Visible to SWIR sensors that cover both the visible and short wave infrared spectrum, are now available, affordable, and well-suited for a range of imaging applications. Previously one might have needed two different sensors – and cameras – but Allied Vision’s Alvium 1800 U/C-030 and Alvium 1800 U/C-130 take advantage of Sony’s innovative InGaAs SenSWIR sensor technology to provide coverage across the visible to SWIR spectrum with the Sony IMX991.
Alvium VSWIR with MIPI CSI-2 and USB3 Vision interfaces
These Alvium 1800 VSWIR cameras can be used from 400 nm to 1700 nm, and are the smallest industrial-grade, uncooled SWIR core modules on the market. With their compact design, low power consumption, and light weight, they are the ideal solution for compact OEM systems used in embedded and machine vision applications.
The 030 models use a ¼”sensor with framerates to 223 fps, while the 130 models use a ½” sensor with framerates to 119 fps. Both are available with USB3 Vision or MIPI CSI-2 interfaces, in housed, open, or board-level configurations.
Contact us at 1stVision with a brief idea of your application, and we will contact you to discuss camera options. support and / or pricing.
1st Vision’s sales engineers have an average of 20 years experience to assist in your camera selection. Representing the largest portfolio of industry leading brands in imaging components, we can help you design the optimal vision solution for your application.
1st Vision is the most experienced distributor in the U.S. of machine vision cameras, lenses, frame grabbers, cables, lighting, and software in the industry.
Imaging outcomes depend crucially on contrast. It is only by making a feature “pop” relative to the larger image field in which the feature lies, that the feature can be optimally identified by machine vision software.
While sensor choice, lensing, and lighting are important aspects in building machine vision solutions with effective contrast creation, effective selection and application of filters can provide additional leverage for many applications. Often overlooked or misunderstood, here we provide a first-look at machine vision filter concepts and benefits.
Before and after applying filters
In the 4 image pairs above, each left-half image was generated with the same sensor, lighting, and exposure duration as the corresponding right-half images. But the right-half images have had filters applied to reduce glare or scratch-induced scatter, separate or block certain wavelengths, for example. If your brain finds the left-half images to be difficult to discern, image processing software wouldn’t be “happy” with the left-half either!
While there are also filtering benefits in color and SWIR imaging, it is worth noting that we started above with examples shown in monochrome. Surprising to many, it can often be both more effective and less expensive to create machine vision solutions in the monochrome space – often with filters – than in color. This may seem counter-intuitive, since most humans enjoy color vision, and use if effectively when driving, judging produce quality, choosing clothing that matches our skin tone, etc. But compared to using single-sensor color cameras, monochrome single sensor cameras paired with appropriate filters:
can offer higher contrast and better resolution
provide better signal-to-noise ratio
can be narrowed to sensitivity in near-ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared spectrums
These features give monochrome cameras a significant advantage when it comes to optical character recognition and verification, barcode reading, scratch or crack detection, wavelength separation and more. Depending on your application, monochrome cameras can be three times more efficient than color cameras.
Identify red vs. blue items
Color cameras may be the first thought when separating items by color, but it can be more efficient and effective to use a monochrome camera with a color bandpass filter. As shown above, to brighten or highlight an item that is predominantly red, using a red filter to transmit only the red portion of the spectrum can be used, blocking the rest of the transmitted light. The reverse can also work, using a blue filter to pass blue wavelengths while blocking red and other wavelengths.
Here we have touched on just a few examples, to whet the appetite. We anticipate developing a Tech Brief with a more in depth treatment of filters and their applications. We partner with Midwest Optical to offer you a wide range of filters for diverse application solutions.
1st Vision’s sales engineers have an average of 20 years experience to assist in your camera selection. Representing the largest portfolio of industry leading brands in imaging components, we can help you design the optimal vision solution for your application.
1st Vision is the most experienced distributor in the U.S. of machine vision cameras, lenses, frame grabbers, cables, lighting, and software in the industry.
1stVision is pleased to announce that Allied Vision has released three fourth-generation Sony IMX sensors with Pregius S global shutter technology to its Alvium 1800 U camera series. With the new models Alvium 1800 U-511 (Sony IMX547), Alvium 1800 U-811 (Sony IMX546) and Alvium 1800 U-1242 (Sony IMX545), the Alvium camera series with USB3 interface now comprises 19 models. All cameras are available in different housing variants (closed housing, open housing, bareboard), as monochrome or color cameras, and with different lens mount options. The USB port can be located either on the back of the camera or on the left side (as seen from the sensor).
AVT Alvium housed, bareboard, and open variants
To highlight just one key point about each new camera:
Alvium U-511: First 5.1 Mpix global shutter Sony sensor for S-mount lens
Alvium U-811: Square 8 Mpix sensor ideal for round or square objects, and microscopy
Alvium U-1242: Same resolution with smaller sensor as 2nd gen IMX304
Model
Alvium 1800 U-511
Alvium 1800 U-811
Alvium 1800 U-1242
Sensor
Sony IMX547
Sony IMX546
Sony IMX545
Sensor type
CMOS Global shutter
CMOS Global shutter
CMOS Global shutter
Sensor size
Type 1/1.8
Type 2/3
Type 1/1.1
Pixel size
2.74 μm × 2.74 μm
2.74 μm × 2.74 μm
2.74 μm × 2.74 μm
Resolution
5.1 MP 2464 × 2064
8.1 MP 2848 × 2848
12.4 MP 4128 × 3008
Frame rate
78 fps (@450MB/s)
51 fps(@450MB/s)
33 fps(@450MB/s)
Key attributes at a glance
All cameras are available with different housing variants (closed housing, open housing, bareboard) as well as different lens mount options, according to your application’s requirements.
Contact us at 1stVision with a brief idea of your application, and we will contact you to discuss camera options. support and / or pricing.
1st Vision’s sales engineers have an average of 20 years experience to assist in your camera selection. Representing the largest portfolio of industry leading brands in imaging components, we can help you design the optimal vision solution for your application.
1st Vision is the most experienced distributor in the U.S. of machine vision cameras, lenses, frame grabbers, cables, lighting, and software in the industry.
The IDS uEye XLE family is now available to 1stVision customers. These versatile cameras are designed for high-volume price-sensitive projects needing basic functions without special features. Suitable applications include but are not limited to manufacturing, metrology, traffic, and agriculture.
IDS uEye XLE board-level and housed options
Thanks to different housing variants, extremely compact dimensions and modern USB3 Vision interface, uEye XLE cameras can be easily integrated into any image processing system. Housing variants include housed and board-level, with different lens mount options.
Currently there are 10 family members, each available with monochrome or color CMOS sensors, from 2 – 5MPixel. Cameras have excellent low-light performance, thanks to BSI “Back Side Illumination” pixel technology.
With a USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface, all XLE models communicate via the USB3 Vision protocol, and are 100 percent GenICam-compliant. So you may easily operate and program the cameras with the IDS peak SDK, as well as other industry-standard software.
1st Vision’s sales engineers have an average of 20 years experience to assist in your camera selection. Representing the largest portfolio of industry leading brands in imaging components, we can help you design the optimal vision solution for your application.
1st Vision is the most experienced distributor in the U.S. of machine vision cameras, lenses, frame grabbers, cables, lighting, and software in the industry.
