Navigation Camera Image Settings
If the navigation area image is too bright, too dark, has abnormal colors, or is not clear enough, you can adjust the image parameters through the navigation camera's properties window.
Opening the Navigation Camera Properties
In the measurement operation area, click:
Navigation
to open the smart navigation window, then click:
Properties
to access the navigation camera image settings.
The properties window usually contains:
- Video Proc Amp
- Camera Control
The parameters supported by different USB navigation camera models may vary. Options that cannot be adjusted or appear grayed out indicate that the current camera does not support that feature or that the feature is currently unavailable.
Video Proc Amp
This page is mainly used to adjust the brightness, color, and display of the image.
Brightness
Adjusts the overall lightness or darkness of the navigation image.
When the image is too dark, increase it; when it is too bright, decrease it.
Contrast
Adjusts the difference between bright and dark areas.
Increasing contrast can make workpiece outlines more visible, but setting it too high may cause loss of detail in highlights or shadows.
Hue
Adjusts the overall color bias of the image.
Under normal conditions, this usually does not need to be adjusted.
Saturation
Adjusts the vividness of colors.
Higher values make colors more vivid; lower values make the image closer to grayscale.
Since navigation is mainly used for positioning, a very high saturation level is generally unnecessary.
Sharpness
Enhances the apparent sharpness of image edges.
A moderate increase can make outlines easier to observe, but setting it too high may cause obvious artificial sharpening on edges.
Gamma
Adjusts the display of mid-brightness areas in the image.
Unlike simply changing brightness, gamma mainly affects the midtone region and can be used to improve images that are too dark or lack gradation.
White Balance
Corrects the color of the image so that white objects display as natural white as possible.
If Auto is checked, the camera adjusts white balance automatically.
If the lighting environment of the navigation area is relatively fixed, you can also disable auto mode and use a fixed value to reduce constant color changes in the image.
Backlight Compensation
Improves the display when workpieces are in a bright background or backlit environment.
When the background is noticeably brighter than the workpiece, you can try adjusting this parameter.
Gain
Increases the brightness of the camera image signal.
When lighting is insufficient, increasing gain brightens the image, but excessively high gain usually also increases image noise. Therefore, it is recommended to first obtain sufficient brightness through reasonable exposure and lighting.
Power Line Frequency (Anti-Flicker)
Reduces image flicker caused by lighting fixtures.
Select based on the local power frequency:
- 50 Hz
- 60 Hz
If the navigation image shows periodic brightness variations, check whether this setting is correct.
Camera Control
This page is mainly used to adjust lens and camera capture parameters.
Zoom
Adjusts the digital or optical zoom of the camera.
Some USB cameras do not support it, so it may not be adjustable.
Focus
Adjusts the focus position of the navigation camera.
If Auto is checked, the camera finds focus automatically.
After the navigation camera is fixed in position, if the working distance remains basically unchanged, you can also use a fixed focus to keep the navigation image stable.
Exposure
Controls the camera's light integration time and is one of the most important parameters affecting navigation image brightness.
- Increase exposure: the image becomes brighter
- Decrease exposure: the image becomes darker
If Auto exposure is enabled, the camera adjusts automatically based on the current scene.
The exposure value shown in the properties window is usually an exposure level defined by the camera driver and may not directly represent milliseconds. Therefore, it is recommended to adjust based on the actual navigation image result.
Aperture
Controls the amount of light entering the lens.
Only cameras supporting electronic aperture can adjust it; ordinary USB navigation cameras may not support it.
Pan
Moves the digital image horizontally.
Adjustment is generally not needed for navigation applications.
Tilt
Moves the digital image vertically.
Adjustment is generally not needed for navigation applications.
Roll
Rotates the image.
After a normal installation, adjustment is usually not needed.
Low Light Compensation
Improves the image in darker environments.
When enabled, the camera may use a more aggressive exposure or gain strategy, so decide whether to enable it based on the actual image result.
Recommended Parameters to Adjust First
The main purpose of the navigation camera is to see the entire stage clearly and select target positions accurately, so a very vivid image is not required.
If the navigation image is not satisfactory, it is recommended to check the following first:
- Exposure
- Focus
- Gain
- Brightness and Contrast
- White Balance
- Anti-flicker frequency
A well-adjusted navigation image should, as much as possible:
- Show workpiece outlines clearly
- Not be obviously overexposed or too dark
- Not have excessive noise
- Make feature positions easy to identify
- Keep image brightness and color stable
As long as the workpiece and target areas on the stage can be clearly identified, the main needs of smart navigation are already satisfied.