2026-07-31
The difference between industrial cameras and smart cameras, generally speaking, is that a smart camera is a highly integrated micro-machine vision system; while an industrial camera is one of the components of the machine vision system.
A smart camera is not a simple camera, but a highly integrated micro machine vision system. It integrates image acquisition, processing and communication functions into a single camera, thereby providing a multi-functional, modular, highly reliable and easy-to-implement machine vision solution. At the same time, due to the application of the latest DSP, FPGA and a large number of storage technologies, its degree of intelligence is constantly improving, and it can meet the application needs of a variety of machine vision.
Industrial cameras are an important component in machine vision systems. Their most basic function is to convert optical signals into ordered electrical signals. Choosing an appropriate industrial camera is also an important link in machine vision system design. It not only directly determines the resolution and image quality of the collected images, but also controls the operating mode of the entire system.
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Resolution | The number of pixels each time the camera collects images. For digital cameras, it generally corresponds directly to the number of pixels of the photoelectric sensor. For analog cameras, it depends on the video format. The PAL system is 768*576 and the NTSC system is 640*480. |
| Pixel depth | That is, the number of bits per pixel of data. Generally, 8Bit is commonly used. For digital cameras, there are generally 10Bit, 12Bit, etc. |
| Maximum frame rate/line frequency | The rate at which the camera collects and transmits images. For area scan cameras, it is generally the number of frames collected per second, and for line scan cameras, it is the number of lines collected per second. |
| Exposure method and shutter speed | For line array cameras, line-by-line exposure is used. You can choose the acquisition method of fixed line frequency and external trigger synchronization. The exposure time can be consistent with the line period, or you can set a fixed time; area array cameras have several common methods such as frame exposure, field exposure, and rolling line exposure. Digital cameras generally provide the function of external trigger acquisition. The shutter speed can generally reach 10 microseconds, and high-speed cameras can be even faster. |
| Pixel size | The pixel size and the number of pixels (resolution) jointly determine the size of the camera target surface. At present, the pixel size of digital cameras is generally 3μm-10μm. Generally, the smaller the pixel size, the more difficult it is to manufacture and the harder it is to improve the image quality. |
| Spectral response characteristics | Refers to the sensitivity characteristics of the pixel sensor to different light waves. The general response range is 350nm-1000nm. Some cameras add a filter in front of the target to filter out infrared light. If the system needs to be sensitive to infrared light, the filter can be removed. |
