So I’m wantint to mount a lightburn camera to my custom enclosure. I am unable to mount to my raised lid to center on laser bed. The enclosure wasn’t designed that way. Can I just mount the camera to the inside of the enclosure, with the lid closed and still be able to calibrate the camera successfully?
You must be able to see your entire work area and very important, the camera must be mounted very “statically”, it must not be able to change its position.
Can you show a picture of your laser housing and what the camera sees, it makes it easier to assess the possibilities.
So this is my enclosure. The red circle is where the lid is directly above the center of my laser bed. I can’t mount a lightburn camera there as it would hit my laser frame closing the lid. I was thinking of getting the lightburn 5mp 150 view camera and mount it inside the lid point at center of laser bed when closed.
Can you mount it on the inside/underside of your lid, between the handle and the first window?
If you don’t hit 100% center positioning it’s not the end of the world, very few are mounted “perfectly”. This is where the camera alignment itself comes into play and must compensate for crooked angles.
But measure/check the distance again, to choose the right camera in relation to camera selection help.
ps. nice laser housing
Yes, right at the end of the first glass towards the middle of enclosure will point down to center of bed. I have 10" from inside center of lid to laser bed. That’s why I was thinking lightburn camera 5mp with 150 fov.
No, I will mount the camera holder with double-sided tape all the way up before the first window and use the camera only with the lid open, that gives more distance. I don’t think there is a camera for 10" distance.
So my workspace is 400mm x 400mm. Lightburn shows the camera highlighted at a minimum of 8.75 inches. You don’t think that would work?
To add: what is the purpose of having the lid open? Just to be able to see the whole laser bed?
Also, lightburn only has a 5mp camera in stock.
…I haven’t seen this camera. 5 mp is fine (for me)
The idea behind the lid being open is to get the best view with a good overview and the angle doesn’t get too awkward, that’s the most “normal” way to do it.
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Thank for all your help!!
One more question please! So if I mount, calibrate and align my camera with the lid open, do I need to keep the lid open when aligning a laser project on my laser bed and then close lid to engrave? And open lid to update capture?
yes, unfortunately it is necessary. I often “cheat” and don’t close my lid, but I have an industrial fume extraction which is very powerful 
Be really careful that you are 100% in the same position when you open the lid, camera alignment is very critical to the slightest positioning error, also remember that you have to take into account the different material thicknesses if you want precise “measurements”.
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