Sensor Overview
Table of Contents
Image data flow
The following block diagrams show the data flow of the image data after being read from the sensor chip in the camera.
Output sequence of color sensors (RGB Bayer)
Bilinear interpolation of color sensors (RGB Bayer)
For Bayer demosaicing in the camera, we use bilinear interpolation:
-
Interpolation of green pixels: the average of the upper, lower, left and right pixel values is assigned as the G value of the interpolated pixel.
For example:(G3+G7+G9+G13) G8 = -------------- 4
For G7:(G1+G3+G11+G13) G7_new = 0.5 * G7 + 0.5 * --------------- 4 -
Interpolation of red/blue pixels:
Interpolation of a red/blue pixel at a green position: the average of two adjacent pixel values in corresponding color is assigned to the interpolated pixel.
For example:(B6+B8) (R2+R12) B7 = ------- ; R7 = -------- 2 2
Interpolation of a red/blue pixel at a blue/red position: the average of four adjacent diagonal pixel values is assigned to the interpolated pixel.
For example:(R2+R4+R12+R14) (B6+B8+B16+B18) R8 = --------------- ; B12 = --------------- 4 4
Any colored edge which might appear is due to Bayer false color artifacts.
- Note
- There are more advanced and adaptive methods (like edge sensitive ones) available if the host is doing this debayering.
CMOS sensors
Details of operation
The CMOS sensors offer two different modes of operation:
- Free running mode (Overlapping integration and readout)
- Snapshot mode (Sequential integration and readout)
Free running mode
In free running mode, the sensor reaches its maximum frame rate. This is done by overlapping erase, integration and readout phase. The sensor timing in free running mode is fixed, so there is no control when to start an acquisition. This mode is used with trigger mode Continuous.
Snapshot mode
In snapshot mode, the image acquisition process consists off several sequential phases:
- Trigger
- Erase, exposure and readout
Trigger
Snapshot mode starts with a trigger. This can be either a hardware or a software signal.
The CMOS sensors support the following trigger modes:
| Description | Setting in GenICam™ |
| Free running, no external trigger signal needed (formerly known as Continuous). | "TriggerSelector = FrameStart" "TriggerMode = Off" |
| Image acquisition triggered by command (software trigger; formerly known as OnDemand). | "TriggerSelector = FrameStart" "TriggerMode = On" "TriggerSource = Software" "ExposureMode = Timed" To trigger one frame execute the TriggerSoftware@i command then. |
| Start an exposure of a frame as long as the trigger input is below the trigger threshold (formerly known as OnLowLevel). | "TriggerSelector = AcquisitionActive" "TriggerMode = On" "TriggerSource = <desired Line>" "TriggerActivation = LevelLow" "ExposureMode = Timed" |
| Start an exposure of a frame as long as the trigger input is above the trigger threshold (formerly known as OnHighLevel). | "TriggerSelector = AcquisitionActive" "TriggerMode = On" "TriggerSource = <desired Line>" "TriggerActivation = LevelHigh" "ExposureMode = Timed" |
If an external trigger signal occurs (e.g. high or low), the sensor will start to expose and readout one image. Now, if the trigger signal is still available, the sensor will start to expose and readout the next image (see figure 12, upper part). This will lead to an acquisition just like using continuous trigger.
If you want to avoid this effect, you have to adjust the trigger signal. As you can see in figure 3 (lower part), the possible period is small.
Example
External synchronized image acquisition (high active)
- Trigger modes
- OnHighLevel:
The high level of the trigger has to be shorter than the frame time. In this case, the sensor will make one image exactly. If the high time is longer, there will be images with the possible frequency of the sensor as long as the high level takes. The first image will start with the low-high edge of the signal. The integration time of the exposure register will be used. - OnLowLevel:
The first image will start with the high-low edge of the signal.
- OnHighLevel:
Erase, exposure and readout
All pixels are light sensitive at the same period of time. The whole pixel core is reset simultaneously and after the exposure time all pixel values are sampled together on the storage node inside each pixel. The pixel core is read out line-by-line after integration.
Models
The CMOS sensor modules incorporate the following features:
Sony Pregius S
| Sensors | 5.1 Mpix (-2051d) | 8.1 Mpix (-2081a) | 12.4 Mpix (-2124d) | 16.2 Mpix (-2162) | 20.4 Mpix (-2204) | 24.6 Mpix (-2246) |
| Sensor supplier | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony |
| Sensor name | IMX547 | IMX546 | IMX545 | IMX542 | IMX541 | IMX540 |
| Res. | 2472 x 2064 gray scale / RGB | 2856 x 2848 gray scale / RGB | 4128 x 3008 gray scale / RGB | 5328 x 3040 gray scale / RGB | 4512 x 4512 gray scale / RGB | 5328 x 4608 gray scale / RGB |
| Sensor size | 1/1.8" | 2/3" | 1/1.1" | 1.1" | 1.1" | 1.2" |
| Max. FPS (in free-running full frame mode) | 74.0 | 46.7 | 30.6 | 23.4 | 18.7 | 15.5 |
| FPS exactness | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| ADC resolution / Out | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 |
| SNRmax [dB]1/ | 40.5 | 43.8 | 40.3 | 39.8 | 39.7 | 39.8 |
| DR (normal / HDR) [dB]1/ | 70.3 | 70.2 | 70.1 | 70.6 | 70.7 | 70.4 |
| Rolling shutter | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Global shutter | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Global Reset | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Trigger (HW / SW) | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X |
| Pipelined GS | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Linescan mode | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| High color reproductivity (for color version) | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Power consumption [W] | approx. 2.7 | approx. 2.7 | approx. 2.7 | approx. 3.0 | approx. 3.2 | approx. 4.0 |
| More specific data | mvBlueFOX3-2051d / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0051D (5.1 Mpix [2472 x 2064]) | mvBlueFOX3-2081a / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0081A (8.1 Mpix [2856 x 2848]) | mvBlueFOX3-2124d / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0124D (12.4 Mpix [4128 x 3008]) | mvBlueFOX3-2162 / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0162A (16.2 Mpix [5328 x 3040]) | mvBlueFOX3-2204 / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0204A (20.5 Mpix [4512 x 4512]) | mvBlueFOX3-2246 / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0246A (24.6 Mpix [5328 x 4608]) |
Sony Pregius
| Sensors | 0.4 Mpix (-2004) | 1.6 Mpix (-2016) | 1.7 Mpix (-2017) | 2.4 Mpix (-2024) | 2.4 Mpix (-2024a) | 2.4 Mpix (-0024B) | 3.2 Mpix (-2032) | 3.2 Mpix (-2032a) | 5.1 Mpix (-2051) | 5.1 Mpix (-2051a) | 7.1 Mpix (-2071) | 7.1 Mpix (-2071a) | 8.9 Mpix (-2089) | 8.9 Mpix (-2089a) | 12.4 Mpix (-2124) | 12.4 Mpix (-2124a) | 16.9 Mpix (-0169Z) | 19.6 Mpix (-0196Z) | 31.5 Mpix (-0315Z) |
| Sensor supplier | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony | Sony |
| Sensor name | IMX287 | IMX273 | IMX425 | IMX174 | IMX249 | IMX392 | IMX252 | IMX265 | IMX250 | IMX264 | IMX420 | IMX428 | IMX255 | IMX267 | IMX253 | IMX304 | IMX387 | IMX367 | IMX342 |
| Res. | 728 x 544 gray scale / RGB | 1456 x 1088 gray scale / RGB | 1600 x 1104 gray scale / RGB | 1936 x 1216 gray scale / RGB | 1936 x 1216 gray scale / RGB | 1936 x 1216 gray scale / RGB | 2064 x 1544 gray scale / RGB | 2064 x 1544 gray scale / RGB | 2464 x 2056 gray scale / RGB | 2464 x 2056 gray scale / RGB | 3216 x 2208 gray scale / RGB | 3216 x 2208 gray scale / RGB | 4112 x 2176 gray scale / RGB | 4112 x 2176 gray scale / RGB | 4112 x 3008 gray scale / RGB | 4112 x 3008 gray scale / RGB | 5472 x 3084 gray scale / RGB | 4432 x 4432 gray scale / RGB | 6480 x 4856 gray scale / RGB |
| Sensor size | 1/2.9" | 1/2.9" | 1.1" | 1/1.2" | 1/1.2" | 1/2.3" | 1/1.8" | 1/1.8" | 2/3" | 2/3" | 1.1" | 1.1" | 1" | 1" | 1.1" | 1.1" | 4/3" | 4/3" | APS-C |
| Max. FPS (in free-running full frame mode) | 436.9 | 226.5 | 212.9 | 164 | 166 | 46.9 | 123 | 55 | 80 | 35 | 53.5 | 50.9 | 47 | 32 | 34 | 23 | 22.5 | 19.3 | 12.1 |
| FPS exactness | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| ADC resolution / Out | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 |
| SNRmax [dB]1/ | 43.3 | 40.2 | 49.9 | 45.1 | 45.1 | 40.2 | 40.3 | 40.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 | 43.8 | 43.9 | 40.2 | 40.2 | 40.2 | 40.2 | 40.2 | 40.1 | 39.7 |
| DR (normal / HDR) [dB]1/ | 74.2 / | 71.4 / | 72.4 / | 66.4 / | 73.0 / | 71.4 / | 71.1 / | 71.3 / | 71.2 / | 71.3 / | 71.7 | 71.8 | 71.1 / | 71.0 | 70.9 / | 71.0 | 70.8 | 70.7 | 69.8 |
| Rolling shutter | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Global shutter | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Global Reset | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Trigger (HW / SW) | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X |
| Pipelined GS | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Linescan mode | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| High color reproductivity (for color version) | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Power consumption [W] | approx. 3.2 | approx. 3.5 | approx. 4.5 | approx. 3.4 | approx. 2.8 | approx. 3.4 | approx. 3.6 | approx. 3.0 | approx. 3.6 | approx. 3.0 | approx. 4.4 | approx. 4.0 | approx. 4.0 | approx. 4.0 | approx. 4.0 | approx. 4.0 | approx. 4.9 | approx. 4.9 | approx. 4.9 (BVS CA-SF4) | 5 (BVS CA-SF5)2 |
| More specific data | mvBlueFOX3-2004 / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0004F (0.4 Mpix [728 x 544]) | mvBlueFOX3-2016 / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0016Z (1.6 Mpix [1456 x 1088]) | mvBlueFOX3-2017 / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0017Z (1.8 Mpix [1600 x 1104]) | mvBlueFOX3-2024 / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0024ZG (2.4 Mpix [1936 x 1216]) | mvBlueFOX3-2024a / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0024A (2.4 Mpix [1936 x 1216]) | mvBlueFOX3-2024b / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0024B (2.4 Mpix [1936 x 1216]) | mvBlueFOX3-2032 / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0032Z (3.2 Mpix [2064 x 1544]) | mvBlueFOX3-2032a / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0032A (3.2 Mpix [2064 x 1544]) | mvBlueFOX3-2051 / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0051Z (5.1 Mpix [2464 x 2056]) | mvBlueFOX3-2051a / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0051A (5.1 Mpix [2464 x 2056]) | BVS CA-SF2-0071Z / mvBlueFOX3-2071 (7.1 Mpix [3216 x 2208]) | BVS CA-SF2-0071A / mvBlueFOX3-2071a (7.1 Mpix [3216 x 2208]) | mvBlueFOX3-2089 / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0089Z (8.9 Mpix [4112 x 2176]) | mvBlueFOX3-2089a / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0089A (8.9 Mpix [4112 x 2176]) | mvBlueFOX3-2124 / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0124Z (12.4 Mpix [4112 x 3008]) | mvBlueFOX3-2124a / [BVS CA-SF2|BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0124A (12.4 Mpix [4112 x 3008]) | [BVS CA-SF4|BF3-4]-0169Z / [BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0169Z (16.9 Mpix [5472 x 3080]) | [BVS CA-SF4|BF3-4]-0196Z / [BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0196Z (19.6 Mpix [4432 x 4432]) | [BVS CA-SF4|BF3-4]-0315Z / [BVS CA-SF5|BF3-5M]-0315Z (31.5 Mpix [6480 x 4856]) |
1 Measured accord. to EMVA1288 with gray scale version of the camera
2 Connection via Type C recommended VBUS>900mA
Sony Starvis
| Sensors | 6.4 Mpix (-064) | 12.4 Mpix (-124r) | 20.5 Mpix (-205) |
| Sensor supplier | Sony | Sony | Sony |
| Sensor name | IMX178 | IMX226 | IMX183 |
| Res. | 3096 x 2080 gray scale / RGB | 4064 x 3044 gray scale / RGB | 5544 x 3692 gray scale / RGB |
| Sensor size | 1/1.8" | 1/1.7" | 1" |
| Max. FPS (in free-running full frame mode) | 59 | 30.7 | 18.6 |
| FPS exactness | - | - | - |
| ADC resolution / Out | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 |
| SNRmax [dB]1/ | 41.6 | 40.3 | 41.6 |
| DR (normal / HDR) [dB]1/ | 71.6 | 69.2 | 71.5 |
| Rolling shutter | X | X | X |
| Global shutter | - | - | - |
| Global Reset | - | - | - |
| Trigger (HW / SW) | - / X | - / X | - / X |
| Pipelined GS | - | - | - |
| Linescan mode | - | - | - |
| High color reproductivity (for color version) | X | X | X |
| Power consumption [W] | approx. 2.9 | approx. 2.9 | approx. 2.9 |
| More specific data | -0064Z | -0124R | -0205Z |
1 Measured accord. to EMVA1288 with gray scale version of the camera
Sony Polarsens
| Sensors | 5.1 Mpix (-2051p) |
| Sensor supplier | Sony |
| Sensor name | IMX250_POL |
| Res. | 2464 x 2056 gray scale / RGB |
| Sensor size | 2/3" |
| Max. FPS (in free-running full frame mode) | 80 |
| FPS exactness | - |
| ADC resolution / Out | 12 / 12, 10, 8 |
| SNRmax [dB]1/ | 40.2 |
| DR (normal / HDR) [dB]1/ | 71.2 |
| Rolling shutter | - |
| Global shutter | X |
| Global Reset | - |
| Trigger (HW / SW) | X / X |
| Pipelined GS | X |
| Linescan mode | - |
| High color reproductivity (for color version) | X |
| Power consumption [W] | approx. 3.6 |
| More specific data | -0051P |
1 Measured accord. to EMVA1288 with gray scale version of the camera
Sony SenSWIR
| Sensors | 1.3 Mpix (-2013s) | 5.3 Mpix (-2053s) |
| Sensor supplier | Sony | Sony |
| Sensor name | IMX990 | IMX992 |
| Res. | 1296 x 1032 gray scale | 2592 x 2056 gray scale |
| Sensor size | 1/2" | 1/1.4" |
| Max. FPS (in free-running full frame mode) | 125 [burst mode required] / 125 [streaming] | 120.6 [burst mode required] / 71.3 [streaming] |
| FPS exactness | - | - |
| ADC resolution / Out | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 |
| SNRmax [dB]1/ | tbd | tbd |
| DR (normal / HDR) [dB]1/ | tbd | tbd |
| Rolling shutter | - | - |
| Global shutter | X | X |
| Global Reset | - | - |
| Trigger (HW / SW) | X / X | X / X |
| Pipelined GS | X | X |
| Linescan mode | - | - |
| High color reproductivity (for color version) | X | X |
| Power consumption @ 24 V [W] | approx. tbd W | approx. tbd W |
| More specific data | -0013S | -0053S |
1 Measured accord. to EMVA1288 with gray scale version of the camera
Aptina, CMOSIS, e2v
| Sensors | 1.2 Mpix (-x012b) | 1.2 Mpix (-x012d) | 1.3 Mpix (-x013) | 2 Mpix (-x020) | 2 Mpix (-x020a) | 3.1 Mpix (-x031) | 10 Mpix (-x100) | 14 Mpix (-x140) |
| Sensor supplier | Aptina | Aptina | e2v | e2v | e2v | Aptina | Aptina | Aptina |
| Sensor name | MT9M031 | MT9M034 | EV76C560 | EV76C570 | EV76C570 | AR0331 | MT9J003 | MT9F002 |
| Res. | 1280 x 960 gray scale / RGB | 1280 x 960 gray scale / RGB | 1280 x 1024 gray scale / RGB | 1600 x 1200 gray scale / RGB | 1600 x 1200 gray scale / RGB | 2048 x 1536 RGB | 3856 x 2764 gray scale / RGB | 4384 x 3288 RGB Bayer mosaic |
| Sensor size | 1/3" | 1/3" | 1/1.8" | 1/1.8" | 1/1.8" | 1/3" | 1/2.3" | 1/2.3" |
| Pixel clock [MHz] | 40 / 66 / 74.25 | 40 / 66 / 74.25 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 25 / 50 | 81.25 | 96.88 |
| Max. FPS (in free-running full frame mode) | 45.6 | 45.6 | 60 | 51 | 60 | 22.2 | 7 | 6 |
| FPS exactness | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| ADC resolution / Out [bit] | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 10 / (12), 10, 8 | 10 / (12)(HW / SW), 10, 8 | 10 / (12), 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / 12, 10, 8 | 12 / (12), 10, 8 |
| SNRmax [dB]1/ | 37.4 | 37.7 | 39 | 38.9 | 38.9 | 37.2 | 35.1 | |
| DR (normal / HDR) [dB]1/ | 54.3 / | 63.4 / | 50.5 / | 50.7 / | 50.5 / | / | 56 / | 57.3 / |
| Rolling shutter | - | X | - | - | - | X | X | X |
| Global shutter | X | - | X | X | X | - | - | - |
| Global Reset | - | - | - | - | - | X | X | X |
| Trigger (HW / SW) | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X | X / X |
| Pipelined GS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Linescan mode | - | - | available | available | available | - | - | - |
| High color reproductivity (for color version) | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Power consumption [W] | approx. 2.25 | approx. 2.3 | approx. 2.3 | approx. 2.25 | approx. 2.25 | approx. 2.45 | approx. 2.55 | approx. 2.25 |
| More specific data | -1012b | -1012d | -0013Z | -0020Z | -0020A | -0031Z | -0107Z | -1140 |
1 Measured accord. to EMVA1288 with gray scale version of the camera
Supported image formats
| Gray scale version | Color version |
| Mono8 | |
| Mono10 | |
| Mono12 | |
| Mono14 | |
| Mono16 | |
| RGB8Packed | |
| BGR8Packed | |
| BGRA8Packed | |
| BGR10V2Packed | |
| YUV422Packed | |
| YUV422_YUYVPacked | |
| YUV444Packed | |
- See also
- For more details about the image formats, please have a look at the enums "TImageDestinationPixelFormat" and "TImageBufferPixelFormat" in the C++ developers section.
An example application about the pixel formats is also available.
