Thermal Infrared Camera - Photon - FAQs

1. What is included with a Photon delivery?

This depends on what is ordered. The Photon OEM camera core by itself is positioned as a high-volume thermal imaging component that customers integrate into products or systems of their own design. Most OEM customers interface directly to the Photon’s 30-pin electrical connector for power (in), video (out), and other select functions. This connector also facilitates camera control and serial digital data if needed. Therefore the Photon core by itself is typically what is ordered by and delivered to OEM customers.

For evaluation purposes, FLIR offers an optional OEM Accessory Kit that enables customers to operate a Photon until such time as they develop their own interface. This Kit contains a power supply, break-out box (called an I/O Module), an interface cable to the Photon, and a small adapter circuit (called a wearsaver) that attaches between the camera connector and the interface cable. A rear cover is also supplied that encloses the wearsaver adapter and allows for secure attachment to the interface cable. It is the customer’s responsibility to provide a video cable and monitor, and an RS-232 cable if remote control of the Photon is desired.

A picture of a Photon with accessory kit items can be seen here.

A Photon camera control software program (GUI) is available for download here.

The accessory kit part number is 421-0021-00. The kit includes the following items, which may also be ordered individually:

320 and 160 Accessory Kit

421-0021-00 is the part number for an Accessory Kit compatible with both the Photon 320 and Photon 160 cameras. This Accessory Kit includes the following items:

640 Accessory Kit

421-0030-00 is the part number for an Accessory Kit compatible with the Photon 640 camera. This Accessory Kit includes the following items:

333-0005-00	I/O Module
206-0001-20	AC/DC Power Supply
208-0004-02	Line Cord
308-0076-00	Interface Cable
250-0194-00	Wearsaver Connector²
261-1273-00	Wearsaver Cover²

333-0018-00	I/O Module¹
206-0001-20	AC/DC Power Supply
208-0004-02	Line Cord
308-0144-02	Interface Cable
421-0028-00	Wearsaver Adapter/EMI Cover Kit²

¹ Backward compatible with Photon 320,160,etc.
² Required for compatibility with the Ethernet Module

2. What is needed to use Photon cameras? What type of connector is used for the power? What is the polarity of this connector?

This depends on the use, and whether or not camera control is desired. At a minimum, a cable is needed from the camera that provides power in to the camera and video out from the camera. We offer such a cable, called a “power/video cable”, as an optional accessory. Power/video cables require that the Photon be configured with a wearsaver connector and wearsaver rear cover, both of which are technically accessory items. An image of a Photon with the wearsaver and its cover can be seen on the Photon 320 page by clicking on the ‘Wearsaver rear cover’ view. The maximum length of the available Photon interface cables is 10 feet. If camera control is desired or required, then an “interface cable” is needed that goes from the camera into a break-out-box (called an I/O module). The I/O module accessory includes a standard DB-9 connector to allow a PC to communicate with a Photon via RS-232 protocol. Customers must arrange to get power to the input power jack of the power/video cable or the I/O module, or otherwise get power directly to the camera. The input power jack for both the I/O module and power/video cable mates to the Switchcraft S760 Miniature Power Plug. Pin definitions for the power interface connector on the power/video cable:

Pin #	Signal Name	Signal Definition
Pin	PWR	input power
Sleeve	PWR_RTN	input power return

FLIR offers an AC/DC power supply as a Photon accessory, as well as a rechargeable battery that will run a camera for 5-6 hours. Typically customers take the video out signal to a monitor or display of some sort.

3. Can I just hook a Photon up to power and a monitor?

Yes. Many customers use Photon cameras in a stand-alone fashion, and typically use all or part of our accessory kit items, and/or optional accessories, for connectivity with the camera. FLIR’s standard and optional Photon accessories include cables that enable connection to the camera in a straightforward, user-friendly fashion. Our high-volume integrators are more likely to build a custom wiring harness that directly interfaces to the Photon OEM connector to achieve a specific functionality. Answers to other FAQs on this page describe the connector pin functions and vendor information needed to build custom cabling.

4. Can the Photon rear cover be removed? What other rear cover options does FLIR offer for Photon?

Unless otherwise specified by an OEM agreement, all Photons with lenses are delivered with a rear cover. This cover affords some protection to the electronics, but it can be removed by the customer. There is no credit given for unused rear covers. The standard rear cover has a cut-out to allow access to the SAMTEC 30-pin connector. This cut-out is sized to enable the wearsaver adapter to be installed.

Some customers have expressed concern about the integrity of the cable-to-camera connections in environments where vibration or low g-forces may exist. An optional rear cover is available for Photon that encloses the wearsaver adapter, and jack posts are provided to which the interface cable can be securely attached. The wearsaver cover is furnished as part of the Photon Accessory Kit, or may be ordered separately using part number 261-1273-00. The wearsaver cover is provided as a separate item in addition to the standard cover when delivered.

NOTE: For the Photon 320 camera, the wearsaver adapter is required for compatibility with the Ethernet Module. FLIR also recommends the wearsaver cover in cases where the Ethernet Module is used with a Photon 320.

For the Photon 640 camera, the EMI cover accessory is required for compatibility with the Ethernet Module.

Photon 320

	261-1273-00 Wearsaver Cover. Provided as part of the optional Photon Accessory Kit (along with the Wearsaver Connector). Used by most one-off customers and some OEM customers due to its secure connection ability.
	261-1082-00 OEM Shipping Cover. Provided as a standard part of the Photon Camera Core configuration.
	500-0312-00 EMI Rear Cover. Optional cover that provides some EMI mitigation by means of a separate electronics board, shielding, and grounding.

5. What is the I/O module and how does it differ from going directly into a monitor or PC?

I/O = Input/Output. The I/O module is essentially a break-out box, in the form of a molded plastic accessory. There are connectors on four sides of the accessory:
1) Interface connector to the camera;
2) Power-in & Video-out connectors;
3) RS-232 connector;
4) Serial LVDS digital data connector.

The minimum interface to a Photon is power going into the camera, and NTSC (or PAL) video coming out of the camera. There is an optional accessory called a ‘Power/Video’ cable that is sort of a hybrid of the Interface Cable and the I/O Module, except the only connectors at the I/O end are for power (in) and video (out). The power input jack is intended for a power supply such as the one offered by FLIR as part of the Photon Accessory Kit (Universal Power Supply with 6-foot cord). The input power jack mates to the Switchcraft S760 Miniature Power Plug. Pin definitions for the power interface connector on the power/video cable:

Pin #	Signal Name	Signal Definition
Pin	PWR	input power
Sleeve	PWR_RTN	input power return

Both the I/O Module and Power/Video cable are designed for use with Photon 320 cameras that have the wearsaver connector and wearsaver cover accessories installed, or Photon 640 cameras with the EMI cover accessory.

6. Is the Photon tripod adapter necessary?

The Photon 320 has a total of 7 attach points on the top and sides of the camera, designed for M3 screws. Because there are no attach points on the bottom, the tripod adapter was designed as an optional accessory to provide a ¼”x20 mounting interface to the bottom of the camera.

The Photon 640 has 6 attach points: 2 each on the sides of the camera, and 2 on the bottom. All 6 screw holes are drilled for M3 helical inserts. The Photon 640 tripod adapter is available as an optional accessory to provide a ¼”x20 mounting interface to the bottom of the camera.

7. Does the PathFindIR come with the same accessories as Photon?

PathFindIR accessories are separate and distinct from those of Photon.

Click here to view PathFindIR accessories, and here to see Photon accessories.

8. What would be needed to integrate Photon on a vehicle and run it?

Since Photon is not environmentally sealed, the first step would be to build some sort of enclosure for it. The enclosure would need to provision for mounting points. There would need to be a way to get power to the enclosure (and camera), and video from the camera out through the enclosure and back into the vehicle where it would be routed to a display. FLIR does not offer an environmental enclosure for Photon at this time. PathFindIR would be a better option since it is already sealed, and in fact designed for integration into a vehicle. The PathFindIR aftermarket kit that includes a display also furnishes some mounting bracketry.

9. What methods are available to acquire digital data using Photon?

Currently there are three possible ways to acquire digital data:

1) Photon outputs digital data in a serial low-voltage differential signal (LVDS) format. This data is available at the 30-pin connector on the camera core. In addition, serial LVDS is available at the 15-pin wearsaver connector of the Photon 320 camera (26-pin connector for the Photon 640 camera) as well as the digital data port on the I/O module. The wearsaver connector and I/O module are accessory kit items. The Photon User's Guide provides the necessary pinouts and timing diagrams for interfacing directly to the Photon camera core electrical functions, including digital data.

2) FLIR / Indigo’s Ethernet Module for Photon provides camera control functions, and converts serial LVDS into real-time streaming uncompressed video data. The Module interfaces into a standard RJ-45 Ethernet network and runs at standard 100 megabit or full gigabit Ethernet speed. The Module includes the Ethernet interface adapter, camera cabling, and power supply. The Module allows capture of both 8-bit digital data and the full 14-bit digital data. Analog video is also output via separate BNC connector. The Photon control software (GUI) provides Ethernet Module support to allow camera control and video display in a host computer window. The Photon SDK, a separate optional accessory, also provides this functionality. The Photon 320 Ethernet Module part number is 421-0025-00. The Photon 320 Ethernet Module part number is 421-0031-00. Ethernet Modules require the camera to have either the 15-pin wearsaver connector installed on a Photon 320 camera, or the 26-pin connector (part of the EMI rear cover assembly) installed on a Photon 640 camera.

3) FLIR / Indigo’s optional serial-in, parallel-out (SIPO) module (part number 333-0017-00) converts the serial LVDS into a parallel data format that can be accessed via a frame grabber. The SIPO mates directly to the I/O module’s digital data port, and furnishes a 68-pin connector that can be attached to a frame grabber via a digital interface cable. One frame grabber possibility is the National Instruments IMAQ PCI-1422 board using digital interface cable part number 308-0013-00. Another frame grabber option is the Bit Flow RoadRunner Model 14 board using digital interface cable part number 308-0016-00-03. Both of these frame grab boards require third-party software not offered or supported by FLIR / Indigo. Setup files for the NI IMAQ and Bit Flow Road Runner frame grabbers can be downloaded from the Software Updates page, however, we do not formally support their use, nor do we claim or guarantee that these setup files will be suitable for any particular use or application. It is important to note that FLIR does not market the Photon as a scientific or R&D camera. We intentionally limit the information in this third option to avoid having customers perceive Photon as a science camera, since there is a natural tendency for challenging questions to otherwise result.

10. Can the camera be completely controlled using a PCI-1422 frame grabber card?

No. Only digital data passes through the SIPO.

11. Can the frame grabber be used to command the camera to perform a NUC ‘on demand’?

No. Only digital data passes through the SIPO.

12. Can the frame grabber be used to turn on and off AGC and adjust contrast and brightness? Can we read out the NUC parameters from the camera?

No. Only digital data passes through the SIPO.

13. Can the camera data be streamed to disk over the PCI-1422 card and displayed real time?

This is up to the type of application that’s grabbing the frames. An application could be written in LabVIEW that would do this.