Imago software helps you capture and manage your core tray images in a structured manner. Included is the Imago Capture X software which turns your camera into a robust photography station, enabling you to take consistent, high-quality images that preserve your drilling investment.
Choosing a good hardware setup for your capture station requires careful consideration, this guide will help you understand how to select the optimal camera setup.
Please note that Seequent can assist with running Imago software at your capture station, however we are not liable for your camera and hardware decisions. When considering which camera is best for you, we recommend consulting with a hardware partner.
Recommended setup
Just want to get started? We have a hardware selection flow chart which will help you make the right hardware selection for your core shed.
Setup checklist:
- Frame to mount camera at a fixed height above the core trays. See Hardware Partners.
- Dedicated diffused lighting, separate to your general core shed lighting
- Camera: Canon R8 full frame mirrorless
- Lens: Sigma 28mm f/1.4 ART for Canon EF mount
- Laptop: Windows laptop or tablet compatible with Imago System Requirements.
Hardware recommendations
Capture station
The most important piece to the hardware setup is getting your image capture station right. With a good capture station setup, reliably capturing high-quality images is easy. Seequent recommends working with one of our hardware partners who can help you setup your core shed for capturing amazing core tray images. DIY setups can still produce good results with some careful consideration.
When designing a capture station a good starting point is asking:
- Timing – Where in your core logging process are you capturing images? Are you wanting to capture multiple images during the logging process? The best time to take the core photo is after depth marks and driller break marks are added and the core is oriented, but before significant annotation has been applied, as it can obscure the rock and complicate running machine learning on your images.
- Mobility – Do you want to move your core trays to the capture station, or do you want to move the capture station to the core trays?
- Lighting – Do you have good, controlled lighting in your core shed that will provide consistent lighting throughout the day or will you need to provide additional focused lighting at the capture station?
Setup 1 – Portable photography station
Setup 2 – Fixed photography station
Cameras
With your Capture Station in place, we can now look to select a camera. A good camera paired with a quality lens and the Imago Capture X software will make a large difference to the quality of images you will capture. Selecting a camera can be overwhelming but at the end of the day a lot of your camera selection will come down to your budget and preference.
In general, there are three important decisions to make when selecting a camera:
- Sensor resolution – Whilst the more megapixels the better, generally anything with more than 30MP will provide you with enough resolution to get started with. Choosing a camera with 50MP+ will be setting you up well for making the most out of your images in the future.
- Full frame vs Crop sensor – Full frame sensors will produce crisper images with more detail and generally outperform in a variety of lighting situations. Whilst we recommend investing in a camera with a full frame sensor, a modern camera with an APS-C or Crop sensor with a high megapixel count and a good, controlled lighting environment will provide plenty of detail in your images.
- Mirrorless or DSLR – DSLR cameras still have a lot to give and are generally more cost effective compared to the more modern Mirrorless cameras. A higher resolution DSLR is generally a better investment than making the jump to mirrorless.
Imago Capture X software connects to most modern Mirrorless and DSLR cameras available off-the-shelf from Sony, Canon and Nikon. For full camera compatibility see the Imago System Requirements.
Canon R8
24 MP
Full Frame Mirrorless
Canon website
Sony α7R V
61 MP
Full Frame Mirrorless
Sony website
Canon T7
32MP
APS-C DSLR
Canon website
Canon 90D
32MP
APS-C DSLR
Canon website
Lenses
Whilst selecting a lens might seem trivial, using the correct lens can make a big difference to the quality of your images. Our recommendation is to pair your camera with a high-quality Prime lens – this means not using the lens that probably came in the box with your camera.
With the camera mounted at a fixed height above core trays a Prime lens provides the truest view of your core trays. Other types of lenses such as a Zoom lens whilst offering flexibility in your setup can lead to unwanted distortion and fish-eye effects. Zoom lenses may be good for capturing chip trays or other generic images but are not recommended for core tray photographs with a good capture station setup.
Our lens: recommendations
For most core tray image setups with the camera mounted approximately 1m above the core tray we recommend a 28mm Prime lens. If purchasing an aftermarket lens, ensure that the mount is compatible with your camera body.
28mm f/1.4 ART Prime Lens
18-55 mm Zoom Lens
Hardware suppliers
Seequent provides recommendations on how to setup your own imagining stations and rigs, based on your usage need, and we have showcased two pre-built rigs made by our friends over at Dynamics G-Ex.
Please note that while the choice of camera is important, it must be set up correctly in order to avoid low res images that can result from from the correct equipment with mistakes in the setup. The right setup can result in images that are dramatically different in quality than those that result from incorrect setup.
CoreSafe Core Solutions
CoreSafe Core Solutions supplies core trays and their Casper core photography system to the exploration industry around the world.
CASPER is a camera-to-the-core mobile core tray photography system. With fitted wheels that hug the roller racking, CASPER can roll up and down the racks all day. Your camera, PC, and light shroud all remain correctly configured and ready to go, even when, and every time you move it.
There is also the Table Top CASPER solution, which is much the same as the roller table version. The difference is that there is no need to match wheel heights to the railings and V Channel of the roller table.
Dynamics G-Ex
Westernex
Westernex is one of the largest mining and exploration supply organisations in the world. The company was established 30 years ago to service the Western Australian mining industry with exploration and geological consumables.
Today, its flagship line of products – including core trays and core tray photography accessories, core saws, sample bags, marking paint and geological tools – is exported to mining corporations, exploration companies, geological teams and supply chains across the world, often in incredibly remote places.
Westernex answers an international demand for sourcing difficult-to-find products and parts, using its vast supplier contact list to become a one-stop global shop for clients.