photron-fastcam

name: photron-fastcam description: | Expert system for Photron FASTCAM high-speed cameras and SDK (PDCLIB). Use when: - Programming or integrating Photron cameras (Mini R5-4K, Nova, SA-Z series) - Working with PDCLIB SDK, PyHSCam, or photron-linux-sdk - Calculating frame rates, recording times, or memory requirements - Configuring camera settings for specific applications (low-light, high-speed, scientific imaging) - Bypassing PFV GUI for direct frame streaming - Troubleshooting camera connectivity or performance issues - Integrating with MATLAB, LabVIEW, EPICS, or custom applications Triggers: Photron, FASTCAM, PDCLIB, high-speed camera SDK, PyHSCam, frame streaming, trigger configuration

Photron FASTCAM Expert

Expert guidance for Photron high-speed cameras and SDK programming.

Quick Reference

Recording Time Calculation

Duration = Memory / (H × V × FPS × 1.5)

Example: 64GB at 1920×1080 @ 100fps = 64GB / (1920×1080×100×1.5) = ~206 seconds

Key Frame Rate/Resolution Combos (Mini R5-4K)

SDK Quick Start

PDC_Init(&err);
PDC_DetectDevice(PDC_INTTYPE_G_ETHER, &num, 10, info, &err);
PDC_OpenDevice(&info[0], &dev, &err);
PDC_SetRecordRate(dev, 1, 1000, &err);
PDC_GetLiveImageData(dev, 1, 8, buffer, &err);  // Stream frames
PDC_CloseDevice(dev, &err);
PDC_Close(&err);

Core Workflows

1. Direct Frame Streaming (Bypass PFV)

To stream frames without PFV overhead:

1. Windows (Official SDK)

   • Use PDCLIB directly via C/C++ or Python wrapper
   • Call PDC_GetLiveImageData() in tight loop
   • Process frames in separate thread
   • See SDK Reference for full API

2. Windows (Python)

   • Use PyHSCam wrapper (github.com/ion201/PyHSCam)
   • Requires PDCLIB.dll in project directory
   • Add Python to Windows Firewall exceptions

3. Linux (Experimental)

   • Use photron-linux-sdk (github.com/felix-engelmann/photron-linux-sdk)
   • Camera on UDP port 2000
   • FastAPI exposes frames on HTTP port 5000
   • Limited parameter control

2. Low-Light/Night Imaging

For optimal low-light performance:

1. Use monochrome sensor (ISO 4000 vs ISO 800 color = 5× more sensitive)
2. Lower frame rate when possible (more integration time)
3. Maximize shutter duration (balance with motion blur)
4. Fast lens (f/1.4 - f/2.8)
5. 12-bit RAW capture for post-processing flexibility
6. Consider image intensifier for extreme low-light

3. Maximizing Recording Duration

Priority order:

1. Upgrade memory to 64GB maximum
2. Reduce resolution (1080p gives 4× longer than 4K)
3. Lower frame rate (100fps vs 1000fps = 10× longer)
4. Use 10GbE for faster segment download
5. Memory segmentation - record to one partition while downloading another
6. FASTDrive - 64GB offload in ~1 minute

4. Network Setup

Camera IP: 192.168.0.10 (default)
PC NIC: 192.168.0.x (same subnet)
Jumbo frames: Enable (9000 bytes)
Firewall: Allow application through

Critical: Direct connection to 1GbE/10GbE NIC required. No 100BASE-TX switches.

5. Multi-Camera Synchronization

1. Configure master camera with external sync output
2. Connect sync signal to slave cameras
3. Use IRIG-B for GPS time correlation
4. Software trigger via PDC_TriggerIn() for simultaneous capture

Detailed References

• SDK API Functions: See resources/references/sdk_reference.md
• Camera Specifications: See resources/references/camera_specs.md

Common Issues

Camera Not Detected

1. Check IP subnet match (camera: 192.168.0.10)
2. Disable firewall temporarily to test
3. Use direct connection (no switch)
4. Verify 1GbE/10GbE NIC (not 100Mbps)

Slow Download Speeds

1. Enable jumbo frames on NIC
2. Use 10GbE if available
3. Disable NIC power saving
4. Use dedicated NIC (not shared)

Live Image Errors

1. Call PDC_EraseCachedCorrectionData() before connecting
2. Verify camera status is PDC_STATUS_LIVE
3. Check buffer size matches resolution × bit depth

12-bit Data Unpacking

Two pixels packed in 3 bytes:

pixel1 = (byte0 << 4) | (byte1 >> 4);
pixel2 = ((byte1 & 0x0F) << 8) | byte2;

Trigger Configuration

Contact & Resources

• Photron: photron.com, image@photron.com, 800-585-2129
• PFV Download: photron.com/pfv/
• PyHSCam: github.com/ion201/PyHSCam
• Linux SDK: github.com/felix-engelmann/photron-linux-sdk
• EPICS Driver: github.com/kmpeters/ADPhotron
• MRAW Reader: github.com/ladisk/pyMRAW