JAI has introduced the GO-5000M-PMCL and GO-5000C-PMCL – the first models in the Go Series, a new line of small, fast, and versatile entry-level industrial cameras. The new cameras are built around the same 5-megapixel CMOS imager featured in the company’s high performance Spark SP-5000 cameras, but offer a smaller form factor (29 mm x 29 mm x 41.5 mm, excluding lens mount) and weigh only 46 grams – one of the lightest cameras available at this resolution.
Despite their small stature, the GO-5000 cameras deliver full 5-megapixel output (2560 x 2048 pixels) at up to 107 frames per second over a two-channel, Power-over-Mini-Camera-Link interface. More importantly, the cameras’ combination of 5 micron square pixels and versatile ROI capabilities, enable them to be easily configured to meet a wide range of customer requirements for resolution, speed, and optical formats.
For example, by creating a centered 1920 x 1080 ROI, users can configure the GO-5000 to provide high-speed 1080p HD video that fits completely within the optical format of a 2/3” C-mount lens. This is in contrast to CMOS cameras with 5.5 micron pixels which generate 1080p image sizes that are slightly larger than the standard 2/3” optical circle, thus requiring more expensive 1” image optics to ensure that vignetting will not occur.
Other ROI examples include configuring the GO-5000 to operate as a VGA camera (640 x 480 pixels) with 1/3” optics at a frame rate of nearly 450 fps. Or, users can apply 2x2 binning to the GO-5000M-PMCL monochrome camera to create a camera with 1.3-megapixel output and the high sensitivity and signal-to-noise characteristics that come from what is effectively an array of 10 micron square pixels.
Like the original Spark SP-5000, the GO-5000’s imager features a combination of analog and digital gain controls to reduce the amount of quantized noise in low-light images compared to conventional CMOS cameras offering digital gain functions alone. On the color model (GO-5000C-PMCL), an on-chip 4-channel analog gain function is utilized to allow individual adjustment of R, G1, G2, and B information for better white balancing and shading correction with reduced noise.
Also included is JAI’s Auto Level Control (ALC) that combines auto gain, and auto shutter capabilities in an integrated function to let users optimize their auto exposure control for lowest noise, fastest shutter, or other priorities.
The dual Mini Camera Link interface can be configured to support different data rate requirements using Base, Medium or Full configurations. Power is supplied through one of the two Mini Camera Link connectors.
The versatility of these cameras, coupled with a low list price, makes them adaptable to a wide range of machine vision applications. Their small size and light weight are ideal for applications which require repetitive camera movement, robotics/unmanned vehicles, or mounting in tight spaces.
Although these are the first Go Series cameras, JAI is currently working on additional GO-5000 models with GigE Vision, and USB3 Vision interfaces. Several other imagers are also being considered for inclusion in the Go Series.
The cameras are also available from Stemmer Imaging.
