WinSCANOPY: Canopy Structure and Solar Radiation Analysis

Image Acquisition Component

Digital camera and a fish-eye lens
Self-leveling mount
Camera Remote Controller
Tripods

When ordered as a complete system, WinSCANOPY is much easier to use. A system comprises the following components (some of which are optional):

Digital camera and a fish-eye lens

The cameras and lenses we sell range from low cost point-and-shoot cameras with a fixed lens to high-end digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras with an interchangeable fish-eye lens.

When purchased from Regent Instruments, cameras and lenses come with a calibration file that indicates to the WinSCANOPY program:
1) the position and radius of the 180 degree field of view hemispherical area to analyse in the image (hemisphere).
2) the calibration coefficients to compensate for non-linearities in the projection of elevation angle (azimuth) in function of distance to the hemisphere centre.
3) miscellaneous information about the camera (image size, aspect ratio…) and lens (model, FOV…).

You can also provide the calibration parameters of your own camera and lens. Note that this require some technical knowledge about these components and that Regent Instruments does not provide any help for this.

Self-leveling mount

A self-leveling mount, called O-Mount because of its round shape, holds the camera at horizontal level during image acquisition. Automatic leveling saves time and reduces risk of manipulation errors. O-Mounts are made of robust plastic.

It comes with the SunBlocker which prevents the direct sun rays from reaching the camera fish-eye lens, thus eliminating glare. It can be installed and removed in few seconds.

Without the sun blocker

With the sun blocker

	There is a standard attachment hole for easy mounting on standard mono or tripod. Note: Tubular handle is not included but you can use selfie sticks or compact monopods (with a ¼ 20 screw thread).

Camera Remote Controller

The Camera Remote Controller allows to trigger its camera at distances up to a few meters depending on the model.



Tripods

When ordered witout the OMount, WinSCANOPY systems come wth a mini tripod for low canopies and opionally a larger one for tall canopies. Camera levelling is done manually by the operator. The larger tripod has self adapting legs. It adjusts their length automatically in function of soil height variations.

North direction recording for radiation analyses

To do radiations analyses, the North direction relative to the hemisphere centre in the images must be known in order to determine the sun position over time (to calculate solar paths and radiations intensity).

The indication of the North direction can be done in different ways.

The simplest is to orient the camera top during image acquisition so that it points toward North (North will be at the top of the images). At analysis time no orientation value needs to be entered, the default zero value is used.

Optionally someone can: 1) measure the camera top direction relative to North at image acquisition (using a compass held in hand), 2) write down or store the orientation value and 3) enter it at analysis time in WinSCANOPY.

	Image Analysis for Plant Science

Regent Instruments Inc.	since 1991