Examples

Enumerate the cameras

from pyDCAM import *


def main():
    print("PROGRAM START")

    device_count = dcamapi_init()
    print("dcamapi_init() found {} device(s).".format(device_count))

    for i_device in range(device_count):
        with HDCAM(i_device) as hdcam:
            model = hdcam.dcamdev_getstring(DCAM_IDSTR.DCAM_IDSTR_MODEL)
            camera_id = hdcam.dcamdev_getstring(DCAM_IDSTR.DCAM_IDSTR_CAMERAID)
            bus = hdcam.dcamdev_getstring(DCAM_IDSTR.DCAM_IDSTR_BUS)

        print("{} ({}) on {}".format(model, camera_id, bus))

    dcamapi_uninit()

    print("PROGRAM END")


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

Show properties of the camera

from pyDCAM import *


def main(i_device = 0):
    print("PROGRAM START")

    with use_dcamapi:
        with HDCAM(i_device) as hdcam:
            for prop_id in hdcam.dcamprop_ids():
                name = hdcam.dcamprop_getname(prop_id)
                value = hdcam.dcamprop_getvalue(prop_id)

                print(name, value)

    print("PROGRAM END")


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

Capture a single image

from pyDCAM import *
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt


def main(i_device = 0):
    print("PROGRAM START")

    with use_dcamapi:
        with HDCAM(i_device) as hdcam:
            
            # Configure the readout speed. Use slowest option for the ultraquite mode
            hdcam.readout_speed = DCAMPROPMODEVALUE.DCAMPROP_READOUTSPEED__SLOWEST

            hdcam.dcambuf_alloc(1)

            hwait = hdcam.dcamwait_open()

            hdcam.dcamcap_start()

            # Wait for the frame to be ready, it has a timeout of 1000 millisec
            hwait.dcamwait_start(timeout=1000)

            # Copy the frame from the internal buffer to create a numpy array
            array = hdcam.dcambuf_copyframe()

            # Stop the capture and release the buffer
            hdcam.dcamcap_stop()
            hdcam.dcambuf_release()

            # Display the image
            plt.imshow(array)
            plt.show()

    print("PROGRAM END")


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

Capture a single image with subarray mode

from pyDCAM import *
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt


def main(i_device = 0):
    print("PROGRAM START")

    with use_dcamapi:
        with HDCAM(i_device) as hdcam:

            # Configure the readout speed. Use slowest option for the ultraquite mode
            hdcam.readout_speed = DCAMPROPMODEVALUE.DCAMPROP_READOUTSPEED__SLOWEST

            hdcam.subarray_mode = True # Enable subarray mode
            hdcam.subarray_size = (100, 100) # 100x100 pixels
            hdcam.subarray_pos = (200, 200) # 200 pixels from the top-left corner

            hdcam.dcambuf_alloc(1)

            hwait = hdcam.dcamwait_open()

            hdcam.dcamcap_start()

            # Wait for the frame to be ready, it has a timeout of 1000 millisec
            hwait.dcamwait_start(timeout=1000)

            # Copy the frame from the internal buffer to create a numpy array
            array = hdcam.dcambuf_copyframe()

            # Stop the capture and release the buffer
            hdcam.dcamcap_stop()
            hdcam.dcambuf_release()

            # Display the image
            plt.imshow(array)
            plt.show()

    print("PROGRAM END")


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

Capture images with triggers

from collections.abc import Callable, Iterable, Mapping
from typing import Any
from pyDCAM import *
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import time
import threading


def main(i_device = 0):
    print("PROGRAM START")

    with use_dcamapi:
        with HDCAM(i_device) as hdcam:

            # Use the software trigger. Alternatively, use DCAMPROP_TRIGGERSOURCE__EXTERNAL
            # to use the external trigger.
            hdcam.dcamprop_setvalue(DCAMIDPROP.DCAM_IDPROP_TRIGGERSOURCE,
                DCAMPROPMODEVALUE.DCAMPROP_TRIGGERSOURCE__SOFTWARE
            )
           
            delay = 5

            class FireSoftwareTrigger(threading.Thread):
                def run(self):
                    for i in range(delay, 0, -1):
                        print(i)
                        time.sleep(1)

                    print("Firing software trigger")
                    hdcam.dcamcap_firetrigger()
                

            hdcam.dcambuf_alloc(1)

            hwait = hdcam.dcamwait_open()

            hdcam.dcamcap_start()

            # Firing the software trigger from a separate thread
            FireSoftwareTrigger().start()

            # Blocking until the software trigger is fired
            hwait.dcamwait_start()

            array = hdcam.dcambuf_copyframe()

            hdcam.dcamcap_stop()
            hdcam.dcambuf_release()

            plt.imshow(array)
            plt.show()

    print("PROGRAM END")


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()