the so-called Windows Logo Test.. The Hardware Installation dialog
box will be opened.
 Altra20 • Problems during the installation

Click the Continue Anyway button to continue with the installation.

What do I do when the Should the camera already have been connected before the image analysis
camera was already program was installed, the installation cannot take place automatically.
connected before the Instead, Windows will start the hardware wizard for the installation of an
image analysis program unknown device.
was installed?
The display on your monitor
when you start the Hard-
ware Wizard using Windows
2000
32
 When encountering problems with the camera...

The display on your monitor

when you start the Hard-
ware Wizard using Windows
XP

Click the Cancel button to stop the installation procedure. Then disconnect
the connector cable from your computer. You are now ready to first install
the image analysis program and the camera drivers.
The image analysis If your image analysis program crashes repeatedly when using the Altra20
program crashes when camera, problems concerning the USB interface are the most probable rea-
acquiring an image son for it. Please make sure the system requirements are really met before
contacting our customer service.

When encountering problems with the camera...

Most problems with the Altra20-Kamera are due to the USB system of the
computer. In case of a problem, please check the following points before
contacting our support:
• Does the computer have an Intel®82801DB/DBM USB2 ENHANCED
HOST CONTROLLER?

33
• Do you use an extension cable between the cable of the Altra20 and the
computer?
" Remove the extension cable because it can significantly reduce the
data transfer rate.
• Are other USB devices connected to the USB controller as well?
" Remove these devices because they can significantly reduce the
data transfer rate. If the problem is cured by this action, you can
connect the offending devices using a separate USB controller
plugged into a PCI slot.
• Has an Intel Hyper Thread BIOS function been activated on your com-
puter?
" Deactivate this function.

Related topics
Installation of the image analysis software 27
Requirements 26
 Altra20 • When encountering problems with the camera...

Should you have questions or should problems arise which you cannot solve
with the help of the documentation provided, please feel free to contact our
customer service. The best way to do so is via e-mail.Please follow the in-
structions given below to provide our customer service with all the neces-
sary information.
1) Please clarify before hand when and under what circumstances the
problem arose.
• It would be best if you can clearly reproduce the problem/error. You
will therefore make it easier for you and our customer service per-
sonnel to solve the problem.
2) Please write down the exact wording of the (error) messages which ap-
pear.
3) As an alternative, you can make "screenshots" of these messages.
You can make a screenshot of your active window by using the shortcut
[Alt+Print] respectively [Alt+Print]. A copy of the active window is stored
to your clipboard and can be easily attached to an e-mail using [Strg+V]
respectively [Ctrl+V].
4) Since very large e-mails can create transmission problems both for the
sender and the receiver, do not copy screenshots of the entire screen.
For the same reason it is advisable to reduce the color depth of the
screenshots.
5) Should the camera basically work, but problems with image quality
arise, save an image in which the problems are clearly visible in TIF for-
mat. Insert this example image in your e-mail to our customer service.
6) Start the image analysis program.
7) Use the ? > Info... command to open the Info dialog box.
" The Info dialog box shows you information about the software pack-
age (Docu, Auto, Pro), the Build-number and the serial number of
your image analysis program as well as the operating system being
used.
• The software data mentioned should be at hand when contacting
our customer service personnel.
8) Please write an e-mail clearly describing the problem (including
screenshots and example images), as well as the software data from
34

the Info dialog box to our customer service address:

support.osis@olympus-sis.com

• The quickest and most convenient way is to use the automatic e-

mail settings for your customer service query:
By using the ? > Info... > System Info... > Send button, an automatic
e-mail is created which you can then complete and send to us. If
you have made an example in TIF format, please attach this to the
e-mail as well. Before sending, read the notes in your e-mail box re-
garding the data about your system which you will send to us in this
e-mail.
Should you not be able to send e-mails from your computer, use the
? > Info... > System Info... > Info save button to save the files and
to send them from another computer.
• You may of course contact us via telephone or fax:
Tel.: (+ 49) 2 51 / 7 98 00-444
Fax: (+ 49) 2 51 / 7 98 00-6060
WEEE DECLARATION
Waste Electrical In accordance with European Directive 2002/96/EC on Waste
and Electronic Electrical and Electronic Equipment, this symbol indicates that the
Equipment product must not be disposed of as unsorted municipal waste, but
should be collected separately. Refer to your local distributor for
return.
 CE DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

Product Type CMOS Camera

Brand Name Soft Imaging System
Model Designation Altra20

Manufacturer Soft Imaging System GmbH

Johann-Krane-Weg 39
D-48147 Münster

The product complies with the requirements of the following European directives:

89/336/ECC Directive of the council on the approximation of the laws of Member

States relating to electromagnetic compatibility changed by directive
91/263/ECC, 92/31/ECC and 93/68/ECC of the council.
Compliance was proved by the application of the following
electromagnetic compatibility standards:
EN 55022 : 1998 + A1: 2000 + A2: 2003, cl. B
EN 55024 : 1998 + A1: 2001
EN 61000-4-2
EN 61000-4-3
EN 61000-4-4
EN 61000-4-6

Date: January 2005

Dr Manfred Schierjott January 5th, 2005

Date
 Index

A F
Acquisition, command 8 Fluorescence microscopy
Altra 20 specifications 3 intelligent Exposure 16
analySIS, version 3
Automatic Gain Display
Camera Control 12 G
Input 20
Gamma Correction
RGB mode 10
B
Black & white mode I
Set Input 17
Image scaling, Display tab 21
intelligent Exposure 7, 14
intX 14
C Calibration 14
Camera configuration 17 Exposure time 15
Camera Control 8 Exposure time correction 15
Color Settings 10 Resolution 16
Exposure time 9 White balance 16
Gain display 12
Sharpen filter 11
Sharpness Monitor 12 K
Camera resolution
In input channel 19 Köhler Illumination, Microscope 24
in intX 16
Color Settings 10
Gamma Correction 10 L
Configure Input 18 Live overlay 8, 21
Display tab 20 Live-Acquisition 8
Input tab 19

37
intX 15

D M
Display tab 20 Microscope 23
Image scaling 21 Controlling illumination intensity 4
Over exposure 20 Empty Magnification 25
Duplicate Channels 18 Illumination 23
Numerical Aperture 25
Objective 25
E Total Magnification 25
Exposure time Useful Magnification 25
Camera Control 9 Microscope Illumination Intensity 4
Input 19 Microscope Settings 4, 23
intX 15 Mirror 19
Exposure time, intX 16 Monitor Settings 5
Monitor's Color Temperature 5
 Index

N U
New Channel 18 Useful magnification, Microscope 25

O W
Online histogram 21 White balance 4
Over exposure 20 Execute 6
Over Exposure Warning 20 General remarks 4
White balance, intX 16

P
PC, system requirements 3

R
Requirements, PC 3
Resolution
Input 19
intX 16

S
Select device 18
Serial Number 34
Set Input 17
Sharpen filter 11
Sharpness Monitor 12
Snapshot
38

Command 13
intX 15
Specialized microscopy techniques 6
System Info 34
System requirements 3

T
Tab Input 19
Automatic gain display 20
Exposure time 19
Mirror 19
Resolution 19
Total magnification, microscope 4