Interferometer Cameras

Interferometer Camera Selection

Most older interferometers use analog video cameras that conform to the monochrome RS170 (60Hz) or CCIR (50Hz) broadcast standards. If you are upgrading an older interferometer, we recommend that you replace this video camera with a fully digital camera that connects directly to the computer via FireWire (1394), USB 3.0 or GigE.

You should expect to pay $700 or more for an industrial grade digital camera—about the same as for a video frame grabber. Consumer grade devices are mostly limited to color images and use lossy data compression.

Make and Model (60 cameras)	Basler scA640-74gm	Imperx IPX-1M48-G	Imperx IPX-1M48-L	AVT Pike F-100	AVT Prosilica GS1380	AVT Manta G-046	Pulnix TM-1405GE	JAI TM-1325CL	JAI CV-M4+CL	Edmund EO-1312M	Point Grey FL3-FW-03S3M	Point Grey FL3-FW-14S3M	Point Grey FL2-14S3M	ImagingSource DMK 41AF02	ImagingSource DMK 41AG02	Basler avA1000-120km	Basler avA1600-65km	Basler avA1000-100gm	Basler avA1600-50gm	Basler avA2300-25gm	Basler avA2300-30km	Point Grey GRAS-03S3M	Point Grey GS2-GE-20S4M	Imperx ICL-B1410M	Imperx IGV-B1410M	Imperx ICL-B1620	Imperx IGV-B1620	AVT Stingray F-033B	AVT Stingray F-046B	Basler scA640-74fm	AVT Prosilica GC655	Point Grey GS2-FW-14S5M	Point Grey GRAS-14S3M/C	Point Grey GS2-GE-50S5M	Basler scA780-54fm	Point Grey GX-FW-10K3M-C	Point Grey GX-FW-28S5M-C	Point Grey GS3-U3-28S5M-C	Point Grey FL3-U3-13E4M-C	Point Grey GS3-U3-41C6M-C	Point Grey GS3-U3-23S6M-C	Point Grey FL3-U3-13Y3M-C	Basler acA1600-20um	Edmund EO-4010	Point Grey GS3-U3-14S5M-C	Basler acA645-100gm	Basler acA780-75gm	Basler acA1300-60gm	Basler acA2000-50gm	Basler acA2040-25gm	Basler piA1000-48gm	Basler piA1000-60gm	Basler scA1400-30gm	Basler avA1900-50gm	Basler avA1900-60km	Basler acA2000-340km	Basler acA2000-165um	Point Grey GZL-CL-22C5M-C	Point Grey GS3-U3-50S5M-C	ImagingSource DMK 23UP1300
Interface	GigE	GigE	CameraLink	1394b	GigE	GigE	GigE	CameraLink	CameraLink	USB 3.0	1394b	1394b	1394b	1394a	GigE	CameraLink	CameraLink	GigE	GigE	GigE	CameraLink	1394b	GigE	CameraLink	GigE	CameraLink	GigE	1394b	1394b	1394b	GigE	1394b	1394b	GigE	1394b	1394b	1394b	USB 3.0	USB 3.0	USB 3.0	USB 3.0	USB 3.0	USB 3.0	USB 3.0	USB 3.0	GigE	GigE	GigE	GigE	GigE	GigE	GigE	CameraLink	GigE	CameraLink	CameraLink	USB 3.0	CameraLink	USB 3.0	USB 3.0
Sensor Manufacturer	Sony	Kodak	Kodak	Kodak	Sony	Sony	Sony	Sony	Sony	Micron	Sony	Sony	Sony	Sony	Sony	Kodak	Kodak	Kodak	Kodak	Kodak	Kodak	Sony	Sony	Sony	Sony	Kodak	Kodak	Sony	Sony	Sony	Sony	Sony	Sony	Sony	Sony	Kodak	Sony	Sony	CMOSIS	CMOSIS	Sony		Sony	CMOSIS	Sony	Sony	Sony		CMOSIS	CMOSIS	Kodak	Kodak	Sony	Kodak	Kodak	CMOSIS	CMOSIS	CMOSIS	Sony
Sensor Model	ICX 414	KAI-1020	KAI-1020	KAI-1020	ICX285	ICX415	ICX205AL	ICX285AL	ICX285AL	MT9M001	ICX414	ICX267	ICX267	ICX205AL	ICX205AL	KAI-1050	KAI-02050	KAI-01050	KAI-02050	KAI-04050	KAI-04050	ICX414	ICX274	ICX285	ICX285	KAI-2020	KAI-2020	ICX414		ICX 414	ICX414	ICX285	ICX267	ICX625	ICX415	KAI-01050	ICX674	ICX674	EV76C560	CMV4000	IMX174	VITA1300	ICX274	CMV4000	ICX285	ICX414	ICX415	EV76C560	CMV2000	CMV4000	KAI-1020	KAI-1020	ICX285	KAI-2150	KAI-2150	CMV2000	CMV2000	CMV2000	ICX625
Sensor Type	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CMOS	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CMOS	CMOS	CMOS	CMOS	CCD	CMOS	CCD	CCD	CCD	CMOS	CMOS	CMOS	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD	CMOS	CMOS	CMOS	CCD	CMOS
Format	1/2"	2/3"	2/3"	2/3"	2/3"	1/2"	1/2"	2/3"	2/3"	1/2"	1/2"	1/2"	1/2"	1/2"	1/2"	1/2"	2/3"	1/2"	2/3"	1/1"	1/1"	1/2"		2/3"	2/3"	1/1"	1/1"	1/2"	1/2"	1/2"	1/2"	2/3"	1/2"	2/3"	1/2"	1/2"	2/3"	2/3"		1/1"		1/2"		1/1"	2/3"	1/2"	1/2"		2/3"	1/1"	2/3"	2/3"	2/3"	2/3"	2/3"	2/3"	2/3"	2/3"	2/3"	1/2"
Active Area (mm)	6.52×4.89	7.40×7.40	7.40×7.40	7.40×7.40	8.77×6.60	6.47×4.81	6.47×4.84	8.98×6.71	8.90×6.64	6.66×5.32	6.42×4.83	6.47×4.80	6.47×4.80	5.95×4.46	5.95×4.46	5.63×5.63	8.80×6.60	5.63×5.63	8.80×6.60	12.81×9.62	12.81×9.62	6.42×4.83	7.15×5.39	8.98×6.71	8.98×6.71	11.90×8.94	11.90×8.94	6.49×4.87	6.47×4.83	6.52×4.89	6.52×4.88	8.93×6.68	6.44×4.80	8.45×7.07	6.49×4.83	5.63×5.63	8.77×6.59	8.72×6.54	6.78×5.43	11.26×11.26	11.25×7.03	6.14×4.92	7.16×5.44	11.26×11.26	8.93×7.00	6.52×4.89	6.49×4.83	6.78×5.43	11.26×5.98	11.26×11.26	7.43×7.43	7.43×7.43	8.98×6.71	10.56×5.94	10.56×5.94	11.26×5.98	11.26×5.98	11.26×5.98	8.45×7.07	6.14×4.92
Pixels (H×V)	659×494	1000×1000	1000×1000	1000×1000	1360×1024	780×580	1392×1040	1392×1040	1380×1030	1280×1024	648×488	1392×1032	1392×1032	1280×960	1280×960	1024×1024	1600×1200	1024×1024	1600×1200	2330×1750	2330×1750	648×488	1624×1224	1392×1040	1392×1040	1608×1208	1608×1208	656×492	780×582	659×494	659×493	1384×1036	1384×1032	2448×2048	782×582	1024×1024	1932×1452	1920×1440	1280×1024	2048×2048	1920×1200	1280×1024	1628×1236	2048×2048	1384×1086	659×494	782×582	1280×1024	2048×1088	2048×2048	1004×1004	1004×1004	1392×1040	1920×1080	1920×1080	2048×1088	2048×1088	2048×1088	2448×2048	1280×1024
Pixel Pitch	9.9 µm	7.4 µm	7.4 µm	7.4 µm	6.45 µm	8.3 µm	4.65 µm	6.45 µm	6.45 µm	5.2 µm	9.9 µm	4.65 µm	4.65 µm	4.65 µm	4.65 µm	5.5 µm	5.5 µm	5.5 µm	5.5 µm	5.5 µm	5.5 µm	9.9 µm	4.4 µm	6.45 µm	6.45 µm	7.4 µm	7.4 µm	9.9 µm	8.3 µm	9.9 µm	9.9 µm	6.45 µm	4.65 µm	3.45 µm	8.3 µm	5.5 µm	4.54 µm	4.54 µm	5.3 µm	5.5 µm	5.86 µm	4.8 µm	4.4 µm	5.5 µm	6.45 µm	9.9 µm	8.3 µm	5.3 µm	5.5 µm	5.5 µm	7.4 µm	7.4 µm	6.45 µm	5.5 µm	5.5 µm	5.5 µm	5.5 µm	5.5 µm	3.45 µm	4.8 µm
Pixel Depth	16 bit	12 bit	12 bit	14 bit	14 bit	12 bit	10 bit	10 bit	10 bit	8 bit	12 bit	12 bit	12 bit	8 bit	8 bit	12 bit	12 bit	12 bit	12 bit	16 bit	16 bit	14 bit	14 bit	14 bit	16 bit	14 bit	16 bit	14 bit	14 bit	16 bit	12 bit	14 bit	14 bit	16 bit	12 bit	16 bit	16 bit	16 bit	16 bit	14 bit	14 bit	0 bit	0 bit	12 bit	14 bit	12 bit	12 bit	12 bit	12 bit	12 bit	12 bit	12 bit	12 bit	12 bit	12 bit	12 bit	12 bit	10 bit	14 bit	12 bit
Frame Rate (at max res)	79 fps	48 fps	48 fps	60 fps	30 fps	67 fps	30 fps	30 fps	24 fps	25 fps	76 fps	15 fps	15 fps	15 fps	15 fps	120 fps	67 fps	101 fps	55 fps	26 fps	31 fps	74 fps	29 fps	30 fps	30 fps	35 fps	35 fps	84 fps	55 fps	74 fps	90 fps	30 fps	21 fps	15 fps	58 fps	70 fps	26 fps	26 fps	60 fps	90 fps	162 fps	150 fps	20 fps	75 fps	30 fps	100 fps	75 fps	60 fps	50 fps	25 fps	48 fps	60 fps	30 fps	51 fps	62 fps	255 fps	165 fps	255 fps	15 fps	95 fps
Shutter Type	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global
Housing (H×W×L mm)	29×44×73.7	78×78×54	64×64×41	96.8×44×44	26×56×96	86.4×44×29	50.8×50.8×81.5	44×44×63	40×50×100	34×44×43.5	30×29×29	30×29×29	30×29×29	50.6×50.6×50	50.6×50.6×50	62×62×57	62×62×57	62×62×57	62×62×57	62×62×57	62×62×57	44×29×58	29×44×58	45×45×39	45×45×63	45×45×43	45×45×66	29×44×72.9	29×44×72	29×44×73.7	33×46×59	29×44×58	29×44×58	29×44×58	29×44×73.7	29×44×58	29×44×58	29×44×58	29×29×30	29×44×58	29×44×58	29×29×30	29×29×41	29×29×29	29×44×58	29×29×42	29×29×42	29×29×42	29×29×42	29×29×42	29×44×87	29×44×87	29×44×74	62×62×41	62×62×41	29×29×44	29×29×30	29×44×60	29×44×58	29×29×43
Weight	160 g	450 g	280 g	250 g			140 g			40 g	58 g	58 g	58 g	265 g	265 g	300 g	300 g	300 g	300 g	300 g	300 g	104 g	86 g	160 g	243 g	180 g	263 g	120 g	120 g	160 g	100 g	104 g	104 g	86 g	160 g	86 g	86 g	90 g	41 g	90 g	90 g	41 g	90 g	43 g	90 g	90 g	90 g	90 g	90 g	90 g	220 g	220 g	170 g	300 g	300 g	96 g	80 g	90 g	90 g	65 g

Recommended Camera Specs

• Fully Digital (no analog video)
• Minimum frame rate 25 fps
• Minimum format 1/2-inch (minimum image height 4.8 mm)
• Minimum resolution 640 x 480 (once known as “high resolution”)
• Global Shutter
• Gamma 1.0 (linear)
• Aspect ratio no greater than 4:3 (wide format is wasted)

Alignment Camera Recommendation

Your interferometer may have a second video camera used for alignment mode. Since alignment mode image quality is non-critical, we recommend keeping the video alignment camera and interfacing it to the computer with an inexpensive video-to-USB adapter.

IEEE-1394 Format_7 modes

Format_7 modes are custom and defined by the camera manufacturer and vary by camera model. Format_7 modes are typically characterized by region of interest (ROI) and/or pixel binning, although full resolution is for some cameras a Format_7 mode. Both techniques typically result in a faster frame rate. ROI is also known as sub-windowing. For some CCD sensors, ROI may increase the frame rate only if the number of rows is reduced. Pixel binning is typically 1×2 or 2×1 or 2×2 with 2×2 being of most interest because the others result in a distorted image.