User Notes for Ulead® Photo Explorer 7.0
Contents:
General Notes
Contents of kit
Installation of software
Connecting the Digital Microscope Eyepiece (DME) to the computer and microscope
Folder and file management
Setting image parameters before image capture
Capturing still images
Capturing video
Capturing Time-Lapse images
Converting still images to video files
Image enhancement
Adding text to images
Adding descriptions to images
Producing a slide show
Renaming files
Converting file type after image capture
View thumbnail/list mode
Change thumbnail size
Help and Troubleshooting
General Notes
The Digital Microscope Camera (Eyepiece) has a number of default settings. Whilst default settings tend to be appropriate for microscopy routine microscopy, it may be advisable to adjust these settings from default to optimise image quality.
The following adjustments should decrease any dark lines visible across the screen when viewing at low power magnification. Dark lines are typically visible on specimens that are small and highly transparent.
-
Set the microscope to allow the least amount of light through the condenser by closing the iris diaphragm or moving the disk diaphragm to its smallest opening.
-
With the specimen under view, click on the Video Capture Fliter button (located to the right of the image on the screen). Uncheck the Auto Exposure box, noting the Exposure Time setting at Auto Exposure (which is important in determining how much to raise the Exposure Time number). Adjust the Exposure Time UP. This is performed by clicking on the pointer to the right of the words Exposure Time and using the left left arrow button on the keyboard to increase exposure time (It should not be necessary to increase the exposure time by much). If necessary, continue adjusting the exposure time setting to find the optimal image production.
Contents of kit
One Digital Microscope Eyepiece (DME), one adaptor for 30mm diameter eyepiece microscope, one UleadÒ Photo Explorer 7 software installation CD with installation guide and one storage bag for DME.
Installation of software
Please refer to installation guide supplied with the DME. UleadÒ Photo Explorer 7 software supplied with the DME is compatible with Windows 95, 98, 98se, 2000 and XP.
Connecting the Digital Microscope Eyepiece (DME) to the computer and microscope
Once the Photo Explorer 7 software has been installed, plug the DME’s USB jack into an available USB port. Remove an eyepiece from the microscope to be utilised and insert the DME in the vacant eyetube. Use the 30mm eyepiece adaptor if necessary.
Folder and file management
Management of image files, folders and subfolders containing image files is important when using Photo Explorer 7 software. It is recommended image files are backed up on a regular basis. Individual users can easily develop their own system for file organisation and nomeclature. Below is an example of folder management within Photo Explorer 7 software.
§ Create a folder to hold all DME image files, and name ‘DME images’
§ Create a new subfolder for each days image capturing within ‘DME images’ using the ‘New Folder’ facility option from the ‘File’ drop-down menu. Each subfolder is named according to date, i.e. Mon 15 May 05
§ Collect all image files captured on a single day in that days subfolder
Setting image parameters before image capture
With Photo Explorer 7 running and the DME connected to the computer via the USB, it is possible to set a number of parameters before image capture that affect the appearance of the on-screen image.
§ Click the ‘TWAIN Acquire’ icon on the toolbar to initiate DME operation and call up the (ICM532 (Direct Show)) box
§ Click the 'Video Capture Filter' button to open a dialogue box allowing adjustment of the following parameters:
Exposure time and Sharpening. Default exposure and Sharpening settings are ‘Auto’. To remove automatic settings, click the appropriate button to the ‘off’ setting and adjust the slide button to the desired setting
Brightness, contrast, Saturation, Gamma and Quality are set by adjusting the corresponding slide buttons to the desired settings
§ Click the 'Video Capture Pin' button to open a dialogue box allowing adjustment of the following parameters:
Colour space/ Compression
Output size (image resolution, maximum 640x480)
Capturing still images
§ With Photo Explorer open, specify destination to store still image file(s) by highlighting a folder/subfolder from folder tree displayed on left hand side of screen in Photo Explorer 7
§ Click the ‘TWAIN Acquire’ icon on the toolbar to initiate DME operation and call up the (ICM532 Direct Show) box
§ Set image parameters before capture as necessary
§ With microscopical field of view of interest in focus on computer screen, click ‘Snapshot’ button to capture still image as file to the specified folder
Capturing video
§ Click the ‘Capture Video’ option from the ‘Video’ drop-down menu
§ From the ‘Capture Video – Live View’ Box that appears on the screen, click ‘Setup’ then ‘Option.’ Set parameters as required and click ‘OK’
§ To being video capture, click red ‘Record’ button. Video capture proceeds for the specified time
§ For immediate playback of captured video, click ‘Play’ button
§ To save captured video, click ‘Save As’ button, specifying file name and location for storage of file and click ‘Save’ button. Please note, video must be actively saved using this procedure as closing the ‘Capture Video – Live View’ dialogue box after video capture without saving will cause the video to be lost
Capturing Time-Lapse images
§ Specify folder/subfolder to store image files by highlighting a folder/subfolder from folder tree displayed on left hand side of screen in Photo Explorer 7
§ Click the ‘Capture Still Image’ option from the ‘Video’ drop-down menu
§ From the ‘Capture Still Image from Video Device’ Box that appears on the screen, click ‘Setup’ then ‘Option’
§ Set parameters as required from ‘Still Image Capture Options’ dialogue box and click ‘OK.’ Please note, still images can be captured in the range 1 second to 999 minutes
§ To being capturing sequential images, click ‘Capture Now’ button. Image files will continue to be added to the specified folder/subfolder until process is stopped by clicking ‘Stop’ button
Converting still images to video files
§ Select (by highlighting) all image files to be converted to video format
§ Click ‘Convert Images to Video’ option from the ‘Video’ drop-down menu
§ Select duration (in seconds) for each image to be displayed in video play and click ‘Next’
§ Specify file name, file type and location for storage of file and click on ‘Save’ button
§ After automatic conversion of images to video click ‘OK’
Image enhancement
§ Select an image by double clicking its thumbnail or filename from file list
§ To adjust image appearance, click ‘Adjust Image’ icon on toolbar
§ Alter parameters in ‘Adjust Image’ dialogue box as required and click on ‘OK’
§ When saving enhanced image file, to overwrite original file, click ‘Yes’. To save amended version of image in addition to original image, click ‘Save As’ and specify new file name and location for saving
§ To return to files lists and folder tree, click ‘Return to Browser’ icon on toolbar
Adding text to images
§ Select image for addition of text by highlighting its thumbnail or file name from file list within a folder/subfolder
§ Click the ‘Add Text to Image’ option from the ‘Photo’ drop-down menu
§ In the text box that appears, type the text to appear on the selected image and set other parameters as required. Click ‘OK’
§ To place the text, move the mouse cursor over the image to visualise a small text box. When in the desired position, left click the mouse to drop the text onto the image
§ Modify or delete the added text by using the ‘Modify’ or ‘Delete’ buttons before saving
§ Overwrite original file by clicking ‘Save’ or save amended version of image in addition to original image, click ‘Save As’ and specify new file name and location for saving
Adding descriptions to images
§ Select image for addition of description by highlighting its thumbnail or file name from file list within a folder/subfolder
§ Click the ‘Describe Image’ option from the ‘Edit’ drop-down menu
§ In the ‘Add Description to Image’ text box that appears on screen, type in the required description
§ Click ‘Close’ to add description to image file
§ Descriptions can be added to sequential image files using forward and back arrows present in ‘Add Description to Image’ dialogue box
§ Descriptions appear alongside files in file list mode. In thumbnail mode, descriptions will appear when the mouse cursor hovers above an image file that possesses a description
Producing a slide show
§ Select (by highlighting) all image files to be included in the slide show
§ Click the ‘Slide Show’ icon on toolbar
§ Click the ‘Add’ icon from the slide show toolbar that appears at the bottom of the screen
§ To set parameters of the slide show, click ‘Slide Properties’ and ‘Slide Show Options’ icons on slide show toolbar and adjust as required
§ To play slide show, click ‘Show’ icon on slide show toolbar. To end slide show, press ‘Escape’
§ To save slide show, click ‘Save’ icon on slide show toolbar and specify file name and location to save, and click ‘Save’
§ To close slide show, click ‘Close’ icon on slide show toolbar
Renaming files
§ To rename an individual file or multiple files individually, select file of interest by highlighting it from file list or clicking on its thumbnail
§ Click on the ‘Rename’ option from the ‘Edit’ drop-down menu
§ The files existing name will become highlighted. To rename type the preferred name and press ‘Return’ when complete Please note, you must associate an application with the given file name extension
§ Files can be renamed automatically. Select (by highlighting) all files to renamed automatically
§ Click on the ‘Auto Rename’ option from the ‘Tools’ drop-down menu
§ Click ‘New’ in dialogue box that appears
§ Choose settings of new file names as required and click ‘OK’
Converting file types after image capture
§ To convert file types of individual files type or multiple files individually, select file of interest by highlighting it from file list or clicking its thumbnail
§ Click the ‘Convert Image Files’ option from the ‘Tools’ drop-down menu
§ Choose settings from options available in dialogue box that appears on screen
§ If the original file(s) need to be deleted, check the ‘Delete original files’ button in the dialogue box. Alternatively, the converted file types will be saved in addition to the original file formats