Using Live EDF

Image-Pro with Capture Module Only

Live Extended Depth of Field (EDF) allows you to create real-time EDF images using a microscope with a manual focus control. It also supports stereo microscopes, where changing the focus position shifts the image.

To use Live EDF:

Go to the Capture tab and find the Live EDF group:

The Run button will be enabled only when a live preview or image sequence is active.

Clicking the drop-down arrow displays the Live EDF options: "Auto Align (Stereo)" and "Composition."

Check the Auto Align (Stereo) option to enable auto align for every acquired frame. Use this option on stereo microscopes where changing the focus position shifts the image.

When the Accumulate option is on every new live image is added to the composition. This option is preferable for Local contrast composition. In other modes you can switch this option off and add images to a composite manually by clicking the Add button.

Composition Mode: Make a selection from the pull-down combo box of composition options:

  • Local contrast: Choose this option for real time EDF using the Local Contrast algorithm.  This is most useful for high contrast brightfield images.

  • Maximum: Choose this option for real-time EDF using the maximum composition mode for sample imaging on a dark background -- for example, imaging of fluorescent samples.

  • Minimum: Choose the minimum composition mode for transparent mode illumination of brightfield images

  • Difference: Illustrates the difference between the base image and the current image (image with a gray background)

  • AbsDifference: Shows the absolute difference between the base image and the current image. Background is black, but you can also activate Pseudo-color on gray images, so you that can see changing objects in color on a black background.

Click the Options… button to see the Live EDF Options dialog where there are more options you can set. Click here for more information.

Once your options are set as you like them, click the Run button to start the live EDF acquisition.

Clicking the button will start the EDF acquisition on a live image. When the live EDF process is active the button background turns orange and the text changes to Stop. Clicking the button again will stop live EDF. If the active image is a sequence, the text changes to Run, andclicking the button will execute an EDF acquisition on all frames of the sequence.

Note: Click the Reset button to restore the defaults for all options.