How to use 2ndLook software with your machine vision cameras

If you are looking for easy-to-use software for recording videos with industrial cameras, look no further than 2ndLook. This user-friendly software offers a simple design that allows you to easily record and review videos. Different file formats, including MP4, RAW, or the 2ndLook Video Library format can be recorded. The 2ndLook software is compatible with all USB3 and GigE industrial cameras. Get in touch below if we could still support you selecting the right camera set-up for your project.

Download 2ndLook

Download 2ndLook from our download page and run the installer to save it on your computer.

Start 2ndLook

Once installed, run 2ndLook software as an administrator and follow the tutorial. Select USB3 Vision or GigE Vision as a driver depending on the kind of industrial camera you want to use. If you have installed our SDK for your machine vision camera, a warning may appear stating that no cameras are available.


Click on Yes and install driver. You will get to the following screen.



Select your machine vision camera and click on next. Then you will need to uninstall previous drivers.



Please note that the camera will no longer be visible in the Galaxy Viewer after you reinstalled a new driver. To revert these changes, you can uninstall the device from the device manager.



Unplug and plug your machine vision camera in again and it should appear in the Galaxy Viewer.

When connected correctly, 2ndLook should show the image below.



To connect multiple machine vision cameras, repeat the process by clicking on the camera with the green plus.


There is no limit to the number of industrial cameras you can connect; your computer is the only limiting factor.

2ndLook Benchmarking tool

Open the 2ndLook benchmarking tool by clicking on the benchmark icon at the top.



You can use the 2ndLook benchmarking tool to check if your computer is powerful enough to record at high speeds. Using the benchmark on the example computer (Intel i5-11320H, 8GB Ram, Dell NVMe 256GB drive), you can see that it is fast enough to record at 2088x2064 at 10FPS, but not at 15fps.






Using the 2ndLook library as the video format, we were able to record with up to 30FPS without experiencing any drops on our MER2-630-60U3C camera. 2ndLook uses a lot of memory while recording. The 8GB of the PC used for these tests was not enough to record any higher without loss of frames. If you want to use 2ndLook for high-speed recording you will need at least 16 GB of RAM, but the more you have the better it will run. An additional suggestion to enhance the recording speed is to use a separate hard drive instead of the one that runs your operating system.  

2ndLook high speed recording

When it comes to recording in 2ndLook, you want to ensure that your settings are optimized for your needs. By navigating to the settings tab and selecting “Record,” you can choose your desired recording format.

For 2ndLook faster recording speeds, it is recommended to choose either the 2ndLook Video Library or a Raw format. These options do not require any processing power since the images are saved to your hard drive as they are recorded. The 2ndLook Video Library is a custom, uncompressed format created specifically for 2ndLook. Keep in mind that if you plan on reviewing your recordings in 2ndLook, this format is necessary. However, uncompressed images take up a lot of storage space and writing speed, so 2ndLook offers compression options such as JPEG and MP4.

While compressing your images immediately after recording can use up processing power, it can also save valuable space on your hard drive. It is recommended to use the benchmarking tool to gauge your PC’s power and then experiment with different recording settings to find what works best for you.

Once you have finished recording, be sure to check the log to see if any frames were dropped and why it happened. By optimizing your settings and taking advantage of compression options, you can improve your recording efficiency and produce higher quality videos in 2ndLook.

24/7 recording and setting up auto-restart in 2ndLook

If you want to record continuously in your 2ndLook software, without interruptions, you can use 2ndLook’s Auto-Restart Recording feature. By selecting this option, 2ndLook will automatically create a new video file after a designated period of time and start recording again. For example, if you set it to record for 10 minutes, 2ndLook will create a new file and start recording again until you manually stop it. It is worth noting that you will not be able to combine the separate video files using 2ndLook after the fact.

Recording in 2ndLook with multiple industrial cameras

If you want to record with multiple cameras, it is easy with 2ndLook. Simply connect your industrial cameras, choose your preferred settings, and hit record. 2ndLook will capture footage from all connected cameras simultaneously, making it easy to manage multiple angles. Whether you are recording an event, surveillance footage, or anything in between, 2ndLook makes it simple to capture everything you need with multiple industrial cameras.

Reviewing your footage

To play back recorded frames, you can use the 2ndLook “Review” tab. Simply click on Review and select your path and recording on the bottom.



You can now navigate through frames by using the arrow symbols or keys on your keyboard and set timestamps using the toolbar on the right side.

Do you want support for 2ndLook?

If you still have questions about 2ndLook, get in touch with our Customer Service department. All questions will be answered within 24hrs.