The Exposure Auto camera feature automatically adjusts the exposure time within specified limits until a target brightness has been reached.
The pixel data for the auto function can come from one or multiple auto function ROIs.
If you want to use Exposure Auto and Gain Auto at the same time, use the Auto Function Profile feature to specify how the effects of both are balanced.
To adjust the exposure time manually, use the Exposure Time feature.
To enable or disable the Exposure Auto auto function:
Assign at least one auto function ROI to the Exposure Auto auto function. Make sure the auto function ROI overlaps the image ROI, either partially or completely.
Set the ExposureAuto parameter to one of the following operating modes:
Once: The camera adjusts the exposure time until the specified target brightness value has been reached. When this has been achieved, or after a maximum of 30 calculation cycles, the camera sets the auto function to Off. To all following images, the camera applies the exposure time resulting from the last calculation.
Continuous: The camera adjusts the exposure time continuously while images are being acquired.
Off: Disables the Exposure Auto auto function. The exposure time remains at the value resulting from the last automatic or manual adjustment.
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When the camera is capturing images continuously, the auto function takes effect with a short delay. The first few images may not be affected by the auto function.
The auto function adjusts the ExposureTimeAbs parameter value within limits specified by you.
To change the limits, set the AutoExposureTimeLowerLimitRaw and the AutoExposureTimeUpperLimitRaw parameters to the desired values (in µs).
Example: Assume you have set the AutoExposureTimeLowerLimitRaw parameter to 1000 and the AutoExposureTimeUpperLimitRaw parameter to 5000. During the automatic adjustment process, the exposure time will never be lower than 1000 µs and never higher than 5000 µs.
If the AutoExposureTimeUpperLimitRaw parameter is set to a high value, the camera's frame rate may decrease.
The auto function adjusts the exposure time until a target brightness value, i.e., an average gray value, has been reached.
To specify the target value, use the AutoTargetValue parameter.
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The target value calculation does not include other image optimizations, e.g., Gamma. Depending on the image optimizations set, images output by the camera may have a significantly lower or higher average gray value than indicated by the target value.
The camera also uses the AutoTargetValue parameter to control the Gain Auto auto function. If you want to use Exposure Auto and Gain Auto at the same time, use the Auto Function Profile feature to specify how the effects of both are balanced.
On some camera models, you can use the Remove Parameter Limits feature to increase the target value parameter limits.
// Set the Exposure Auto auto function to its minimum lower limit// and its maximum upper limitdoubleminLowerLimit=camera.AutoExposureTimeLowerLimitRaw.GetMin();doublemaxUpperLimit=camera.AutoExposureTimeUpperLimitRaw.GetMax();camera.AutoExposureTimeLowerLimitRaw.SetValue(minLowerLimit);camera.AutoExposureTimeUpperLimitRaw.SetValue(maxUpperLimit);// Set the target brightness value to 128camera.AutoTargetValue.SetValue(128);// Select auto function ROI 1camera.AutoFunctionAOISelector.SetValue(AutoFunctionAOISelector_AOI1);// Enable the 'Intensity' auto function (Gain Auto + Exposure Auto)// for the auto function ROI selectedcamera.AutoFunctionAOIUsageIntensity.SetValue(true);// Enable Exposure Auto by setting the operating mode to Continuouscamera.ExposureAuto.SetValue(ExposureAuto_Continuous);
INodeMap&nodemap=camera.GetNodeMap();// Set the Exposure Auto auto function to its minimum lower limit// and its maximum upper limitdoubleminLowerLimit=CFloatParameter(nodemap,"AutoExposureTimeLowerLimitRaw").GetMin();doublemaxUpperLimit=CFloatParameter(nodemap,"AutoExposureTimeUpperLimitRaw").GetMax();CFloatParameter(nodemap,"AutoExposureTimeLowerLimitRaw").SetValue(minLowerLimit);CFloatParameter(nodemap,"AutoExposureTimeUpperLimitRaw").SetValue(maxUpperLimit);// Set the target brightness value to 128CIntegerParameter(nodemap,"AutoTargetValue").SetValue(128);// Select auto function ROI 1CEnumParameter(nodemap,"AutoFunctionAOISelector").SetValue("AOI1");// Enable the 'Intensity' auto function (Gain Auto + Exposure Auto)// for the auto function ROI selectedCBooleanParameter(nodemap,"AutoFunctionAOIUsageIntensity").SetValue(true);// Enable Exposure Auto by setting the operating mode to ContinuousCEnumParameter(nodemap,"ExposureAuto").SetValue("Continuous");
// Set the Exposure Auto auto function to its minimum lower limit// and its maximum upper limitdoubleminLowerLimit=camera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoExposureTimeLowerLimitRaw].GetMinimum();doublemaxUpperLimit=camera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoExposureTimeUpperLimitRaw].GetMaximum();camera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoExposureTimeLowerLimitRaw].SetValue(minLowerLimit);camera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoExposureTimeUpperLimitRaw].SetValue(maxUpperLimit);// Set the target brightness value to 128camera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoTargetValue].SetValue(128);// Select auto function ROI 1camera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoFunctionAOISelector].SetValue(PLCamera.AutoFunctionAOISelector.AOI1);// Enable the 'Intensity' auto function (Gain Auto + Exposure Auto)// for the auto function ROI selectedcamera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoFunctionAOIUsageIntensity].SetValue(true);// Enable Exposure Auto by setting the operating mode to Continuouscamera.Parameters[PLCamera.ExposureAuto].SetValue(PLCamera.ExposureAuto.Continuous);
/* Macro to check for errors */#define CHECK(errc) if (GENAPI_E_OK != errc) printErrorAndExit(errc)GENAPIC_RESULTerrRes=GENAPI_E_OK;/* Return value of pylon methods */doubleminLowerLimit=0;doublemaxUpperLimit=0;/* Set the Exposure Auto auto function to its minimum lower limit *//* and its maximum upper limit */errRes=PylonDeviceGetFloatFeatureMin(hdev,"AutoExposureTimeLowerLimitRaw",&minLowerLimit);CHECK(errRes);errRes=PylonDeviceGetFloatFeatureMax(hdev,"AutoExposureTimeUpperLimitRaw",&maxUpperLimit);CHECK(errRes);errRes=PylonDeviceSetFloatFeature(hdev,"AutoExposureTimeLowerLimitRaw",minLowerLimit);CHECK(errRes);errRes=PylonDeviceSetFloatFeature(hdev,"AutoExposureTimeUpperLimitRaw",maxUpperLimit);CHECK(errRes);/* Set the target brightness value to 128 */errRes=PylonDeviceSetIntegerFeature(hdev,"AutoTargetValue",128);CHECK(errRes);/* Select auto function ROI 1 */errRes=PylonDeviceFeatureFromString(hdev,"AutoFunctionAOISelector","AOI1");CHECK(errRes);/* Enable the 'Intensity' auto function (Gain Auto + Exposure Auto) *//* for the auto function ROI selected */errRes=PylonDeviceSetBooleanFeature(hdev,"AutoFunctionAOIUsageIntensity",1);CHECK(errRes);/* Enable Exposure Auto by setting the operating mode to Continuous */errRes=PylonDeviceFeatureFromString(hdev,"ExposureAuto","Continuous");CHECK(errRes);
# Set the Exposure Auto auto function to its minimum lower limit# and its maximum upper limitminLowerLimit=camera.AutoExposureTimeLowerLimitRaw.MinmaxUpperLimit=camera.AutoExposureTimeUpperLimitRaw.Maxcamera.AutoExposureTimeLowerLimitRaw.Value=minLowerLimitcamera.AutoExposureTimeUpperLimitRaw.Value=maxUpperLimit# Set the target brightness value to 128camera.AutoTargetValue.Value=128# Select auto function ROI 1camera.AutoFunctionAOISelector.Value="AOI1"# Enable the 'Intensity' auto function (Gain Auto + Exposure Auto)# for the auto function ROI selectedcamera.AutoFunctionAOIUsageIntensity.Value=True# Enable Exposure Auto by setting the operating mode to Continuouscamera.ExposureAuto.Value="Continuous"
// Set the Exposure Auto auto function to its minimum lower limit// and its maximum upper limitdoubleminLowerLimit=camera.AutoExposureTimeLowerLimit.GetMin();doublemaxUpperLimit=camera.AutoExposureTimeUpperLimit.GetMax();camera.AutoExposureTimeLowerLimit.SetValue(minLowerLimit);camera.AutoExposureTimeUpperLimit.SetValue(maxUpperLimit);// Set the target brightness value to 0.6camera.AutoTargetBrightness.SetValue(0.6);// Select auto function ROI 1camera.AutoFunctionROISelector.SetValue(AutoFunctionROISelector_ROI1);// Enable the 'Brightness' auto function (Gain Auto + Exposure Auto)// for the auto function ROI selectedcamera.AutoFunctionROIUseBrightness.SetValue(true);// Enable Exposure Auto by setting the operating mode to Continuouscamera.ExposureAuto.SetValue(ExposureAuto_Continuous);
INodeMap&nodemap=camera.GetNodeMap();// Set the Exposure Auto auto function to its minimum lower limit// and its maximum upper limitdoubleminLowerLimit=CFloatParameter(nodemap,"AutoExposureTimeLowerLimit").GetMin();doublemaxUpperLimit=CFloatParameter(nodemap,"AutoExposureTimeUpperLimit").GetMax();CFloatParameter(nodemap,"AutoExposureTimeLowerLimit").SetValue(minLowerLimit);CFloatParameter(nodemap,"AutoExposureTimeUpperLimit").SetValue(maxUpperLimit);// Set the target brightness value to 0.6CFloatParameter(nodemap,"AutoTargetBrightness").SetValue(0.6);// Select auto function ROI 1CEnumParameter(nodemap,"AutoFunctionROISelector").SetValue("ROI1");// Enable the 'Brightness' auto function (Gain Auto + Exposure Auto)// for the auto function ROI selectedCBooleanParameter(nodemap,"AutoFunctionROIUseBrightness").SetValue(true);// Enable Exposure Auto by setting the operating mode to ContinuousCEnumParameter(nodemap,"ExposureAuto").SetValue("Continuous");
// Set the Exposure Auto auto function to its minimum lower limit// and its maximum upper limitdoubleminLowerLimit=camera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoExposureTimeLowerLimit].GetMinimum();doublemaxUpperLimit=camera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoExposureTimeUpperLimit].GetMaximum();camera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoExposureTimeLowerLimit].SetValue(minLowerLimit);camera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoExposureTimeUpperLimit].SetValue(maxUpperLimit);// Set the target brightness value to 0.6camera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoTargetBrightness].SetValue(0.6);// Select auto function ROI 1camera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoFunctionROISelector].SetValue(PLCamera.AutoFunctionROISelector.ROI1);// Enable the 'Brightness' auto function (Gain Auto + Exposure Auto)// for the auto function ROI selectedcamera.Parameters[PLCamera.AutoFunctionROIUseBrightness].SetValue(true);// Enable Exposure Auto by setting the operating mode to Continuouscamera.Parameters[PLCamera.ExposureAuto].SetValue(PLCamera.ExposureAuto.Continuous);
/* Macro to check for errors */#define CHECK(errc) if (GENAPI_E_OK != errc) printErrorAndExit(errc)GENAPIC_RESULTerrRes=GENAPI_E_OK;/* Return value of pylon methods */doubleminLowerLimit=0;doublemaxUpperLimit=0;/* Set the Exposure Auto auto function to its minimum lower limit *//* and its maximum upper limit */errRes=PylonDeviceGetFloatFeatureMin(hdev,"AutoExposureTimeLowerLimit",&minLowerLimit);CHECK(errRes);errRes=PylonDeviceGetFloatFeatureMax(hdev,"AutoExposureTimeUpperLimit",&maxUpperLimit);CHECK(errRes);errRes=PylonDeviceSetFloatFeature(hdev,"AutoExposureTimeLowerLimit",minLowerLimit);CHECK(errRes);errRes=PylonDeviceSetFloatFeature(hdev,"AutoExposureTimeUpperLimit",maxUpperLimit);CHECK(errRes);/* Set the target brightness value to 0.6 */errRes=PylonDeviceSetFloatFeature(hdev,"AutoTargetBrightness",0.6);CHECK(errRes);/* Select auto function ROI 1 */errRes=PylonDeviceFeatureFromString(hdev,"AutoFunctionROISelector","ROI1");CHECK(errRes);/* Enable the 'Brightness' auto function (Gain Auto + Exposure Auto) *//* for the auto function ROI selected */errRes=PylonDeviceSetBooleanFeature(hdev,"AutoFunctionROIUseBrightness",1);CHECK(errRes);/* Enable Exposure Auto by setting the operating mode to Continuous */errRes=PylonDeviceFeatureFromString(hdev,"ExposureAuto","Continuous");CHECK(errRes);
# Set the Exposure Auto auto function to its minimum lower limit# and its maximum upper limitminLowerLimit=camera.AutoExposureTimeLowerLimit.MinmaxUpperLimit=camera.AutoExposureTimeUpperLimit.Maxcamera.AutoExposureTimeLowerLimit.Value=minLowerLimitcamera.AutoExposureTimeUpperLimit.Value=maxUpperLimit# Set the target brightness value to 0.6camera.AutoTargetBrightness.Value=0.6# Select auto function ROI 1camera.AutoFunctionROISelector.Value="ROI1"# Enable the 'Brightness' auto function (Gain Auto + Exposure Auto)# for the auto function ROI selectedcamera.AutoFunctionROIUseBrightness.Value=True# Enable Exposure Auto by setting the operating mode to Continuouscamera.ExposureAuto.Value="Continuous"