Leica Geosystems

Getting started with

ScanStation C10 / C5
External Camera

Version: 1.0 (English)

May, 2012

External Camera Getting Started 1 - 13

Table of Contents
1 Summary ................................................................................................................................ 2
2 Preparation ............................................................................................................................ 3
2.1 The External Camera Box Content .......................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Preparation / Settings for External Camera and Fisheye Lens................................................................ 4
2.3 Preparation of the External Camera Bracket .......................................................................................... 5
2.3.1 Mount the EOS 60D Bracket Extender to the Camera .................................................................... 5
2.4 License for External Camera and CanonSDK.add file .............................................................................. 6
2.5 Software Installation on PC .................................................................................................................... 6
3 Calibration Process ................................................................................................................ 7
3.1 Calibration Process Requirements .......................................................................................................... 7
3.1.1 Hardware Preparation ...................................................................................................................... 7
3.1.2 Creating the Calibration Field ......................................................................................................... 7
3.2 The External Camera Setup Wizard ........................................................................................................ 8
3.3 Creation of a Calibration Field ................................................................................................................ 8
4 Camera Calibration .............................................................................................................. 10
4.1 Performing a Calibration ...................................................................................................................... 10
4.2 Results .................................................................................................................................................. 11
5 Collecting Test Data ............................................................................................................. 12

1 Summary
The external camera kit is an accessory for the Leica ScanStation C10/C5. This accessory
enables the laser scanner to acquire full-dome photographs by a Canon EOS 60D camera and
to colorize scanning data.
The Canon EOS 60D camera (in the following also referred to as the external camera) is
mounted with the external camera bracket on top of the ScanStation C10/C5 and is
connected to the laser scanner via USB.
Before the external camera can be used with the scanner an initial setup has to be
performed in order to determine the interior camera calibration parameters and a first guess
of the exterior orientation parameters. Once the initial setup has been done the firmware
does automatically detect the external camera when it is connected to the scanner and can
be used to acquire full-dome images.
A MultiImage set acquired by the Canon EOS 60D camera consists of six 18-megapixel
photographs. Acquiring an image set takes approximately one minute. The images are stored
in the same data base as images taken by the internal camera and can be imported into
Cyclone software, in the same way as the images from the internal camera.
The position of the camera may slightly change each time the camera is taken off the
scanner and replaced.
The camera’s exterior orientation can be checked by using targets placed in the field of view
of the laser scanner and of the external camera, which are matched.

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2 Preparation
2.1 The External Camera Box Content

The delivered red camera transport box contains:

• Leica ScanStation C10/C5 System CD-ROM
• Ext_Cam_Getting_Started.pdf
• External Camera Setup Wizard installer (ExtCam_Wiz_Setup_v1.0.exe)
• ScanStation C10/C5 Firmware version 2.70 (C10_v2.70.0.700.fw)
• Canon EOS 60D API package (CanonSDK.add)
• External Camera bracket
• External camera bracket, to mount the camera on top of the laser scanner
• Bracket extender, mounted at the bottom of the external camera
• Fixing screw (0.25”; -20*0.5)
• Allen wrench (5/32”)
• USB connection cable, to connect the External Camera to the Scanner’s USB port
• Lens cleaning microfiber tissue

To activate your camera license for your Leica Geosystems ScanStation C10/C5 please
contact your local Leica Geosystems sales representative or your local Leica support team.

The external camera (Canon EOS 60D) and the additional required Sigma fisheye lens (8mm;
F3.5 EX DG Zirkular-Fisheye) are not part of the standard delivery set and must be ordered
separately from a camera provider.

System CD-ROM and

lens cleaning tissue

USB cable and Battery charging cradle

charging cradle
power cable

Canon EOS 60D with Battery for EOS 60D

Sigma 8mm Fisheye
lens and EOS 60D
bracket extender

Allen wrench (5/32”) External Camera bracket

Figure 1:External camera kit in carrier case

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2.2 Preparation / Settings for External Camera and Fisheye Lens
For setting up the camera and the usage of the camera with the Sigma lens please refer to
the manuals of both the EOS 60D camera and the Sigma 8mm fisheye lens.
After the lens has been fixed to the camera there are some settings to be done for a trouble-
free operation.

• The camera should be set on aperture value mode Av for normal operation. Only if the
exposure time should be set manually the mode dial will need to be set to M. (Figure 3)

• Set the aperture to 5.6 (f/number) and the ISO speed to 250. (Figure 3)

• The resolution of the camera should be set at highest quality.

• The power settings of the camera should be changed so that the power off timeout is
disabled. (Figure 2)

• The exposure simulation needs to be enabled for manual exposure workflow. (Figure 2)

Figure 2: Camera Power and Exposure Simulation Setting

• The focus should be set to a value between 0.5m and 1m. Take some images to find a
suitable focus setting. It is recommended to use a stable sticky tape to fix the focal ring in
the desired position. Otherwise the parameters of the interior calibration may change
and the final results may be of poor quality.

Figure 3: Camera Settings

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2.3 Preparation of the External Camera Bracket
The Leica ScanStation C10/C5 camera bracket is designed for the Canon EOS 60D and
consists of two parts:
1) The EOS 60D bracket extender, bolts directly to the bottom of the Canon EOS 60D.

Figure 4: Canon EOS 60D bracket extender

2) The external camera bracket can be mounted on top of the scanner.

Figure 5: External Camera Bracket

2.3.1 Mount the EOS 60D Bracket Extender to the Camera

The bracket extender has a tiny pin which must be fitted into the hole on the camera’s
bottom before the fixing screw is tightened by the delivered allen wrench.

Figure 7: Extender Mounted Figure 6: Extender Pin detailed

Extender Pin detailed

Extender Mounted

External Camera Getting Started 5 - 13

The ScanStation C10/C5 handle has to be removed to mount the external camera bracket on
top of the laser scanner. The external camera bracket must be mounted on the scanner so
that the camera looks to the right if you look at the MMI. See Figure 8. Please also note the
pictogram on the external camera bracket (Figure 9) which indicates the direction to the
scanner’s bubble level.
Make sure the handle is firmly attached to the laser scanner.

Figure 8: Camera mounting side view Figure 9: Camera mounting top view

The lens cap of the Sigma lens consists of two parts:

1) a cover
2) a ring
Both parts should be removed before use in order to obtain the maximum field of
view.

2.4 License for External Camera and CanonSDK.add file

The camera can first be used when:
a) a firmware version 2.70 or higher is installed on the laser scanner
b) a valid external camera license is loaded onto the laser scanner
c) the CanonSDK.add is installed on the laser scanner

2.5 Software Installation on PC

To install the External Camera Setup Wizard a minimum of 350 MB of free disc space must
be available on your computer. Double click the ExtCam_Wiz_Setup_v1.0.exe from the Leica
ScanStation C10/C5 System CD-ROM and an Install Shield Wizard is coming up which guides
you through the installation process. After a successful installation process the program can
be executed from:
Windows Start menu >> Programs >> Leica Geosystems >> External Camera Setup Wizard.
The External Camera Setup Wizard guides you through the creation of a test field and a full
calibration process.

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3 Calibration Process
The Canon EOS 60D and Sigma 8mm Fisheye lens need to be identified and calibrated before
they can be used together with the laser scanner.
Therefore Leica Geosystems provides a PC application (External Camera Setup Wizard)
mentioned in 2.5 Software Installation on PC, which will guides you through the external
camera calibration and configuration process. During the process the laser scanner as well as
the external camera will collect data and the camera calibration and orientation parameters
(interior and exterior) will be determined.
Optional the user can acquire a test data set after a successful camera calibration and
orientation.
The camera calibration procedure has to be performed only once. After a successful
calibration procedure the laser scanner will recognize the external camera
automatically every time it is connected via the laser scanner’s USB port.

3.1 Calibration Process Requirements

3.1.1 Hardware Preparation
To run through the initial camera calibration process the following equipment is required:
• ScanStation C10/C5
• USB connection cable
• External camera bracket with prepared Canon EOS 60D
• Laptop and ScanStation C10/C5 Ethernet connection cable

3.1.2 Creating the Calibration Field

To run through the calibration process a calibration field needs to be created. To install the
calibration field a straight wall with a minimum height of 2.85m is needed. The minimum
perpendicular distance from the wall to the laser scanner setup has to be 3.50m. The floor
should be a very stable floor (e.g. concrete) to avoid a tilt or movement of the scanner
during one setup. Parquet or carpeted floor is not suitable to achieve a good calibration
result. The following figure shows the dimension which will be needed to perform a
successful camera calibration.
~ 2,8m
~ 1,5m

Figure 10: Calibration Field

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3.2 The External Camera Setup Wizard
The External Camera Setup Wizard is a PC application that guides you through:
a) the interior / exterior camera calibration process
b) the creation of the calibration field
c) the first data collection by the external camera

Figure 11: External Camera Setup Wizard - Start

3.3 Creation of a Calibration Field

In order to set up a calibration field one 6-inch HDS target and ten 3-inch HDS targets are
needed. The calibration field consists of these 11 targets placed in a vertical line with the 6-
inch target in the center. The targets are placed approximately 25 centimeters (10 inches)
apart. In order to facilitate the placement of these targets, the software has a built-in
placement procedure.
(See chapter 3.1.2 Creating the Calibration Field)

Once the laser scanner is setup on a tripod at position 1 in front of a wall as shown in Figure
10, power on the laser scanner and connect it with the computer. Make sure the scanner is
leveled. Place the single 6-inch adhesive backed target on the wall in a height of about 1.5m.

Click the [Create] button on the wizard’s 2nd page and continue with creating the calibration
field.
The [Next] button will establish the connection to the laser scanner. After a successful
connection the status message says: Connected to scanner 126xxxx: Video Aim
(126xxxx = individual Scanner Serial number) and the live video acquired by the internal
camera is displayed in the display window.

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Center the scanner onto the target by using the video streaming function and the crosshair.
Double left click will move the scanner to the clicked position; the mouse wheel zooms in
and out.

Figure 12: Target aiming 1 Figure 13: Target aiming 2

Once the [Next] button is pressed, the laser scanner measures the distance to the target,
scans the target and determines its center. When finished, it will display the scan data in the
display window. By pressing [Next] the laser beam will point at the first location for a
HDS 3-inch target.

Do not look into the laser beam.

The laser beam projected onto the wall indicates the ideal position of the 3-inch target
center. After sticking the target to the wall its center should not deviate by more than 1.5cm
from its ideal position.
Once the target is placed, click [Next] to move the laser beam to the next position. The laser
will indicate the location of the next HDS 3-inch target. (see Figure 14)
When the laser button is clicked the laser will immediately turn off.
Click [Laser] again to turn the laser on.

Figure 14: Test Field Creation

Once you have placed all ten HDS 3-inch targets, you have finished setting up the External
Camera Calibration Field.

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4 Camera Calibration
In order to calibrate the external camera, data from two different positions has to be
collected. Therefore the laser scanner has to be set-up on two positions, which differ in their
range to center target of the calibration field. The recommended range for position 1 is
3.50m, for position 2 it is 1.75m. (see Figure 10)
If the distance is not matching the required distances a pop-up message will inform about
the distance and direction the laser scanner has to be moved. (Figure 15)

Figure 15: Wrong Distance Message

4.1 Performing a Calibration

To start the calibration process, setup the laser scanner at position 1 (~3.50m away), level
the scanner (bubble level is sufficient) and connect the laser scanner to your computer. The
camera should be mounted onto the laser scanner and be ready to use. Click [Next] in the
Wizard window until the display frame is showing the live image. Navigate the scanner in a
way that the displayed crosshair is matching the 6-inch HDS target. Click [Next] to start the
data collection and target center extraction at position 1.
The range to the selected target will be measured. In case the distance to the target differs
significantly from the recommended range , the laser scanner has to be moved to a different
position which is suggested in an up-coming message box.
The laser scanner will then perform a large scan of the target area and extract all target
centers. The centers will be briefly visible in the display area. Afterwards the scanner will
take a series of photographs and extract the target centers from the photographs. These
centers will also be briefly visible in the display area. After finishing the collection and
extraction of the data, the action button provides a review option to view the target
matching. Click [Review] to review the extracted target centers in the scan as well as the
photographs or click [Next] to continue with position 2 (~1.75m away).
In review mode you can toggle through the target scans and photographs by using the [Prev]
and [Next] buttons. When the review is finished, click [Continue]. It is recommended to
collect another set of data set in case of the target centers were not found or were extracted
incorrectly by pressing [Redo].
Before moving the laser scanner to position 2 unplug the USB connection cable and remove
the external camera from the instrument. It is not necessary to turn off the scanner.

Do not lift the laser scanner on the handle bracket!

Setup the laser scanner at position 2, level it and reconnect it to the PC. Press the [Next]
button of the External Camera Setup Wizard to start the data collection on position 2.

Once the required data on both positions is collected, the calibration and orientation
parameters are determined and the results are displayed.

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4.2 Results
The result graph is displaying the determined residuals from both positions. The color
indicates the size of the residuals. Additionally a pop up message will come up and
recommend whether the procedure should be redone or not.

• (green) Residuals < 2 pixel

• (yellow) Residuals > 2 pixel & < 5 pixel
• (red) Residuals > 5 pixel

The following figures are showing good and bad results with their respective pop-up
message boxes. The pop-up information indicates whether the determined residuals are in
good condition or if it is recommended to re-run the calibration procedure.

Figure 16: Good result

Figure 17: Bad result

In case of bad results, the [Repeat] button should be clicked and the procedure can be
restarted at position 1.
In case of good results, click [Next] to name your camera and transfer the collected
calibration and orientation data to the laser scanner. Leave the name field in the upcoming
window empty to just use the camera’s unique serial number or enter a name which will be
displayed later in the laser scanner’s onboard control. Click [OK] in message box to start the
transfer.
To use the external camera with the laser scanner a reboot has to be done. If you
would like to perform a first test data acquisition without reboot, click [Test] to
continue.

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5 Collecting Test Data
The External Camera Setup Wizard allows taking full-dome images, creating cube maps,
viewing the cube maps, performing full-dome scans as well as coloring and viewing the point
cloud.
The test data can be collected at two stages within the wizard:

1) by pressing the [Test] button on the first page

2) directly after a successful external camera calibration

In both cases the laser scanner needs to be connected to the computer with mounted
ready-to-use camera.
When the [Test] button is clicked continue with [Next] to connect the wizard to the laser
scanner. In a next step center the video image shown in the display area on a 6-inch HDS
target and press the [Next] button.

As before, the scanner will measure the range and then acquire the target. The target should
be in a distance between 2 and 5 meters. After reviewing the scanned target in the display
area, a full-dome image consisting of six photographs will be acquired by clicking [Next].
After finishing data acquisition, a cube map is generated and displayed in the display
window.

Figure 18: Test, Cube Map

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If the upper field-of-view should not be blocked by the camera, the external camera can be
removed before clicking [Next] in order to continue with the collection of a full-dome scan in
medium resolution. By pressing [Done] you will return to the wizard’s main menu.
When the scan and the colorization is finished, a colored point cloud is displayed in the
display window. By clicking the [Visualization] button the appearance of the point cloud can
be toggled between intensity color (Multi Hue and Grayscale) and true RGB color.

Figure 19: Point Cloud Appearance Toggle

Toggle with the [Prev] button between cube map and point cloud.

By pressing the [Done] button the wizard returns to the main menu.
The collected data cannot be reviewed afterwards!

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