Better Light Scanning Camera System User Manual

Large Format Digital

Scanning Camera System

User’s Manual

featuring…

Digital Scanning Camera Software

Revision D

March

2007

Acknowledgements

Better Light acknowledges and is grateful for the hard work and dedication of its employees.

Additionally, Better Light acknowledges the contributions of its Beta testers and industry colleagues.

is manual may not, in whole or part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or con

verted to any electronic form without written consent of Better Light.

All product names and trademarks are the property of their registered owners.

1200 Industrial Road, #17, San Carlos, California 94070-4129 650-631-3680 fax 650-631-2915 www.betterlight.com email: info@betterlight.com ©2000-2007 Better Light, Inc., All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

CAUTION! PINCH HAZARD: DO NOT OPERATE INSERT OUTSIDE CAMERA.

ATTENTION! DANGER DE PINCEMENT: NE PAS EMPLOYER AVEC L’INSERTION A L’EXTERIEUR DE LA CAMERA.

ACHTUNG! ZWICKGEFAHR: NICHT AUSSERHALB DER KAMERA BETREIBEN VERLETZUNGSGEFAHR.

Warning: This is a class A product. In a domestic environment this product may

cause radio interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures.

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a

Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

345

Contents

Parts List .......................................................................................................................................10

Connector Identiﬁcation ...............................................................................................................

Getting Started ..............................................................................................................................

Installing and Conﬁguring the ViewFinder™ Software ...............................................................

Memory Requirements ........................................................................................................

System Requirements ..........................................................................................................

Quick Start Guide .....................................................................................................................

Prescanning ...................................................................................................................................

Making a Prescan .......................................................................................................................

Fast Prescans ..............................................................................................................................

Cropped Prescans ......................................................................................................................

Super View Prescans ..................................................................................................................

Saving and Viewing Prescans .....................................................................................................

Cancelling a Prescan ..................................................................................................................

Color Managed Prescans ............................................................................................................

Rulers ........................................................................................................................................

Guides .......................................................................................................................................

Image Capture Settings .................................................................................................................

Resolution .................................................................................................................................

Line Time ..................................................................................................................................

ISO ...........................................................................................................................................28

Exposure Lock ...........................................................................................................................

Capture Mode ...........................................................................................................................

Scanning .......................................................................................................................................30

Scanning to the Camera Disk ....................................................................................................

Canceling a Scan .......................................................................................................................30

Naming the Image .....................................................................................................................

Automatically Naming Images ...................................................................................................31

Adding Notes to Your Picture ....................................................................................................

Exposure Evaluation ......................................................................................................................

Digital Spot Metering ................................................................................................................

RGB Data Values, EV Units ................................................................................................

Determining Relative Exposure ...........................................................................................

Static Spot Meter Tool ...............................................................................................................

Setting the Spot Meter Size ........................................................................................................

Histogram .................................................................................................................................

Judging Overall and Spot Exposures ....................................................................................

Static Spot Meter Location Readings ...................................................................................

Tool Bar ........................................................................................................................................

Magnify Tool .............................................................................................................................

Hand Tool .................................................................................................................................

Measure Tool .............................................................................................................................

Panorama Tool ...........................................................................................................................

ToneZones™ Tool .......................................................................................................................

Crop Mask Tool .........................................................................................................................

Grid Tool ...................................................................................................................................

Tab Panels .....................................................................................................................................

Size Panel ...................................................................................................................................

Scan Area and Cropping .....................................................................................................

Lock Crop Ratio .................................................................................................................

Lock File Size ......................................................................................................................

Locking Both ......................................................................................................................48

Faster Scans for Free! ...........................................................................................................

Color Panel ................................................................................................................................

Establishing Neutral Color Balance .....................................................................................

Saving Color Balances .........................................................................................................

Changing Existing Color Balances ......................................................................................52

Deleting Color Balances ......................................................................................................

Altering Color Balance for Mood or Eﬀect ..........................................................................

Reverting to a Previous Color Balance .................................................................................

Tagging Images with ICC Proﬁles .......................................................................................

Tone Panel .................................................................................................................................

Tone Curve Selections .........................................................................................................

Saving a High Bit Depth Image ...........................................................................................

Brightness/Contrast Tone Curve Adjustments .....................................................................

Manual Tone Curve Adjustments ........................................................................................

Limit Line ...........................................................................................................................58

Spot Meter Reference Points ...............................................................................................58

Negative Curves ..................................................................................................................

16-bit Tone Curves ..............................................................................................................

Tone Curve Histogram ........................................................................................................

Selecting an Output Tone Scale ...........................................................................................

Setting the EV Scale Reference ............................................................................................

Saving Tone Curves .............................................................................................................

Deleting Tone Curves ..........................................................................................................

Focus Panel ................................................................................................................................

Large Focus Display ............................................................................................................

Selecting a Focus Site ..........................................................................................................

Reading the Focus Displays and Adjusting Focus ................................................................

Audio Focusing Aid ............................................................................................................

Multiple Color Focusing .....................................................................................................

Infrared Focus .....................................................................................................................

Image File Management and Retrieval ...........................................................................................66

e ViewFinder™ File Manager ..................................................................................................

Sorting Image Files .............................................................................................................

Adding Notes to Your Pictures ............................................................................................68

Exporting Notes ..................................................................................................................

Automatically Saving Files to a Folder .................................................................................

Automatically Opening the Image .......................................................................................

Retrieving Image Files .........................................................................................................

Selecting the Retrieval Tone Curve ......................................................................................

Deleting Image Files ............................................................................................................

Menus ...........................................................................................................................................

File ............................................................................................................................................

Edit ...........................................................................................................................................

Display ......................................................................................................................................

Camera ......................................................................................................................................76

User Preferences ............................................................................................................................

Automatically Retrieving Images (Saving Files) ..........................................................................

Automatically Save Prescans .......................................................................................................

Auto Naming .............................................................................................................................

Appending a File Type Suﬃx .....................................................................................................

Automatic Scan Viewing in an Application (Auto File Open) ....................................................

Auto-rotate Retrieved Files .........................................................................................................

Mask ..........................................................................................................................................

Grid ...........................................................................................................................................

Guides .......................................................................................................................................

Using Sounds .............................................................................................................................

Line Time Synchronization ........................................................................................................

ISO Increment Selection ............................................................................................................

Baseline ISO Setting ..................................................................................................................

Time Lapse ................................................................................................................................

Crop ..........................................................................................................................................

Pano Settings .............................................................................................................................

Appendices ....................................................................................................................................84

Appendix A - Cleaning the CCD Cover Glass ...........................................................................

Appendix B - Manipulating Exposure ........................................................................................

Exposure Adjustments .........................................................................................................

Line Time ...........................................................................................................................

Color Balance (Sensitivity) ..................................................................................................

Tone Curves ........................................................................................................................

Lens Aperture ......................................................................................................................

Lighting ..............................................................................................................................87

Appendix C - Line Time Settings ...............................................................................................

Appendix D - Resolution Selections ...........................................................................................

Appendix E - Status Indicators ...................................................................................................

Appendix F - Pano/WideView Adapter ......................................................................................

Scene Panorama ..................................................................................................................

Hardware Setup ............................................................................................................

Software Operation ......................................................................................................

Rollout Panorama ...............................................................................................................

Hardware Setup ............................................................................................................

Software Operation ......................................................................................................

Object Panorama ................................................................................................................

Hardware Setup ............................................................................................................

Software Operation ......................................................................................................

Appendix G - Error Messages ....................................................................................................

Parts List

1. Control Unit (1)

2. Insert (1)

3. Double shielded cable (1)

4. USB cable (1)

5. Power supply(1)

6. Power cord(1) [not shown]

7. Filters (1 daylight, 1 tungsten)

8. Focus card (2)

9. Viewing overlay (3)

10. Holster (1)

Connector Identiﬁcation

Getting Started

Installing and Conﬁguring the ViewFinder™ Software

Insert the CD containing the ViewFinder™ camera control software and copy the entire camera software folder and its contents to the Applications folder on your computer’s hard disk. You may also wish to copy the additional items on the CD to your computer’s hard disk for future examination. Remove the CD and keep it in a safe place.

Windows users should consult the “Release Notes” or any “ReadMe” ﬁles accompanying

the ViewFinder™ release for instructions about installing the software.

e ViewFinder™ software maintains a preferences ﬁle, named “ViewFinder Prefs”, which

will be stored in the appropriate location for your computer’s operating system. On the Macintosh this will be Users/~/Library/Preferences/, where ~ represents your login name. On the PC the preferences are stored in the same folder with the ViewFinder™ application.

Preferences stored in this ﬁle are used to determine startup settings each time the software is launched. You can alter these settings and save new preferences, which will then be used on subse quent startups of the software.

You may also save and reload diﬀerent settings ﬁles, which you create, each containing a complete set of camera control selections that are customized to your unique camera setups (e.g. client, catalog project, or lighting system). A saved group of camera settings will include all settings for all controls and tab windows as they were at the time the settings were saved, including: Line Time, ISO, Size, Color defaults, Tone curves, etc.

To save a new choice of camera settings as the startup set, use the Save Preferences menu item under the File menu. To save a group of camera settings for future recall at any time, use the Save Settings... menu item under the File menu; this will bring up a standard Save dialog, which allows you to name this settings ﬁle and place it in the folder of your choice. To load a settings ﬁle, use the Load Settings... menu item under the File menu; this will bring up a standard Open dialog, which allows you to open and load a previously saved settings ﬁle from any folder.

Memory Requirements

e ViewFinder™ software requires about 20,000K bytes (about 20 MB) of memory to operate, as shown in its Get Info window.

System Requirements

Macintosh

G3 processor or better

Mac OS 10.4.0 or later

PC (PC version of the software is required)

Pentium III Processor or better

Windows XP or later

Common requirements:

24-bit color graphics display and video card with 800 x 600 minimum resolution

USB-2 Interface, built-in or plug-in card

64 MB available RAM

Quick Start Guide

1. Connect the camera insert to the control unit

Plug the male end of the insert connector into the DB-25 socket on the camera control unit into the (marked as “DB-25 Insert Connector” in the connector identiﬁcation image on page 8). Make sure the plug is ﬁrmly seated in the socket before securing it to the connector with the two connector screws.

Connect or disconnect this cable ONLY when

the camera power is turned OFF.

Mate the female end of the cable with the DB25 plug on the insert, again making sure the connectors are ﬁrmly seated before tightening the secur ing screws. Do not allow this cable to run alongside “noisy” cables such as computer, HMI lamp

cabling or electric power cords, or the image data may be compromised.

• NEVER connect anything except the insert to the DB-25 connector on the control unit.

• Do not use cable extenders to create a longer cable, as power losses and data corruption will occur. In addition to the 5 meter (15 feet) cable supplied with the camera, an 8 meter (25 feet) cable is available from Better Light.

• We recommend that you secure the cables to the control unit (with straps, velcro, tape, etc.) to avoid accidental falls which could destroy the hard drive.

2. Connect the control unit to the host computer

e camera control unit has a single USB-2 connector, which should be connected to your comput er’s USB 2 port.

Although the USB controller will work with

USB 1.1 ports, with all software functions avail able, prescan speeds will be limited and ﬁle retrievals will be very slow. USB 2 is the pre ferred connection method.

3. Connect the AC power to the control unit

Use only an approved power cord with a plug appropriate for the power receptacles of the region. e camera has an external universal power adapter, able to operate from any AC voltage between 100 and 240 volts nominal, 47 to 63 Hz single phase, without changing switches or jumpers. e camera consumes a maximum of about 60 watts of power, and should be operated from the same circuit sup-

plying power to the computer connected to the camera. Approved extension cords may be used to

supply power to the camera over considerable distances.

4. Turn on the digital camera

Turn on the digital camera with the switch on the control unit. e Power LED will light green to indicate the unit has been turned on. When the Status LED next to the power switch goes out the digital camera is ready. Also check the LED on the insert, next to the cable connector. e LED will ﬂash green every few seconds to indicate a good connection with the control unit.

5. Turn on the host computer

Turn on the host computer. While the computer is starting up, Steps 6 through 8 can be completed.

6. Install the viewing overlay on the camera’s ground glass

e scanning insert covers an image area of 72 x 96 mm. (2.83 x 3.78 in.), slightly smaller than standard 4x5 sheet ﬁlm, centered in the overall image area. Several black plastic viewing masks have been supplied with the digital camera, which can be placed over the ground glass of your camera to indicate the area available for digital imaging. ese masks have a low-tack adhesive on one side, allowing them to be secured to either the inside or outside of the ground glass, yet easily removable. Line up the centering

notches in the inside of the mask with the center lines

Overlay mounted on a ground glass view screen.

of the ground glass to position the viewing area correctly. e outside of the mask can be trimmed with a pair of sharp scissors for a better ﬁt in certain view cameras.

7. Install the infrared blocking ﬁlter

For normal color imaging, one of the infrared blocking ﬁlters supplied with the system must be installed on either side of the lens to block unwanted infrared light (wavelengths from 700 to 1000 nm., just beyond the red end of the visible spectrum). e ﬁlters are each 3 inches (76 mm) square, diﬀering in thickness according to the amount of infrared (and some red) that is blocked (4 inch square ﬁl ters are available from Better Light for large lenses).

• 2 mm thick DAYLIGHT infrared blocking ﬁlter — for use with natural sunlight, daylight-balanced ﬂuorescent lamps, ceramic HID lamps and most HMI applications.

• 3 mm thick TUNGSTEN infrared blocking ﬁlter

for use with all tungsten lighting and certain HMI applications. Blocks about ten times as much infrared as the daylight ﬁlter.

In cases of extreme infrared contamination (reﬂection), both ﬁlters can be used together to

increase the amount of infrared blocking.

Without either infrared ﬁlter, the digital camera becomes a sensitive near-infrared imaging

device, with a response similar to infrared ﬁlm. Each color sensor responds to infrared, as well as to its portion of the visible spectrum, creating some interesting imaging possibili ties.

Daylight (top) and tungsten (bottom) ﬁlters, side views.

—

e appropriate infrared ﬁlter is best installed on the inside of the lens. In this position, ﬁlter ﬂare is minimized and the ﬁlter is protected from dust and damage. Also, the lens controls are unob

structed, for easier setup. On smaller ﬁeld cameras, it may be necessary to install the ﬁlter on the outside of the lens. When the ﬁlter is externally mounted, the use of

Inside ﬁlter mount with clip holder. Outside ﬁlter mount with clip holder.

a lens shade is recommended to reduce possible ﬁlter ﬂare.

e infrared ﬁlter can be ﬁtted to most smaller 4x5 lenses by means of a clip-on ﬁlter holder (not supplied), usually sold for use with 35 mm cameras. An easily available alterna tive is to use photographer’s black tape or a large rubber

Mounting the ﬁlter with a rubber band on the inside of the lens, top and side views.

band (using crossed loops to secure alternate corners of the ﬁlter) to aﬃx the ﬁlter to the inside of almost any lens.

8. Compose and focus the image

Compose the intended image on the camera’s ground glass, just as you would when using ﬁlm. Adjust swings and tilts with the camera’s controls, as necessary, to focus the image . A magniﬁer may be of use for better focus adjustment.

9. Put the insert into the camera

Slide the insert into the back of the camera as you would do with a ﬁlm holder or Polaroid back. e open side of the insert faces toward the lens. e insert may be placed into the camera horizontally or vertically, depending on the intended orientation of the image and the requirements of your camera.

10. Start the ViewFinder™ software

Start the camera control software. e program’s main screen will appear.

11. Select the image capture settings

Set the ISO, Line Time, Tone curve, Color balance and the Insert Direction in the ViewFinder™ software. Default settings could also be used.

Put the insert into the camera either vertically (shown) or horizontally. (Yes, the photo was shot with a Better Light scan back!)

12. Prescan

Click the button to take a quick scan of the image. Check the prescan image to make certain that the intended image is displayed in the preview. Adjust the camera and software settings and make additional prescans until the intended image is achieved.

13. Take the picture

When satisﬁed, click the button to take the ﬁnal image. e camera insert will begin the scan as indicated by the scan progress bar traversing the prescan image and the time value above the Scan button will begin counting down to 0.

14. Transfer the ﬁle to the computer

Use the File Manager menu option to transfer the image to your computer. e image ﬁle is a TIFF ﬁle, compatible with both Macs and PCs. e ViewFinder™ program also can be set to auto matically open the image in Photoshop.

15. View the ﬁnal image

Use Photoshop or your favorite image processing program to view the ﬁnal image. Review the

full image to assure all is to your expectations and no photographic or technical faults are evident. It is advisable to review the image at 100% magniﬁcation (actual pixel dimensions) to catch any ﬂaws that could aﬀect your ﬁnal image quality.

Prescanning

e usual method of operating the Better Light camera centers around the tasks of prescanning the scene, adjusting parameters to achieve the intended image, then scanning the ﬁnal image. is method allows for iteratively adjusting the composition, lighting and exposure to give the photographer conﬁdence that the image on screen will be the same one captured in the ﬁnal scan.

Making a Prescan

e digital camera has a signiﬁcant advantage over ﬁlm in that representative image data can be viewed immediately after the exposure, allowing accurate and repeatable determination of exposure, color balance, and tonal range. is enables the photographer to precisely adjust the exposure and processing conditions for each image, and to neutralize any unwanted color cast, or to introduce color ﬁltration as desired.

Prescan and Scan controls.

In addition to evaluating the preview image visually, a digital spot meter permits the photogra pher to accurately measure any point location within the preview image, and a histogram display pro vides an overall indication of the distribution of image data values.

ere are two types of prescans available; the normal prescan and the fast prescan. Both types of prescans can be initiated by clicking on the then begin a prescan at the lowest resolution available for your model camera:

model 4000 series: 20% (1000 x 750 pixels, 4.2 MB)

model 6000 series and Super 6K™ series (1000 x 750 pixels, 4.2 MB)

Super 8K™ series (888 x 666 pixels, 3.4 MB)

To give the most accurate representation of the ﬁnal scan image normal prescans are taken using the currently selected Line Time, ISO, Color and Tone settings. e time necessary to complete the prescan is displayed above the Prescan button.

Prescans of images to be captured without a tone curve (the “None 14-bit” tone curve

selection in the Tone panel) are captured and displayed using the previously selected tone curve before switching to “None 14-bit”. is creates better image data and exposure rep resentations during the prescan and ﬁnal scan preparation process. e ﬁnal scan will be made without a tone curve.

button in the main control area.e camera will

Fast Prescans

e Fast Prescan checkbox in the main control area selects between normal prescans (unchecked), per formed at exactly the line time and color balance (sen sitivity) selected, and Fast Prescans (checked), which are performed at the highest sensitivity and shortest line time that will still yield the same color balance and eﬀective exposure. Fast prescans may exhibit more noise than normal prescans, but this is often an acceptable trade-oﬀ for potentially far shorter prescan times.

When a Fast Prescan is to be made, the control software checks whether the camera sensitivity (color balance numbers) can be increased by 1/3 EV, or more, without exceeding the maximum set ting (i.e. 130) for any number, and whether the line time can be decreased by 1/3 EV (one click of the line time button) without going below the minimum line time. If so, these adjustments are made and the conditions are checked again, until no further adjustments can be made.

e overall color balance of the camera is not changed theoretically by this technique, since the ratios between colors remain constant. However, over a large change in ISO slight shifts in color bal ance may occur. When an automatic color balance is done from fast prescan image data, the selected color balance setting is adjusted based on image data obtained with a possibly much larger set of numbers, leading to occasional, minor inaccuracies in the resulting balance.

If color balance is to be readjusted based on preview image data, a normal-speed prescan is

recommended for improved accuracy.

Fast Prescan option.

Fast prescans to be captured at high ISO settings will not “speed up” as much as those to be taken at lower ISO, since less adjustment is possible before the color balance numbers reach maximum.

Cropped Prescans

Prescans always scan and refresh the entire image area unless the Crop Prescan box is checked. When the Crop Prescan box is checked, only the cropped area indicated in the preview screen will be scanned, which can greatly reduce the overall prescan time. Out side the cropped area, the prescan image will remain unchanged. Using the crop mask is recommended with a cropped prescan to disguise the area of the preview that has not been updated by subsequent prescans (see the section on the crop mask for more details).

Crop Prescan option.

ViewFinder™ control screen with a cropped preview in eﬀect.

Super View Prescans

is is a feature that allows a quick scan of a prescan sized area in the image at the current resolution. is is a great feature for checking focus and depth of ﬁeld without having to make a full scan and opening the image in Photoshop. When Super is checked, a red rectangle corresponding to the area of a preview-size image at the current camera resolution will appear in the prescan image. e Prescan button name is changed to Super View. Drag the red Super View rectangle to the area of interest, then click the Super View button. A prescan will be made of this area and will replace the current preview image. Check ing the View checkbox allows switching between the Super View preview and the normal preview.

e focus tool is available in a Super View prescan, but static spot meters, cropping and the Measure tool are disabled. e Drag Hand and Zoom tools can be temporarily enabled using their keyboard activator keys.

Super Prescan option.

Saving and Viewing Prescans

After a prescan has been made the Save Prescan… option may be selected from the File menu. When selected, the current, adjusted preview image data is saved as a TIFF image ﬁle into the folder selected in the Save File dialog box that will appear. e image ﬁle is given the default name entered in the main control area, with the appended suﬃx “_pre”, to distinguish it from a ﬁnal scan and pre vent accidentally overwriting the ﬁle. As long as the entered name is unchanged, a new preview will overwrite any with the same name.

Selecting the Auto Save Prescans option in the Preferences will cause the current prescan to be auto matically saved every time the Scan button is clicked. e prescans will be saved in the prescan folder speciﬁed in the Preferences

After being saved, the preview image may be opened in an image editor such as Photoshop, for further examination and experimentation.

ese prescans can also be layered in Photoshop with a digital copy of the layout for sizing and positioning during the shoot; or used as a “for position only” image in page layout programs; or used to generate smaller ﬁles for web publishing; or used as a large thumbnail image for image cataloging software.

Canceling a Prescan

Once the prescan is started, it may be canceled at any time prior to completion by holding down the Command key (Control key in Windows) and pressing the period key . It may take several seconds for the scanning process to halt, depending primarily on the prescan line time. Canceling a prescan will cause the refreshing of the preview image to halt at its current location in the image, thus, that portion of the on-screen preview image that has already been updated with new data will remain updated, while the unﬁnished portion of the preview image will continue to display image data from a previous prescan. e histogram display is updated at the end of the prescan process, so canceling the prescan will result in the histogram display showing the data distribution of the preview image with whatever data is within the cropped region. is may include part of the cancelled prescan and data from the previous prescan.

Color Managed Prescans

When a proﬁle is selected in the Preferences for embedding in the ﬁle, that proﬁle, in combination with the system monitor proﬁle, will be used to display the preview image. is makes it pos sible to have the preview in ViewFinder match the same view in color managed image editors (e.g. Photoshop). e proﬁles are applied at the end of the prescan process.

Rulers

Selecting Show Rulers from the Display menu will cause rulers to be displayed on the top and left edges of the preview image. Command-R (Control-R in Windows) can also be used to turn rulers on and oﬀ. e rulers are shown in the current units selected on the Size tab panel. e origin for the rulers is set by default to the upper-left corner of the preview. e origin can be changed by clicking on the upper-left corner of the rulers and dragging into the preview image. e origin will be set to the location where the mouse is released. e ruler origin can be returned to the default setting by double-clicking in the upper-left corner of the rulers.

Guides

Clicking on a ruler and dragging into the preview image will create a guide line. Clicking on the horizontal ruler will create a horizontal guide and a vertical guide is created by clicking and dragging from the vertical ruler. A guide line can be deleted by clicking on it and dragging it back to it’s origi nal ruler or all guide lines can be deleted by selecting Clear Guides from the Display menu. A guide line may be repositioned by moving the mouse over the guide line until the mouse changes to a or cursor, then click and drag the guide line to its new position. Guide lines will be displayed or hidden when the rulers are shown or hidden by the Command-R (Control-R in Windows) key com bination.

e guide line color and style may be selected by moving the cursor over a guide line until the cursor changes to a or . At this position double-click the mouse (double right-click in Windows) and the guide line attribute window will appear. Select the desired attributes and click OK to close the window.

Image Capture Settings

Resolution

To change the selected resolution, click the Resolution Increase or Decrease

button. Each click will select the next higher or next lower setting. Click and

hold either button to advance rapidly through the available selections. Hold the Option key down and click on the Increase or Decrease buttons to jump to the maximum or minimum resolution values. Both the overall scan time and the

resulting image size will be aﬀected by changes to the selected resolution and the corresponding dis plays update immediately whenever a change is made.

If a cropped area is selected and the Lock File Size is locked, the size of the cropped area

will change as the resolution is changed, but the pixel dimensions of the cropped area will remain constant.

is setting eﬀectively changes the size of each pixel in the image area, which in turn changes the amount of information captured for a given scan area. e number of resolution settings is depen dent on the model of camera insert:

model 4000E-HS — ﬁve steps

100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%

model 6000-HS, 6000E-HS — eight steps

Resolution control.

100%, 87%, 75%, 62%, 50%, 37%, 25%, 13%

model Super 6K™-HS — twelve steps

150%, 137%, 125%, 112%, 100%, 87%, 75%, 62%, 50%, 37%, 25%, 13%

model Super 8K™-HS — eighteen steps

150%, 142%, 133%, 125%, 117%, 108%, 100%, 92%, 83%,

75%, 67%, 58%, 50%, 42%, 33%, 25%, 17%, 8%

For each model, these selections are evenly spaced by percent, with 100% representing that mod el’s full pure pixel (optical) resolution.

When a resolution lower than 100% is selected, fewer image ﬁle pixels must cover the same scan area; each pixel must eﬀectively become larger and represent more of the image. During each line’s readout, the CCD pixel data is mathematically combined by the digital signal processor to create

fewer, eﬀectively larger pixels. is process always samples the entire image area, does not skip lines, and thus is immune to aliasing caused by subsampling (skipping pixels).

ese lower resolution selections average more CCD data values together to produce the larger pixels; this averaging lowers the CCD noise levels, and increases the bit depth of the image beyond the speciﬁcations of the (14-bit) data converters alone. e noise reduction is more apparent in images captured at higher ISO sensitivity settings, which may allow the use of very high ISO settings when low-resolution image ﬁles are being captured. e bit depth improvement will be most notice

able at lower ISO sensitivity settings, where CCD noise does not limit the available dynamic range.

For resolutions greater than 100% (SuperModels only), the scanned width of each line is decreased by reducing the distance the sensor moves in the insert, thus adding additional real pixels between the positions normally scanned. In the direction of the sensor (short dimension), interpola

tion is used to redistribute the captured information over additional pixels. Since the scan direction (long dimension) is always giving real pixels, the result is more accurate than techniques that interpo

late in both directions and results in sharper images. In the worst case, 3 pixels are made from 2 real pixels.

If an exact image output size cannot be obtained at one of the available resolution selec-

tions, it is usually better to select a resolution that produces a ﬁle larger than needed, and subsequently reduce it to size in an image editor like Photoshop.

In many cases, but not all, cropping can be used in conjunction with the resolution selections to produce the exact ﬁle size required. is method may involve changing the camera position or magni ﬁcation (image size) to ﬁt the image into the desired crop box. e choice of predetermining the exact camera positioning and the speciﬁc ﬁle size, or post-adjusting an image to a given ﬁle size, will often depend on the number of images being captured. Post-adjusting image data may be faster than repo

sitioning the view camera for a few images, but the time can add up if many similar images are being produced.

For a given scan area, lower resolution settings also produce shorter scan times due to the require ment for fewer lines in the scan. is relationship is linear; for example, reducing the number of lines by half will halve the scan time.

Line Time

ese up/down pushbuttons select the integration time for each line in a scan, and are the digital equivalent of the shutter time. As with ﬁlm, the primary controls for determining exposure are the lens aperture and the line time (shutter time) along with the amount of light (which is also controllable to some extent in many studio setups).

e line time is adjustable in 1/3 EV (f-stop) increments, from 1/8 second per line up to 1/240 second per line (model series 4000, 6000 and Super 6K™) or 1/160 second per line (model series Super 8K™). Longer line times increase the CCD’s time available to absorb light, but also increase the overall scan time and the dark current noise. Longer line times also increase the susceptibility of the CCD to temperature changes that can degrade image quality.

Hold the Option key down and click on the Increase or Decrease buttons to jump to the

maximum or minimum line time values.

e Line Time readout displays the selected time per line, in traditional photographic increments. e actual integration time used by the system for each line time varies slightly according to the Line

mode selected in Preferences. e Line Sync mode chooses among line times that are exactly as

Sync

displayed (Exact mode), or line times that are multiples of the local AC power line half-period (the time per half-cycle of the local AC power), when

By using line times that are precise multiples of the AC power half-period (60 Hz/50 Hz

options), any minor variations in image highlight intensity caused by AC line frequency ﬂicker can be substantially reduced or eliminated.

60 Hz or 50 Hz are selected in Preferences.

Line Time control.

Longer line times become increasingly eﬀective at rejecting these intensity variations. Not all line times will sync to the AC line frequency, and the shortest line times are too fast to use with sources having signiﬁcant ﬂicker, as it may be possible in some cases to expose an entire line between the bursts of light from certain sources (while there is little or no light). Low wattage tungsten lights or ﬂuorescent lamps with magnetic ballasts are the biggest oﬀenders.

Line times that cannot be synchronized to the selected AC main frequency will be dis-

played in RED. Use these red settings with caution!

ese line times may still be perfectly usable with sources that don’t produce appreciable ﬂicker. Line times that are synchronous to the chosen AC main frequency are displayed in BLACK, as are all line times when Exact Line Sync is chosen. See Appendix C for more information about Line Times and Preferences for details on choosing the appropriate Line Sync setting (60 Hz is the default set

ting).

e Scan Time readout displays the overall scan time for the selected Scan Area, Resolution, and Line Time settings. e overall scan time is simply the (actual) time per line multiplied by the number of lines in the scan.

Remember that moving your light in half the distance from the lamp to the subject will

increase your light level by two EV (2 f-stops). Also, moving the camera back away from the subject (or using a shorter focal length lens) will reduce the subject size on the ground glass and minimize the bellows draw; reducing your exposure time. Crop in and increase the resolution to match the previous ﬁle size. A lens change may be needed to maintain the desired optical perspective.

See Appendix B for more information and options on controlling exposure and the subsequent density of your imaging.

Starting with the USB controller and SCSI controller ﬁrmware revision 4.14 (and later), there are line times faster than the maximum physical scan speed. When these speeds are selected, the insert will move from scan line to scan line at the fastest mechanical speed but will electronically capture a line of pixels at the higher speed. e maximum electronic shutter speed is 1/3000 second.

e higher capture speeds allow you to use larger apertures without burning out the image

highlights or to allow use of the optimally sharp aperture for your lens without overexpos ing the image.

ISO

is set of up/down buttons determines the overall sensitivity (ISO/ASA) of the camera. e

ISO settings are ideal to use as ﬁne tuning controls for expo-

sure to accurately adjust to the desired image density. e ISO is continuously selectable in 1/10 EV steps from 200 to 3200 ISO (model series 4000, 6000 and

ISO control.

Super 6K™) and from 120 to 2000 ISO with the Super 8K™. Hold the Option key down and click on the Increase or Decrease buttons to jump to the maximum or minimum ISO values. With ﬁlm, the apparent image grain increases as the ISO value is increased. e digital camera behaves in a similar manner with the shadow noise increasing as the ISO is increased.

1/10 EV steps is the default setting in the Preferences. For those who wish larger step sizes,

the ISO increment can be changed to 1/3 EV in the Preferences.

Exposure Lock

Clicking on the Exposure Lock button switches the exposure lock on or oﬀ. When on , changing the Line Time will automatically change the ISO to maintain the same exposure. Changing the ISO will correspondingly change the Line Time to maintain the same exposure. It is a fast, accu- rate means to optimize the balance of Line Time and ISO for shorter scan times or less image noise.

Capture Mode

is popup menu selects whether an RGB color image, or a monochrome image from the red, green, or blue channel, is captured. ere is no time saved by captur ing only a single channel, but the ﬁle size is one-third that of the same image in RGB color.

When a single channel is selected, the preview changes to display only the selected channel, but all prescans are still captured in RGB color. When a single

channel capture is selected, the histogram display will change to the color of the selected channel. e histogram display will be presented in black for an RGB mode. Capturing an image with a single channel is similar to capturing an image with panchromatic black and white ﬁlm through a deep red, green or blue ﬁlter. e visual eﬀect from capturing each color channel can be quickly observed by simply changing the selected channel with this menu.

For true panchromatic (full-spectrum) imaging, an RGB color image should be captured

and subsequently converted to grayscale with a suitable image editing application.

Capture mode options.

When a prescan is saved, it will be saved with all the current settings in eﬀect (e.g. color balance, line time, etc.). If single capture mode is in eﬀect, only the selected channel will be saved.

Scanning

After the prescan image has been inspected and the exposure and other image characteristics have been adjusted to give the desired results (as viewed in the preview) then the ﬁnal image is captured by clicking on the button. e camera will then begin the ﬁnal scan process, storing the image on the Control Unit disk drive. e time required to complete the scan is displayed above the Scan button. is time value will give a dynamic indication of the amount of time remaining to complete the scan by counting down to zero as the scan progresses. In addition, a progress bar will move across the preview image to show the approximate position of the sensor in the scan area. e preview will

not be updated during the scan.

Scanning to the Camera Disk

e Better Light scanning system features a dedicated internal disk drive for image storage (in the control unit). is is where the images are stored as they are scanned.

Scans to the camera’s internal disk drive are independent of the performance of the com-

puter controlling the unit. It is also possible to exit the program while continuing to scan to the camera’s disk drive, and use the computer for other non-camera related tasks (for example, reviewing or editing a previously-retrieved image in Photoshop). Click the desk top to exit the program without aﬀecting the scan in progress.

While a Scan is in progress, any attempts to access the camera’s disk drive (e.g., from the control software File Manager) will produce a “camera busy” error message, which can be dismissed by click ing its Cancel button. When the camera is ﬁnished with the scan, the progress bar is cleared and the system is ready for further activity.

During scans to the camera’s disk drive, the Activity LED next to the power switch will be mostly green, and will blink yellow very brieﬂy several times per second (may not be noticeable) as the soft ware polls the camera for its position and status.

Canceling a Scan

Once the scan is started, a scan may be canceled at any time prior to completion by pressing the Command-period key combination onds for the scanning process to halt, depending primarily on the image size and line time of the scan being done.

Exiting the program (leaving the program but not quitting it’s operation) does not stop a scan in progress, but instead is useful for exiting the monitoring process and allowing the computer to be

(Control-period in Windows). It may take several sec-

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Better Light Scanning Camera System User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual