Quicker to focus, quicker to download images

Specialised Imaging’s products are constantly evolving to take advantage of new technologies and customer requirements. Recently we upgraded to gigabit ethernet communications between the camera and control PC in our SIMX and SIMD ultra-high-speed framing cameras. This means captured images are downloaded much faster, and the live image for focussing is easier to use.

All previous versions of our SIM cameras offered full remote control, using ethernet connectivity as standard. PC and ethernet speeds at the time caused the live image refresh rates to be slow, which made focussing the camera a little frustrating. To overcome this the cameras were designed with an optical periscope for set up and focus adjustment. This is seen as part of the lens mount on the tall camera in the image below. The optical periscope located between the lens mount and the camera uses a mirror to bend the image path into the ocular for the user to view the image and adjust focus and image composition. This method was sometimes hard to use when limited space was available, so Specialised Imaging started designing the next generation of camera (image below of camera without periscope) with gigabit ethernet to allow a faster live image refresh rate and considerably shorter download times for captured images. Gigabit ethernet camera communication is standard on all new SIM cameras and, to allow our existing SIM users to take advantage of this improvement, gigabit ethernet communication is available for previous versions of the SIM camera as an upgrade.

To expand the number of lenses used on the SIM camera, Specialised Imaging has also developed a lens mount for Canon EOS lenses to be fitted and controlled (aperture and focus) using the SIM camera control software.

Image: New and old SIM (8 channel) camera design