What are the key factors to consider when selecting an industrial camera?

Industrial cameras, as a core component of machine vision systems, play a crucial role in modern manufacturing, automated inspection, and quality control. A suitable camera not only affects image resolution and quality but also the stability and accuracy of the overall vision system. So, what aspects should we focus on when selecting a camera?

I. Industrial Camera Types

Based on different sensor structures, industrial cameras are mainly divided into two categories: area scan cameras and line scan cameras:

Area Scan Cameras:Offer high spatial resolution, acquiring a complete two-dimensional image in a single scan, widely used in general inspection scenarios.

Line Scan Cameras:Perform high-speed scanning with single-row pixels, particularly suitable for imaging continuously moving objects, such as in printing, textiles, and high-speed sorting industries.

Furthermore, according to sensor chip type, industrial cameras can be divided into CCD and CMOS:

CCD Cameras:Offer stable image quality and low noise, but have higher manufacturing costs and currently have a lower market share.

CMOS Cameras:Offer high integration, low power consumption, and significant cost advantages, making them the mainstream choice in the current market.

II. Key Performance Parameters of Industrial Cameras

1. Selection of Black and White/Color Cameras

At the same resolution, black and white cameras generally offer higher imaging accuracy than color cameras, especially in tasks such as edge detection, contour extraction, and dimensional measurement.

Black and white cameras directly output grayscale information, offering fast processing speeds and low noise, making them the preferred choice for many industrial inspection scenarios; color cameras are better suited for color recognition and classification needs.

2. Resolution Calculation Method

Resolution needs to be calculated by working backwards from the detection accuracy and field of view (FOV)：

Camera single-direction resolution = Field of view ÷ Theoretical accuracy.

When choosing a resolution, system computing power must also be considered: higher resolution and higher frame rate place greater pressure on CPU/GPU performance and bandwidth, potentially leading to a decrease in processing speed. Therefore, a balance needs to be found between image quality and system performance.

3. Pixel Depth (Bit Depth)

The bit depth of a pixel (commonly 8-bit, 10-bit, or 12-bit) reflects the number of gray levels an image can represent.

Higher pixel depth results in richer grayscale levels and higher measurement accuracy;

However, a larger bit depth increases the amount of image data, reducing system transmission and processing speed, and increasing system integration complexity (e.g., cable bandwidth, buffer requirements).

Therefore, the appropriate bit depth should be selected based on the grayscale accuracy requirements of the detection scenario.

4. High-Speed Motion Imaging

When shooting fast-moving objects, ordinary cameras often exhibit problems such as motion blur, distorted images, and motion distortion. This is mainly caused by a mismatch between the object's speed and the exposure time.

To obtain a clear image, the following two aspects should be emphasized:

(1) Exposure Time

It must satisfy:

Object speed × Exposure time < Maximum allowable motion blur

The faster the object moves, the shorter the required exposure time; short exposures require the camera to have higher ISO sensitivity to avoid an overly dark image.

(2) Frame Rate

Frame rate represents the number of images a camera can output per second, and is related to image size, exposure time, and transmission bandwidth.

High frame rate cameras can capture continuous images of fast-moving objects, avoiding missed shots and dropped frames.

When setting up the system, it is necessary to ensure:

The frame rate is higher than the required motion beat

The algorithm processing speed is completed within the camera's exposure + transmission time

Otherwise, frame drops may occur, leading to missed detections.

In addition, for high-speed motion detection, it is generally recommended to choose a global shutter camera to avoid deformation of fast-moving objects.

5. Select Interface Type

Common interface parameters are as follows:

Industrial camera interfaces not only affect data transmission bandwidth but also often provide power. For example, USB interfaces can provide direct power, simplifying cabling; GigE (Gigabit Ethernet) interfaces can achieve one-wire data and power transmission via PoE (Power over Ethernet), offering high stability and long transmission distances. When selecting an interface type, factors such as transmission speed, stability, power supply method, cable length limitations, and system compatibility should be comprehensively considered to ensure compatibility with the overall vision solution.

Selecting an industrial camera requires a multi-dimensional consideration. Only by fully understanding the application scenario and inspection requirements, and considering factors such as image quality, performance parameters, system computing power, cost budget, interface compatibility, and future scalability, can a truly suitable camera and vision solution be chosen. When selecting a brand, it's crucial to focus on whether it supports customized development and provides a comprehensive and easy-to-use SDK to facilitate secondary development and integration of custom image processing algorithms, thereby meeting deeper application needs.

Zhixiang Shijue is an industrial vision hardware integration solution provider and vision application development service provider with extensive industry experience. We continuously innovate in technology research and development and application practice, deeply cultivating our industrial camera and vision product line, which has formed a multi-series product matrix covering gigabit network industrial cameras, USB 2.0/USB 3.0 cameras, and multi-view stereo cameras. With high cost-effectiveness, high stability, and good compatibility, we have provided reliable vision solutions to nearly ten thousand industry customers, gaining widespread recognition and long-term support.