Solution
This behavior can have several causes, like software settings in Measurement and Automation Explorer (MAX) to the structure of the code, so different steps could help solving this:
- Use the Low-Level Functions to acquire the images. The NI-IMAQ driver contains a set of functions and examples that are low-level and have a better performance.
- Vary the settings of the acquisition, like the size of the area of interest, the bit depth, and the time of exposure that you have in MAX. These settings are related to the maximum frame rate that you can obtain. For example, if you have a Bassler camera, you can use the Frame Rate Calculator to calculate based on these parameters the maximum achievable frame rate.
- If your frame grabber supports a Medium or Full Configuration, you can change the camera file to one of these configurations since they can have tap and bit depth combinations that can have a faster acquisition.
If the steps above do not allow you to achieve the desired camera rate according to the specifications, the limitation may be related to the Operating System (OS). The OS must complete other tasks in the background while acquiring images, which can introduce latency or delay the acquisition process.
If this is the case, consider using the PCIe-1477 frame grabber for interfacing with the camera. This device has a built-in FPGA capable of acquiring and processing images with closed-loop control without relying on the host CPU, allowing it to achieve higher and more deterministic frame rates.