High-Speed GigE Vision Area Scan Cameras Highlight Sony’s 4th Gen Pregius S CMOS Sensors

Figure 1: Several Emergent Vision Technologies camerars - including the award-winning HB-25000-SB, feature Sony's 4th Gen Pregius S sensors.

Figure 1: Several Emergent Vision Technologies cameras – including the award-winning HB-25000-SB, feature Sony’s 4th Gen Pregius S sensors.

The Sony Pregius S are fourth-generation image sensors that build on the performance of previous designs to take CMOS technology to new heights. These sensors allow image-scan cameras to capture fast moving objects in machine vision applications. They feature a range of resolutions and frame rates along with low pixel sizes and high dynamic range.

With the Pregius S, Sony introduced additional refinements, including a 2.74 µm backside illuminated pixel technology that produces improved image quality across the field of view. The sensors also offer a wider incident angle and improved light collection, which was done by moving the wiring and circuit layers and positioning the photodiode closer to the sensor microlens.

Emergent Vision Technologies has introduced multiple GigE Vision cameras equipped with Pregius S sensors to fully leverage these features. The company’s new cameras allow customers to choose the best sensor characteristics for each application and more easily design cost-effective solutions for virtual reality, immersive 3D content, machine vision inspection, sports/broadcast/entertainment, microscopy, transportation logistics imaging, intelligent transportation systems, motion capture, and volumetric capture.

Common Features in Sony Gen 4 Pregius Cameras

All Emergent Vision Technologies cameras with Sony Pregius S sensors feature GigE Vision and GenICam compliance, IEEE 1588 PTP support, hardwire trigger synchronization at < 1 µs, low CPU overhead, low latency, and low jitter.

The HR series includes a 10GigE SFP+ interface for fiber cable lengths from 1 meter to 10 kilometers. The HT series uses an 10GBaseT RJ45 interface for cable lengths of up to 100 meters, while the HB series offers the much faster 25GigE SFP28 interface and cable lengths of up to 10 kilometers. The HR and HB series cameras support these cable lengths without the need for fiber converters or repeaters. Additionally, all cameras are available with an optional IP67-rated housing.

Figure 2: High-speed cameras from Emergent Vision Technologies target applications such as volumetric capture, virtual reality, machine vision, and referee assist.

Figure 2: High-speed cameras from Emergent Vision Technologies target applications such as volumetric capture, virtual reality, machine vision, and referee assist.

IMX530 Cameras

Through the high-speed 10GigE SFP+ interface, the HR-25000-SB-M (monochrome) and HR-25000-SB-C (color) IMX530 cameras reach 51 frames per second (fps) at full 5320 x 4600 (24.47 MP) resolution. Making use of an RJ45 10GBaseT interface, the HT-25000-SB-M (monochrome) and HT-25000-SB-C (color) IMX530 cameras also reach 51 fps at full 5320 x 4600 resolution. For higher throughput, the HB-25000-SB-M (mono) and HB-25000-SB-C (color) IMX530 cameras offer a high-speed 25GigE SFP28 interface and 98 fps at full resolution.

IMX531 Cameras

The IMX531 CMOS sensor delivers slightly less resolution but a faster frame rate. Emergent Vision offers two IMX531 cameras in its 10GigE SFP+ HR series: the HR-20000-SB-M (mono) and the HR-20000-SB-C (color); two IMX531 cameras in its RJ45 10GigE HT series: the HT-20000-SB-M (mono) and the HT-20000-SB-C (color); and two IMX531 cameras in its 25GigE SFP28 HB series: the HB-20000-SB-M (mono) and the HB-20000-SB-C (color). The HR and HT cameras max out at 61 fps, but the HB cameras allow up to 100 fps. All IMX531 cameras have a 4504 x 4504 (20.28MP) resolution.

IMX532 Cameras

Next in the product list are two IMX532 cameras in the 10GigE SFP+ HR series: the HR-16000-SB-M (mono) and the HR-16000-SB-C (color); two IMX532 cameras in its RJ45 10GigE HT series: the HT-16000-SB-M (mono) and the HT-16000-SB-C (color); and two IMX532 cameras in the 25GigE SFP28 HB series: the HB-16000-SB-M (mono) and the HB-16000-SB-C (color). The HR cameras and the HT cameras deliver 77 fps at 5320 x 3032 (16.13MP) resolution. The HB cameras deliver identical resolution but double the frame rate to 145 fps.

IMX535 Cameras

Some applications, such as high-speed inspection, need even faster frame rates. For those situations, there are six options: two IMX535 cameras in the 10GigE SFP+ HR series, HR-12000-SB-M (mono) and HR-12000-SB-C (color); two IMX535 cameras in the RJ45 10GigE HT series: the HT-12000-SB-M (mono) and HT-12000-SB-C (color); and two IMX535 cameras in the 25GigE SFP28 HB series: the IMX535 HB-12000-SB-M (mono) and the HB-12000-SB-C (color). All six cameras deliver 4096 x 3000 (12.4MP) images. The HR and HT cameras reach up to 100 fps while the HB models clock in at 192 fps.

IMX536 Cameras

The next sensor offers a similar trade of pixels for speed. Two IMX536 cameras in the HR series feature the high-speed 10GigE SFP+ interface: the HR-8000-SB-M (mono) and the HR-8000-SB-C (color). In the HT series, two IMX536 cameras, the RJ45 10GBaseT equipped HT-8000-SB-M (mono) and HT-8000-SB-C (color), are available. These cameras capture 2840 x 2840 (8.1MP) images at 145 fps. Two IMX536 cameras, HB-8000-SB-M (mono) and HB-8000-SB-C (color), leverage the 25GigE SFP28 interface to produce 2840 x 2840 (8.1MP) images at up to 201 fps

IMX537 Cameras

Where maximum capture speed is critical, there are several options. Emergent Vision offers two IMX537 cameras in the 10GigE SFP+ HR series: the HR-5000-SB-M (mono) and the HR-5000-SB-C (color); two IMX537 cameras in the RJ45 10GBaseT HT series: the HT-5000-SB-M (mono) and HT-5000-SB-C (color); and two IMX537 cameras in the 25GigE SFP28 HB series: HB-5000-SB-M (mono) and HB-5000-SB-C (color). These cameras capture 2448 x 2048 (5.1MP) images. The HR and HT cameras have a maximum frame rate of 240 fps, while the HB cameras reach 269 fps.

Figure 3: Sony Pregius S come in smaller chip sizes but capture larger areas. (Image credit: Sony).

Figure 3: Sony Pregius S come in smaller chip sizes but capture larger areas. (Image credit: Sony).

Standard-Speed Cameras

Emergent Vision Technologies also offers cameras with Pregius S standard-speed sensors, which range from 35 to 122 fps and are designated as the IMX540, IMX541, IMX542, IMX545, IMX546, and IMX547.

IMX540 Cameras

Emergent Vision uses the IMX540 CMOS sensor in four cameras. The 10GigE SFP+ HR series IMX540 cameras are the HR-25000-SBL-M (mono) and the HR-25000-SBL-C (color). The RJ45 10GBaseT HT series IMX540 cameras are the HT-25000-SBL-M (mono) and the HT-25000-SBL-C (color). All the cameras capture 5320 x 4600 (24.47MP) images at up to 35 fps.

IMX541 Cameras

Next in the product lineup are the 20.8MP cameras. At this resolution, there are two 10GigE SFP+ HR series IMX540 cameras: the HR-20000-SBL-M (mono) and the HR-20000-SBL-C (color) and two RJ45 10GBaseT HT series IMX540 cameras: the HT-20000-SBL-M (mono) and the HT-20000-SBL-C (color). All the cameras capture 4504 x 4504 (20.8MP) images at speeds up to 43 fps.

IMX542 Cameras

As with the high-speed sensors, these cameras provide multiple options for solving complex technical challenges. For slower motion capture, there is the 10GigE SFP+ HR series IMX542 cameras, specifically the HR-16000-SBL-M (mono) and HR-16000-SBL-C (color) and the two RJ45 10GBaseT HT series IMX542 cameras —  the HT-16000-SBL-M (mono) and HT-16000-SBL-C (color). Resolution with these cameras is 5320 x 3032 (16.13MP) at up to 52 fps.

IMX545 Cameras

Two IMX545 cameras in the HR series include the high-speed 10GigE SFP+ interface: the HR-12000-SBL-M (mono) and HR-12000-SBL-C (color). Two other IMX545 cameras use the RJ45 10GBaseT, the HT-12000-SBL-M (mono), and HT-12000-SBL-C (color) cameras. These cameras capture 2840 x 2840 (12.4MP) images at up to 68 fps.

IMX546 Cameras

Two 10GigE SFP+ HR series IMX546 cameras are offered: the HR-8000-SBL-M (mono) and HR-8000-SBL-C (color). If RJ45 10GBaseT networking is required, the HT series provides an additional two IMX546 cameras: the HT-8000-SBL-M (mono) and HT-8000-SBL-C (color) cameras. These cameras deliver 4096 x 3000 (8.1MP) images at up to 73 fps.

IMX547 Cameras

Emergent Vision completes its standard-speed line of fourth-generation Pregius cameras with the IMX547 CMOS sensor. Two IMX547 cameras are included in the HR series: the HR-5000-SBL-M (mono) and HR-5000-SBL-C (color). Both cameras have the high-speed 10GigE SFP+ interface. And as with the company’s other offers, there are also two IMX547 cameras in the RJ45 10GBaseT HT series: the HT-5000-SBL-M (mono) and HT-5000-SBL-C (color). Each camera is capable of 99 fps at 2448 x 2048 (5.1MP) resolution.

About Emergent Vision Technologies

Emergent Vision Technologies was founded in 2007 in Vancouver, Canada. We are an award-winning company based on achievements such as:

  • 2010: First camera company to launch 10GigE camera product line.
  • 2018: First camera company to launch 25GigE camera product line.
  • 2018: First camera company to launch 10GigE and 25GigE line scan camera product line.
  • 2020: First camera company to launch 50GigE and 100GigE camera product line.

We leverage 40-plus years of imaging experience in fields such as life science, security, and industrial machine vision. We are experts at converting bleeding-edge sensor and camera technologies in practical solutions for meeting critical customer needs.

With our global network of highly qualified partners and distributors, we offer individual application consulting and support. Our online Knowledge Base provides various white papers, application notes, and other resources to accelerate your system specification and development. Please contact us to learn what our ground-breaking machine vision products can do for you!