Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

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redash
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Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:43 am

Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

#1 Post by redash » Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:48 am

Hi ,

I bought a Optronics Microfire Camera in ebay but not came with the power supply. It is having 5 pin DIN connector for the power supply, I don't have any idea about the power supply specification. Could someone help me on this?

Thanks,
Ashok

MichaelG.
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Location: North Wales

Re: Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

#2 Post by MichaelG. » Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:29 am

If I am thinking of the right camera … the cable is presumably Firewire with a custom connector.
http://www.bbmicro.com/products/product.php?pid=37

Be very careful if you decide to start experimenting.
… some Firewire ports are very sensitive to mis-connections.

MichaelG.
.

Edit: __ I am wary of downloading from sites like this [all too easy to hit the wrong button] … but there is a Manual, here: https://manualzz.com/doc/32366459/the-microfire-camera
… which you can read online.

.
Edit: __ Nice clean download available here: https://wiki.ucl.ac.uk/download/attachm ... 2943245000
Last edited by MichaelG. on Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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MichaelG.
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Re: Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

#3 Post by MichaelG. » Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:51 am

.

UPDATE :

I just found this very helpful photo on ebay :
.
3CC841AA-0C3E-4BCB-B6E1-D71F48C9729E.jpeg
3CC841AA-0C3E-4BCB-B6E1-D71F48C9729E.jpeg (194.36 KiB) Viewed 3099 times
.

Clearly the Power input is separate from the Firewire port.
… This is encouraging !!

MichaelG.

.
… and here’s my best crop of that label :

.
D4495547-8CAE-42B6-9201-DFE1C7469BEE.jpeg
D4495547-8CAE-42B6-9201-DFE1C7469BEE.jpeg (180.71 KiB) Viewed 3099 times
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redash
Posts: 14
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Re: Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

#4 Post by redash » Wed Oct 13, 2021 11:11 am

Thank you so much Michael. I happened to see the picture of this power supply before, I even enquired the seller but it is sold already. From the description in the power brick i couldn't get what type of power( DC voltage) it needs, if i get this info i could able to do some diy power supply for this camera.

MichaelG.
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Location: North Wales

Re: Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

#5 Post by MichaelG. » Wed Oct 13, 2021 12:43 pm

It’s rather strange that Optronics chose to declare current and power, but not the output Voltage[s]

I will have a dig around :ugeek:

MichaelG.

.
It doesn’t help unless/until we know whether there is more than one ‘rail’ on that power supply, but
This seems a good place to reference the Firewire specification: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_1394
Last edited by MichaelG. on Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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MichaelG.
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Re: Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

#6 Post by MichaelG. » Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:41 pm

Not found the PSU details yet … but I did find the original price for the camera :o

https://www.tritechresearch.com/optmif.html

MichaelG.
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redash
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Re: Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

#7 Post by redash » Wed Oct 13, 2021 7:48 pm

Wow. The camera technology is way too costly in early 2000s.

MichaelG.
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Re: Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

#8 Post by MichaelG. » Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:30 pm

Appears it was also available from Olympus
http://olympusconfocal.com/brochures/pdfs/microfire.pdf

Sorry … no closer to finding the PSU pinout :
You may need to open the camera to see what pins are connected :(

MichaelG.

.
Another link without any details of the PSU
http://www.aic-imagecentral.com/products/pdfs/PDF11.pdf
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redash
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Re: Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

#9 Post by redash » Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:41 pm

I have opened it .
Attachments
20211013_164015.jpg
20211013_164015.jpg (111.08 KiB) Viewed 3046 times

MichaelG.
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Re: Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

#10 Post by MichaelG. » Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:00 pm

From that one view, I can only guess … but it looks like they are using all five pins in parallel, to carry a total 400mA at 17volts, and using the screen for Ovolts.
Unusual, but not a bad idea, because it would allow the use of a nice flexible cable.

That’s only 6.8VA … so the 50VA on the label must presumably be the input power.

Tread carefully …
I would physically check that each of those links connects to a separate pin
and then electrically check that they are connected together.

Can you get any more photos ?

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

redash
Posts: 14
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Re: Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

#11 Post by redash » Sat Oct 16, 2021 12:25 am

I shall try to make more pictures. The build quality of this camera is very good, the processing and sensor divisions are separated by a metal surface for cooling.

MichaelG.
Posts: 3976
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 8:24 am
Location: North Wales

Re: Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

#12 Post by MichaelG. » Sat Oct 16, 2021 2:35 pm

This is my guess:
.
E016DFB2-EE7A-439B-A731-FAE9A2BF7315.jpeg
E016DFB2-EE7A-439B-A731-FAE9A2BF7315.jpeg (178.64 KiB) Viewed 2958 times
.
… possibly with all those reds ‘commoned’ [but it’s more likely that happens at the Power Supply end of the cable]

You could check that much with a meter, without dismantling any further.

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

redash
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:43 am

Re: Optronics Microfire Camera power supply

#13 Post by redash » Sun Oct 17, 2021 11:45 pm

Thank you , I shall try it and share my findings.

Thanks,
Ashok

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