Using LUCID’s TFL- and TFL-II Mount Adapters for EF Lenses

Introduction

The EF-Mount Lens to TFL-Mount Birger Adapter (ADA-TFL-EF-US/ADA-TFL-EF-EU) and EF-Mount Lens to TFL-II Mount Birger Adapter (ADA-TFL2-EF-US/ADA-TFL2-EF-EU)  with M8 GPIO camera connection and power supply provides the ability to use any Canon EF lens on the LUCID’s TFL-mount models and TFL-II mount models (Specific Atlas 5GigE models and Atlas10 10GigE models). The M8 connections allows the users to electronically focus the lens through serial commands. The following KB article will describe how to issue commands to control and focus an EF lens through the Birger adapter.

Download and install Arena SDK on the host PC.

After the Atlas camera, Birger adapter, and EF lens are put together and connected to the host PC, launch ArenaView. We will set the following Atlas parameters in ArenaView:

Step 1: Set Serial Baud Rate to Baud 115200.

Step 2: Set Serial Receive Source to Line 3.

Step 3: Set Line Selector to Line2.

Step 4: Set Line 2’s Line Mode to Output.

Step 5: Set Line 2’s Line Source to Serial Transmit.

Step 6: Set Line Selector to Line4.

Step 7: Set Line 4’s Voltage External Enable to True.

Focusing the Lens with Serial Write Commands

In this section we will be sending serial commands from the camera to the adapter to focus the lens. We can also read the response sent to the camera. This can be done by using Write and Read serial commands on the camera.

In ArenaView, press to capture continuous images.

Learn Absolute Focus Range: la

This command learns the focus range of the lens in a single step. No other lens movement commands can be issued while this command is in progress:

We will need to translate this command from ASCII to hex:

The above command is 4 bytes.

Transmitting the ‘la’ Command with a serial write command

Step 1: Reset the Serial Access Buffer.

• Set Serial Operation Selector to Reset
• Click the Serial Operation Execute command

Step 2: Prepare the command to be transmitted.

• Set Serial Operation Selector to Write
• Enter 0x6C61202D in Serial Access Buffer
• Set Serial Access Length to 4 to transmit 4 bytes

Step 3: Transmit the serial command.

• Click the Serial Operation Execute command

Move Focus to Zero Position: mz

This command moves the lens focus to the zero position.

We will need to translate this command from ASCII to hex:

The above command is 4 bytes.

Transmitting the ‘mz’ Command with a serial write command

Step 1: Reset the Serial Access Buffer.

• Set Serial Operation Selector to Reset
• Click the Serial Operation Execute command

Step 2: Prepare the command to be transmitted.

• Set Serial Operation Selector to Write
• Enter 0x6D7A200D in Serial Access Buffer
• Set Serial Access Length to 4 to transmit 4 bytes

Step 3: Transmit the serial command.

• Click the Serial Operation Execute command

Set Current Focus Counter Position to Zero: sf0

The sf command sets the current lens focus position with the value specified. When sending the mz command to move the focus to the zero position, the lens encoder position will typically be a non-zero value. Setting sf0 after moving the focus to the zero position allows you to mark this position as zero, which can then be used with the focus absolute command to return to the same zero position (fa 0).

We will need to translate this command from ASCII to hex:

The above command is 5 bytes.

Transmitting the ‘sf0’ Command with a serial write command

Step 1: Reset the Serial Access Buffer.

• Set Serial Operation Selector to Reset
• Click the Serial Operation Execute command

Step 2: Prepare the command to be transmitted.

• Set Serial Operation Selector to Write
• Enter 0x736630200D in Serial Access Buffer
• Set Serial Access Length to 5 to transmit 5 bytes

Step 3: Transmit the serial command.

• Click the Serial Operation Execute command

Move Focus to Infinity Position: mi

This command moves the lens focus to the infinity position.

We will need to translate this command from ASCII to hex:

The above command is 4 bytes.

Transmitting the ‘mi’ Command with a serial write command

Step 1: Reset the Serial Access Buffer.

• Set Serial Operation Selector to Reset
• Click the Serial Operation Execute command

Step 2: Prepare the command to be transmitted.

• Set Serial Operation Selector to Write
• Enter 0x6D69200D in Serial Access Buffer
• Set Serial Access Length to 4 to transmit 4 bytes

Step 3: Transmit the serial command.

• Click the Serial Operation Execute command

Additional Commands

Reading the Serial Buffer

After transmitting a serial command to the adapter, it will send a response that can be read from the Serial Access Buffer.

Reading the Adapter Response in the Serial Access Buffer

Step 1: Verify Serial Operation Result = Success.

Step 2: Note the value in Serial Received Size.

Step 3: Set Serial Access Length to the value in Serial Received Size.

Step 4: Set Serial Operation Selector to Read.

Step 5: Click the Serial Operation Execute command.

The Serial Access Buffer will be filled with a value that can be translated from hex to ASCII.

Translated:

Translated Response:

Arena SDK Example

LUCID currently offers an SDK example to provide basic focus functionality for the adapter. To download this example please contact support@thinklucid.com.