New SMARTEK Vision GCP cameras with the next generation Sony Pregius sensors for production automation and monitoring

20 Oct 2015

SMARTEK Vision is extending its Giganetix Plus camera series with the GCP2061 and GCP2046 models. These new industrial cameras are equipped with the latest Sony Pregius Exmor image sensors IMX250 and IMX252, for precise image acquisition of fast moving objects and low-light and outdoor applications. The new CMOS sensors offer higher sensitivity with less noise compared to previous technology. The integration into existing applications and the replacement of expiring CCD sensors is working seamless.

SMARTEK Vision is expanding its flagship series Giganetix Plus cameras with two models GCP2061 and GCP2461, offering industrial end users and system integrators many unique features. With a high dynamic range of 70.9 dB, a very low read-noise value of 2.3 e- and high sensitivity, even in poor lighting conditions, these camera are suitable for many applications including outdoor and traffic monitoring, the resolution is 3.2 or 5.1 megapixels at a pixel size of 3.45 µm. Despite the reduction of the pixel size in favour of the optical format, allowing use of the popular C-Mount format, a similar performance to the high end IMX174 sensor is achieved. A variable-speed shutter function, a variety of exposure methods, a maximum of 64 definable regions of interest, and external trigger modes all enable efficient application control and image transmission.

André Brela, SMARTEK Vision Product Manager, explains the advantages of the new sensors in comparison to existing CCD technology: “With pixel size and format (2/3"), the new IMX250 sensor matches the values of the successful Sony 2-Tap CCD sensor ICX625, but achieves a significantly higher image quality at a higher framerate. Sensitivity, dynamic range, read noise and fill factor are superior in all respects to the recently discontinued Sony CCD sensors. The framerate will increase from 15 to 23 fps utilising the total available bandwidth of GigE Vision. Together with the excellent colour reproduction, the disappearance of the Tap-balance settings and the Multi-ROI feature known from the IMX174 sensor, the new cameras are an excellent choice to drive existing systems and to open up new fields of applications. By keeping the sensor format, existing C-Mount lenses can still be used and existing applications can be easily upgraded. We also support our customers with application-specific adaptations to integrate the cameras into their applications."

SMARTEK Vision is taking the next step with the GCP2061/2461 models and the Sony Pregius IMX250/252 image sensors, in terms of image processing in industrial automation and monitoring. With SMARTEK’s many years of experience designing industrial cameras, the Giganetix Plus series offers a good basis for applications with poor lighting conditions and short exposure times, e.g. high-speed automation, traffic monitoring, or sport filming. The high resolution and near infrared (NIR) sensitivity of the GCP cameras enables new system design and better performance for outdoor monitoring and border control applications.

Additional features of the Giganetix Plus series include fully GigE Vision-compliant hardware and driver interfaces, comprehensive Windows- and Linux-compatible Giganetix GigE Vision SDK and the use of industrial connectivity standards. This ensures seamless integration, in existing system environments, without compromising quality. The new camera models are available as samples from October 2015 with mass production starting at the end of Q4 2015 from exclusive distributor and imaging expert FRAMOS.