Glossary
GUPPY Technical Manual
V4.0.1
217
Dynamic range
The ratio of the maximum signal relative to the minimum measurable signal
often measured in decibels or dBs.
The largest possible signal is directly proportional to the full well capacity
of the pixel. The lowest signal is the noise level when the sensor is not
exposed to any light, also called the noise floor.
Practically, cameras with a large dynamic range are able to capture shadow
detail and highlight detail at the same time. Dynamic range should not be
confused with tonal range.
Electrostatic
discharge
Electrostatic discharge (=ESD) is the transfer of charge between two
objects at different electrical potentials. While it takes an electrostatic
discharge of about 3,000 volt for a human body to feel a shock, many of
the more sophisticated electronic components can be damaged by charges
as low as 10 volt.
ESD
ESD =
e
lectrostatic
d
ischarge
Exposure time
Exposure time is the amount of time that the sensor is exposed to the light
and thus accumulates charge. This is the control that is used first (before
gain and offset) to adjust the camera.
Field of view
Field of view (FOV) is the area covered by the lens' angle of view.
FireWire
FireWire (also known as i.Link or IEEE 1394) is a personal computer (and
digital audio/video) serial bus interface standard, offering high-speed
communications. It is often used as an interface for industrial cameras.