NcTech ISTAR User Manual

iSTAR

USER MANUAL

Version 1.2

Thank you for purchasing iSTAR.

Before starting the camera, we thoroughly recommend reading this Instruction Manual first
so as to familiarise yourself with all camera operations. To prevent accidents and damage,
please also read the Safety Warnings and Handling Precautions.

To begin with take a few test photographs and check that the images are properly recording
to the memory card. If the camera or memory card is faulty and images cannot be recorded or
read by a PC, NCTech cannot be held liable for any loss or inconvenience caused.

The CE markings and the FCC Declaration of Conformity assures that this product complies
with the requirements of the EC directive for safety and is under limits approved by the Federal
Communications Commission.

NCTECH LIMITED MAKES NO WARRANTY, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,
REGARDING ISTAR 360 DEGREE IMAGING DEVICE.

IN NO EVENT SHALL NCTECH LIMITED. BE LIABLE TO ANYONE FOR SPECIAL, COLLATERAL,
INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THE
PURCHASE OR USE OF THE ISTAR 360 DEGREE IMAGING DEVICE.

THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE LIABILITY TO NCTECH LIMITED REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION,
SHALL NOT EXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE MATERIALS DESCRIBED HEREIN.

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE AND
DOES NOT REPRESENT A COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF NCTECH LIMITED.

ACCEPTANCE OF THIS DOCUMENT BY THE CUSTOMER CONSTITUTES ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT IF
ANY INCONSISTENCY EXISTS BETWEEN THE ENGLISH AND NON-ENGLISH VERSIONS, THE ENGLISH
VERSION TAKES PRECEDENCE.

iSTAR User Manual / v1.2 / 01

1. Safety Warnings ........................................................................................03

Preventing Serious Injury or Equipment Damage .......................................................03

2. Handling Precautions ...............................................................................04

iSTAR Handling Care ...........................................................................................04

LCD Panel and LCD Monitor ..................................................................................04

USB Ports .......................................................................................................04

3. iSTAR Overview ........................................................................................05

Equipment ......................................................................................................05

Recommended Optional Equipment .......................................................................05

iSTAR Dimensions and Weight ..............................................................................05

Power ............................................................................................................05

4. Nomenclature ...........................................................................................05

5. Getting Started .........................................................................................06

Installing the Battery .........................................................................................06

Charging the Battery .........................................................................................06

Checking the Battery Level ..................................................................................06

Turning On the Camera ......................................................................................06

6. Main Menu ...............................................................................................07

7. Image Capture ..........................................................................................08

Capturing An Image ...........................................................................................08

1. Delay Capture ..........................................................................................08

2. TimeLapse .............................................................................................08

3. Walk Around Mode ...................................................................................08

Capture Distance ..............................................................................................09

Capture Time ...................................................................................................09

Live View Mode ................................................................................................09

8. Image Review ...........................................................................................09

9. Settings ...................................................................................................09

Serial Number and Firmware Version......................................................................09

Network Settings .............................................................................................. 10

Ethernet IP Settings ................................................................................... 10

WiFi Settings ............................................................................................ 10

WiFi IP Settings ......................................................................................... 10

Capture Settings ................................................................................................ 11

Capture Settings ......................................................................................... 11

Exposure: .......................................................................................... 11

Countdown Timer: ................................................................................ 11

Image Settings ............................................................................................ 11

ISO ................................................................................................... 11

Exposure ........................................................................................... 11

Colour Balance Levels ............................................................................ 11

Storage Settings ..................................................................................12

Display Settings ................................................................................................12

Backlight Timeout: ................................................................................12

Power Off: .........................................................................................12

General Settings ................................................................................................12

GPS, Audio and Tilt Compensation: ............................................................12

Format SD Card ...................................................................................12

10. Trouble Shooting ......................................................................................13

Reset Button or On/Off Switch ...............................................................................13

Contact ...........................................................................................................13

Support Portal ..................................................................................................13

iSTAR User Manual / v1.2 / 02

Contents

Preventing Serious Injury or Equipment Damage

Follow these safeguards and use the equipment properly to prevent injury, and
material damage. To prevent fire, excessive heat, chemical leakage, and explosions,
follow the safeguards below:

• Do not connect any other device such as an external hard disk drive to the USB port of iSTAR. This
may result in excessive power draw from iSTAR and cause malfunction, the screen to ‘white out’
or damage to electronics. The USB port should only be used with memory sticks and accessories
approved by NCTech Ltd.

• Do not use any batteries, power sources, and accessories that are not specified in this Manual.
Do not use any homemade or modified batteries.

• Do not short-circuit, disassemble, or modify the battery pack or back-up battery; do not apply
heat or apply solder to the battery pack or back-up battery; do not expose the battery pack or
back-up battery to fire or water; and do not subject the battery pack or back-up battery to strong
physical shock

• When disposing of a battery pack or back-up battery, insulate the electrical contacts with tape to
prevent contact with other metallic objects or batteries. This is to prevent fire or an explosion.

• If excessive heat, smoke, or fumes are emitted during battery pack charging, immediately unplug
the battery charger from the power outlet to stop the charging and prevent a fire

• If the battery pack or back-up battery leaks, changes colour, deforms, or emits smoke or fumes,
remove it immediately. Be careful not to get burned in the process.

• Before storing the camera or accessory when not in use, remove the battery pack and disconnect
the power plug. This is to prevent electrical shock, heat generation, or fire.

• Do not use the equipment when there is a flammable gas nearby. This is to prevent an
explosion or fire.

• If you drop the equipment and the casing breaks open to expose the internal parts, do not touch
them due to the possibility of electrical shock.

• Do not disassemble or modify the equipment. High-voltage internal parts can cause electrical
shock.

• Before using the camera inside an airplane or hospital, check first that it is allowed.
Electromagnetic waves emitted by the camera may interfere with the plane’s instruments or the
hospital’s medical equipment.

• To prevent fire and electrical shock, follow the safeguards below:

• Always insert the power plug all the way in.

• Do not handle a power plug with wet hands.

• When unplugging a power plug, grasp and pull the plug instead of the cord.

• Do not scratch, cut, or excessively bend the cord or put a heavy object on the cord.

• Do not connect too many power plugs to the same power outlet.

• Do not use a cord whose insulation has been damaged.

• Do not cover or wrap iSTAR, nor the battery with a cloth. Doing so may trap heat within iSTAR (or
the battery) and cause the casing to deform or catch fire.

• Do not use or leave the battery pack or back-up battery in a hot environment. Doing so may
cause battery leakage or a shorter battery life. The battery pack or back-up battery can also
become hot and cause skin burns.

If the product does not work properly or requires repair,
contact your reseller.

• If the camera has not been used for an extended period, test all its functions first before taking
photographs. If you have not used the camera for a long period of time or if there is an important
job on the horizon, in advance check the camera and make sure it is working properly.

iSTAR User Manual / v1.2 / 03

1. Safety Warnings

iSTAR Handling Care

This imaging camera is a precision instrument. Do not drop it or subject it to physical shock.

• iSTAR is not waterproof and cannot be used under water. If you accidentally drop the camera into
water, promptly consult your Reseller. Wipe off any water droplets with a dry cloth.

• Never leave the camera near anything having a strong magnetic field such as a magnet or electric
motor. Also avoid using or leaving the camera near anything emitting strong radio waves such as
a large antenna. Strong magnetic fields can cause camera misoperation or destroy image data.

• Do not expose the camera to excessive heat such as in a car in direct sunlight. High temperatures
can cause the unit to malfunction.

• iSTAR contains precision electronic circuitry. Never attempt to disassemble the camera yourself.

• Use a blower to blow away dust on the lens and touch screen. Do not use cleaners that contain
organic solvents to clean the camera’s body or lens. Do not breathe on the lens’s to clean them.

• If the unit is suddenly brought in from the cold into a warm room, condensation may form on the
lenses and internal parts. To prevent condensation, first put the camera in a sealed plastic bag
and let it adjust to the warmer temperature before taking it out of the bag.

• If condensation forms on the camera, do not use the camera. This is to avoid damaging the
camera. If this occurs, remove the SD card and battery from the camera, and wait until the
condensation has evaporated before using the camera.

• If the camera will not be used for an extended period, remove the battery and store the camera
in a cool, dry, well ventilated location.

LCD Panel and LCD Monitor

• Although the LCD monitor is manufactured with very high precision technology with over 99.99%
active pixels, there might be a few dead pixels among the remaining 0.01% or less pixels. Dead pixels
displaying only black or red, etc., are not a malfunction. They do not affect the images recorded.

• At low temperatures, the liquid crystal display response may be slower to respond. And at high
temperatures, the display may blacken. In either case, the display will return to normal at room
temperature.

USB Ports

• The large USB port is to allow external storage to be connected. At present, only USB memory sticks
up to 16GB are supported. Do not connected an external hard disk drive as it may cause damage to
iSTAR.

• The small USB port allows iSTAR to control other external devices supported by iSTAR.

iSTAR User Manual / v1.2 / 04

2. Handling Precautions

Do not adjust or tamper with the camera lenses as this could result in damage
and the lenses going out of focus. Care should be taken not to touch the camera
lenses with your fingers. The lenses can be cleaned with the lens cloth provided.

iSTAR User Manual / v1.2 / 05

3. iSTAR Overview

Equipment

iSTAR is shipped with the following equipment:

1. AC power cable supply unit with cable

2. PowerBlock battery

3. SD memory card and memory card case

4. USB memory stick

5. Lens cleaning cloth

6. iSTAR quick start manual

7. Warranty card

If you have purchased iSTAR for RGB overlay for LiDAR
scanning, your iSTAR will ship with the required adaptor
spacer rods.

Recommended optional equipment:

• Tripod

• Quick Release for convenient mounting of iSTAR

• Spare battery

• External battery

• Carry case

iSTAR Dimensions and Weight

Height 110mm x Width 104mm
Weight: Approximately 1.4kg

Power

12v mains power adapter, 2.1mm jack
Rechargeable battery. Lithium ion 7.4v 4400mAh
The battery in iSTAR lasts for around 6 hours during
normal activity.

4. Nomenclature

Ethernet

On/Off switch

USB port

12vDC in

Reset button

Hand grips

SD card slot

WiFi signal
vent

Lens

Mini USB B

Serial number

3/8” thread

tripod mount

M4 locating

screw holes

Grip area

Battery cover

Slide to open

Battery cover screw

Safety
strap pin

Quick release
plate pin holes

LCD touchscreen

x

Side port view

Top viewUnderside view

SD card slot

WiFi signal
vent

Mini USB B

LCD touchscreen

Top viewUnderside view

Sideport view

Ethernet

On/Off switch

USB port

12vDC in

Reset button

Hand grips

SD card slot

WiFi signal
vent

Lens

Mini USB B

Side port view

Underside view

Top view

No battery or no charge 25% battery charge 75% battery charge

Low battery charge 50% battery charge 100% battery charge

Minimum battery power

Turning on the camera

When the camera is powered from the mains, a red battery icon will flash on screen to indicate that the
battery level is low and is charging.

1. Ensure that the power adaptor is attached to the camera or the battery is installed.

2. Position the camera so that the NCTech logo is pointing towards you.

3. To start the camera, tap the four corners of the screen in order from 1 to 4. A beep will be heard.

4. The iSTAR logo will appear on screen for approx 15 seconds whilst the camera boots up.

5. The iSTAR menu screen will appear and the camera is now ready for operation.

Turning off the camera

To turn off the camera, touch the power icon. You will then be asked to confirm by tapping the tick box.
To cancel and return to the start screen, tap the X button.

Installing the battery

For safety reasons, the battery is shipped with a very low charge and will need to be fully charged
prior to using the camera.

1. Place the camera with the touch screen facedown on a flat solid surface and unscrew the battery
cover and slide open.

2. Connect the battery to the connector within the camera and insert the battery so that the wires
are at the top.

3. Slide the battery cover on, taking care not to trap the wires.

4. Screw the battery cover down. iSTAR contains precision electronic circuitry. Never attempt to
disassemble the camera yourself.

Charging the battery

1. To charge the battery, connect the DC power supply to the camera and switch on at the mains plug
socket.

2. When the power cable is attached, an audible “beep” will be heard.

3. After a short time of charging the battery icon will display.

The battery will charge whether the camera is on or off. The camera can be switched on and used whilst
the battery is charging.

Checking the battery level

The battery level will be indicated at one of seven levels:

iSTAR User Manual / v1.2 / 06

5. Getting Started

Before installing the battery, please read the battery safety operating instruction.

Touch screen status icons

Status icons will highlight blue when active

iSTAR main menu

iSTAR User Manual / v1.2 / 07

6. Main Menu

Capturing an image

From the Start Menu, press the icon to navigate to the
Capture/View Screen. You can capture a panoramic image via
three methods: Delay Capture; TimeLapse or Walk Around Mode.

Delay Capture

To capture an image using the capture delay timer, press the

icon. This will start the delay capture countdown allowing
you to remove yourself from the scene and out of the image.
(The delay time can be changed in the settings menu.) During the
countdown there is an audible tone and the live panoramic view
from the camera will be shown onscreen.

TimeLapse

To capture an image using the TimeLapse function, press the

icon to start the countdown timer. To stop the capture press
the “Stop” button. Images will be captured at the time interval
specified within the Settings > Capture > TimeLapse screen. See
Section 9 Settings: Capture for instructions on how to set the
interval.

iSTAR User Manual / v1.2 / 08

7. Image Capture

Walk Around Mode

Capturing in “Walk Around Mode” allows you to capture an image
in two steps. This allows you to “walk around” the camera to
avoid being in the image.

1. To capture in this mode, press the

icon and follow the

onscreen instructions.

2. Tap one arrow, then stand away at that corner of iSTAR. Within
5 seconds you will capture half the panorama. Press abort to
return to the “Capture” screen.

3. Follow the on screen instructions and position yourself on
the other side of the camera to capture the other half of the
panorama.

Once the panorama has been captured, iSTAR will begin to process
the image/sand save them to the SD Card or USB stick. Whilst
processing, it is safe to move the camera to the next location or to
remove it from a tripod or monopod.

IMPORTANT: whilst processing please do not switch off the
camera, remove the battery, or power supply as this will result
in your images being lost. The processing percentage time
will be displayed on screen. Once this is complete, the screen
will automatically display the “Image Review” screen. (For
information, see Image Review).

Stop

iSTAR User Manual / v1.2 / 09

7. Image Capture (cont...) 8. Image Review

Capture distance

The optimal capturing distance from iSTAR is from 1.5 metres to infinity. You can capture images
closer than 1.5 metres, however, this may result in parallax errors where objects are cropped or
may have ghosting.

Capture time

Assuming you are capturing a single exposure panorama in a reasonably well lit environment, the
time to capture is approximately 4 seconds. Once the panorama has been captured, iSTAR then
processes the 4 source images and saves to the SD card or USB stick, whichever is being used. The
time to save will depend on where you are saving the file, for example if it’s to the internal SD card
then processing time will be around 30-60 seconds.

Live View Mode

Live View Mode provides a live immersive view of the scene from the camera. Press the icon
and use your finger to rotate the image. Pressing the back arrow at the top left corner of the screen
will return you to the “Capture/View” screen. The “Live View” is not a stitched image; the images
have been blended together.

View an image that has been captured and saved on the SD card or
USB stick. From the start menu, press the

icon to navigate to
the “Image Review” screen. The image number is displayed at the
bottom of the screen.

The forward and back arrows can be used to cycle through the
images that are saved. To view an image, press the

button.
This will display an immersive view of the image. Use your finger
to manoeuvre the image. Pressing the back arrow in the top left
corner of the screen will return you to the “Image Review” screen.

To view meta data from the image, press the

icon.

To delete the image, press the

icon. You will then be asked to

confirm by tapping the tick box.

iSTAR User Manual / v1.2 / 10

WiFi IP Settings

√ Automatic IP (DHCP)

100.0.0.0IP:

100.0.0.0Router:

100.0.0.0Netmask:

WiFi IP settings

To change the IP settings within AP mode, Press the “Automatic
IP” button to switch on automatic IP. To enter manually, un-tick
the button if it is ticked and enter the settings by clicking on the
IP, Netmask, and Router buttons.

Ethernet IP settings

From the Settings Menu, press the icon to navigate to the
“Network Settings” screen.

1. To network iSTAR with an Ethernet cable, make sure the cable
is connected.

2. If connected to a DHCP enabled router the Automatic IP should
be enabled in iSTAR to obtain its network settings.

3. To use manual network settings, touch the “Automatic IP”
button to toggle between Automatic and Manual settings.

9. Settings: Network

From the Settings menu, press the icon to navigate to the
“Network Settings” screen.

Ethernet IP Settings

√ Automatic IP (DHCP)

10.0.0.52IP:

10.0.0.255Router:

255.0.0.0Netmask:

Adhoc Mode (excluding Android devices)

1. To connect iSTAR to a WiFi enabled device, select Adhoc mode
then in the WiFi settings on your device, select “iSTAR” as
the device.

2. From an internet browser, enter the IP address 10.0.0.52 in the
address bar. The iSTAR capture screen will then display in your
browser window.

AP Mode

1. Press the SSID button to locate a WiFi network.

2. Once selected, press the Password button to display the
keypad and enter the WiFi password.

3. Press OK to save the password and return to WiFi settings.

WiFi Settings

Adhoc modeWiFi

WiFi Settings

10.0.0.52

AP mode

SSID:

WiFi

IP Settings...

12345678Password:

WiFi settings

From the Settings Menu, press the icon to navigate to the “WiFi Settings” screen. You can
choose to connect to a device (Adhoc Mode), or connect iSTAR to a wireless network (AP Mode).

9. Settings

From the start menu, press the icon to navigate to the
“Settings” screen.

Firmware Version and Serial Number

Press the icon to see the units Firmware Version and Serial
Number.

i

Capture Settings

AutoHDR:

5 secCountdown timer:

iSTAR User Manual / v1.2 / 11

9. Settings: Capture

Capture settings

From the main Capture Settings menu, press the icon to
navigate to the “Capture Settings” screen.

HDR (exposure settings): For HDR the default is Off or you can
select Auto or HDR 3. In Auto mode, iSTAR will calculate the correct
exposure range (EV) for the environment. In HDR 3 mode, iSTAR
will capture three exposures.

Countdown Timer: Tap the Countdown timer button to select the
capture delay time. (Options: 5, 10, 30 seconds, 1, 5 minutes)

TimeLapse settings

From the main Capture Settings menu, press the icon to
navigate to the “TimeLapse Settings” screen.

Use the arrows onscreen to set the time delay in between images
captured. For example setting the time delay to 00:02:00 will
capture an image every two minutes. TimeLapse can capture a
sequence in single and HDR exposures.

From the main Settings menu, press the

icon to navigate to

the “Capture Settings” screen.

Capture Settings

400

100 100 100

ISO:

R: G: B:

IndoorsExposure:

Colour balance levels:

Image settings

From the main Capture Settings menu, press the icon to
navigate to the “Image Settings” screen.

ISO: By default the ISO is set to 400. The range is ISO 100 to
25,600 - set according to conditions. Lower settings require
longer exposures but give higher quality results. Higher settings
require shorter exposure times but give lower quality results.

Exposure: There are five exposure options:

Outdoors: Use when capturing exterior scenes. Exposure is

calculated by averaging the overall lighting from all 4 lenses.

Indoors: Use when capturing interior scenes. Exposure is
calculated by averaging the overall lighting from all 4 lenses.

Front Outdoors: Use when capturing exterior scenes, but
where exposure is critical in one direction. Similar to “spot
metering” exposure is calculated by pointing the “front lens”
towards the object of interest. Exposure is calculated from the
front lens only.

Front Indoors: Use when capturing interior scenes, but where
exposure is critical in one direction. Similar to “spot metering”
exposure is calculated by pointing the “front lens” towards the
object of interest. Exposure is calculated from the front lens
only.

Manual: This allows you to set the shutter speed manually as
required (range 120s to 1/8000).

Colour Balance Levels: By default the colour balance is set to
Red: 100%, Green: 100% and Blue: 100%. Tap the colour buttons to
change the percentage settings.

Display Settings

1 min

15 min

Backlight timeout:

Power-off after:

iSTAR User Manual / v1.2 / 12

From the Settings menu, press the icon to navigate to the
“Display Settings” screen.

Backlight Timeout: To change the timeout delay of the LCD
screen, touch the Time button and select the desired time.
(Options: Never, 5/10/30 seconds, 1/ 5 minutes). To confirm and
save selection, press the

icon at the top left of the screen.

Power Off: To change the timeout delay in which the unit will
power down, touch the time button and select the desired time.
The unit will power down and will require the 4 corner touch
sequence to power up again. (Options: 5, 15, or 30 minutes). To
confirm and save your selection, press the

icon at the top

left of the screen.

9. Settings: Display

9. Settings: Date and Time

General Settings

√ Tilt compensation

Calibrate Compass

√ GPS √ Audio

9. Settings: General

From the Settings menu, press the icon to navigate to the
“General Settings” screen.

GPS, Audio and Tilt compensation: To enable or disable the GPS,
Tilt or Audio within the camera, simply touch each option to toggle
between their settings. To use an external GPS device, the GPS
muct be enabled.

Calibrate Compass: Press this button and follow the onscreen
instructions.

Storage Settings

RAWImage format:

Storage settings

From the main Capture Settings menu, press the icon to
navigate to the “Storage Settings” screen. By default the output
format is set to RAW. This can be changed to PNG or JPG format.

9. Settings: Capture (cont...)

From the Settings menu, press the icon to navigate to the
“Date & Time Settings” screen.

To update/set the date or time use the arrows to adjust the
numbers then press “update”.

Reset Button or On/Off Switch

If you experience problems your camera will be equipped with
either an On/Off switch or Reset button to shutdown the camera.

Using the On/Off switch

1. Locate the On/Off switch on the rear of the camera behind the
rubber port panel.

2. To switch off, slide the switch and wait for 2 seconds before
switching the unit back on.

3. Tap the 4 corners of the touch screen to start up the camera.

Using the Reset button

1. Locate the Reset button on the rear of the camera behind the
rubber port panel.

2. Press a pointed object through the hole until you hear a long
audible beep.

3. On hearing the beep, release the button.

4. You will hear a 2nd audible beep and the iSTAR logo will flash on
screen confirming the camera has shut down successfully.

5. Tap the 4 corners of the touch screen to start up the camera.

6. If the reset does not solve the issue then disconnect and
reconnect the battery.

If problems persist, disconnect the power cable (if connected)
and disconnect and then reconnect the battery.

IMPORTANT: Do not put the camera in its protective
case when switched on. This will create excessive
heat as the foam acts as an insulator. Damage from
misuse in this way may not be covered by warranty.

Contact

This Users Manual is current as of March 2014. For information on the camera’s compatibility with
any accessories or third party hardware or software, contact your reseller or NCTech direct.

NCTech Limited

20-22 Braid Road , Edinburgh, Scotland , UK
Registered in Scotland no. SC389309

Support Portal

For technical support, please visit our support portal: support.nctechimaging.com
On the portal you can access iSTAR FAQs, request technical support and much more besides.

[phone]
@NC_Tech /nctechltd
www.nctechimaging.com

iSTAR User Manual / v1.2 / 13

10. Troubleshooting