JAI's 1.4-Megapixel Cameras Suit Outdoor Use

JAI has added the BM-141GE (monochrome) and the BB-141GE (Bayer colour) 1.4 megapixel cameras to its C3 Basic series. These cameras, which feature a GigE Vision interface, are particularly suited to the changing lighting conditions of outdoor applications. The megapixel resolution of these cameras provides outstanding image quality. The BM-141GE and BB-141GE are based on Sony's ICX-285 2/3in progressive scan CCD (1392 x 1040 pixels), providing excellent sensitivity and spectral response.

This sensor uses its 6.45um pixel size and improved microlens technology to provide higher overall sensitivity (as low as 0.03 lux) with low smear characteristics. It also features extended spectral response in the near-IR region, offering roughly four-times the sensitivity of conventional sensors at a 945nm wavelength. The BM-141GE and BB-141GE combine sophisticated circuit design and thermal-management techniques to deliver a signal-to-noise ratio of greater than 58 dB, producing high-quality images even in night-time illuminated situations.

Both cameras feature an Automatic Exposure Function that simultaneously controls gain, shutter and lens iris to maintain optimum exposure levels across a range of changing lighting conditions, which often occur in outdoor surveillance/security and traffic applications. The BM/BB-141GE cameras offer pre-set shutter speeds of up to 1/10,000 a second.

They feature programmable exposures as short as 63us for capturing fast-moving objects. The trigger modes provided include reset continuous triggering (RCT), which enables the camera to operate in continuous mode while awaiting a trigger signal. This allows triggering to be used without sacrificing the cameras' auto-exposure capabilities. The decimation readout feature makes it possible to thin-out the number of lines read out from the CCD chip to obtain a draft-mode image.

This draft mode is particularly useful in traffic and security applications characterised by idle time between events. During the idle time, the camera runs in draft mode (with reduced image-size) which frees up data-transmission bandwidth and saves computing power.

Other features, such as sequence trigger mode, fixed/variable partial scanning, pre-processing, a fast pixel clock frequency (58MHz), 30 frames/sec and NIR-capabilities, make these cameras useful for machine-vision applications such as food sorting and medical applications (life science and spectroscopy identifying or investigating sample composition of human tissue).

The JAI GigE Vision Camera Software package contains all SDK components required for easily integrating the cameras into vision applications. The SDK also contains a JAI control tool and an efficient filter driver.