JAI announced an expansion of the Go-X Series of small machine vision cameras to include 24 new global shutter camera models featuring the latest Sony Pregius S CMOS sensors. The additional models are divided into two interface groups, with 12 models having CoaXPress 2.0 interfaces and 12 models having GigE Vision (1000BASE-T) interfaces. 12 additional Go-X Series cameras featuring GigE Vision interfaces operating at 5GBASE-T speeds are planned for later this year.
Pregius S sensors feature backside illumination to support smaller pixel sizes without sacrificing sensitivity. JAI has leveraged this technology to provide customers with significantly higher resolution options while still maintaining the compact size of the Go-X Series cameras. While the Go-X Series previously offered resolutions ranging from 2.3 megapixels to 12.3 megapixels, the additional models now extend that range up to 24.5 megapixels. Yet thanks to the 2.74 µm pixel size, even the new 24.5-megapixel Go-X Series cameras have the same 29 mm x 29 mm size as the other models and a 1.2" optical format compatible with C-mount lenses. Camera lengths vary from 51.5 mm to 55 mm depending on the interface.
The specific resolutions of the new cameras are:
• 5.1 megapixels (2472 x 2064 pixels)
• 8.1 megapixels (2856 x 2848 pixels)
• 12.4 megapixels (4128 x 3008 pixels)
• 16.2 megapixels (5328 x 3040 pixels)
• 20.3 megapixels (4512 x 4512 pixels)
• 24.5 megapixels (5328 x 4608 pixels)
Monochrome and color models with two different interfaces are offered at each resolution. Color models provide raw Bayer output and include an in-camera debayering function for RGB output. Formats include 8/10/12-bit monochrome, 8/10/12-bit Bayer, or 24/30/36-bit RGB output.
The 12 models with CoaXPress interfaces add a third interface option to the Go-X Series, which previously offered cameras with either GigE Vision or USB3 Vision interfaces. These CoaXPress cameras are designed for applications requiring increased performance in terms of resolution and frame rate, while still maintaining a small body size and price. They are equipped with a single CXP-6 connector providing 6.25 Gbps of bandwidth and speeds ranging from 24 fps for 24.5-megapixel output, up to 112 fps for the 5.1-megapixel models.
The 12 new GigE Vision models offer the networking capabilities and the grabber-less connections that have made this interface standard so popular in the machine vision industry. They operate at speeds from 4 fps for 24.5-megapixel output to 23 fps for 5.1 megapixels, as dictated by the 1 Gbps limit of the interface. For customers wanting the convenience and flexibility of the GigE Vision standard, but needing higher frame rates, JAI has included a lossless compression function called "Xpress" in the new GigE Vision monochrome models. The Xpress compression algorithm encodes redundant image information to reduce the size of the data being output from the camera while enabling it to be fully reconstructed by software running on the host processor. The amount of compression that can be achieved varies depending on the scene, but size reductions of 30% are common. Such reductions can generate frame rate increases of 40% or more or can be used to allow more cameras to share limited bandwidth.
Both the CoaXPress models and the GigE Vision models can accept power and triggering over the interface or via a separate 6-pin connector.
All of the new models also include a flexible, sub-pixel scaling function called "Xscale." Xscale provides an alternative to traditional binning which is limited to "whole" pixels, such as 2x1, 2x2, 4x4, etc. Instead, Xscale, supports the use of floating-point numbers to create virtual pixels that include "fractions" of various pixels to help match pixel sizes, optical formats, and resolutions when replacing older cameras. In addition, while traditional binning can only be used on monochrome cameras, Xscale can be used with monochrome, Bayer, or RGB formats. Xscale can independently scale in the horizontal and vertical directions and can scale up to 16x the 2.74 µm base pixel size of the new cameras.
The new cameras join the 24 existing Go-X Series GigE Vision and USB3 Vision cameras to bring the total size of the series up to 48 models. All Go-X cameras feature high shock and vibration ratings of 80G and 10G, respectively, and are designed to optimally dissipate heat to avoid breakdowns in typical industrial environments and under non-stop operating conditions. Like the original models, the new models carry a six-year warranty.
