Line Scan Camera

A: Line scan cameras typically use a “line light”, focused light from a line of LEDs, to illuminate the object along the line of object pixels being viewed. Line lights give high intensity illumination needed for short exposure times (fast camera line rates).

A: What is the difference between a CIS and a conventional line scan camera? The sensor of a conventional line scan camera is small (10 – 50 mm length) with small pixels (5 – 20 µm). The image is produced by reducing optics. The sensor of a CIS is as wide as the object under inspection (up to 4 m).

A: An easy way to visualize the difference is that a regular, area scan camera takes a single picture of a square or rectangle all at once, while a line scan camera would take hundreds of 1D pictures in a row and form them into a picture of that same 2D area.

A: At unprecedented line rates of up to 256 kHz (or 128 kHz), the Manx cameras stand as the fastest line-scan InGaAs cameras available in the world.

A: A large camera (called a gamma camera) scans you and picks up radioactivity. You have the scan in either the medical physics, nuclear medicine or x-ray department at the hospital. The scan can take between 30 to 60 minutes, but you'll be at the hospital for several hours.

A: Line scan imaging is also well known for the following common benefits: Dynamic range that can be much higher than alternative image capture methods. High pixel fill factor (typically 100%) to maximize sensitivity. Smear-free images of fast-moving objects without expensive strobing or cumbersome shuttering.

A: Perhaps the most common example of line scan imaging is the fax machine. Line scan imaging uses a single line of sensor pixels (effectively one-dimensional) to build up a two-dimensional image. The second dimension results from the motion of the object being imaged.

A: Our line scan cameras offer resolutions from 2k to 16k, ideal for various applications, including low-light environments.

A: Area scan cameras provide a fixed resolution, allowing for simplified installation where moving cameras or objects are not desired or practical. Area scan cameras can image a defined area quickly, whereas a line scan camera must be moved over the area to produce a similar image.

A: In line scan imaging, a camera or sensor uses one row of pixels and builds up a 2D image by acquring successive scan lines. There are numerous machine vision applications for which line scan imaging is useful, such as scanning materials that are manufactured in a continuous web, such as paper or rolled metal.

A: A line scan camera lens is a specialized camera lens that produces digital images. Line scan cameras are used in various industries such as healthcare, automotive, and manufacturing, to inspect and analyze a product's quality. Unlike traditional cameras, line scan cameras capture images in a horizontal line that is comprised of multiple small sensors. The result is a high-resolution, sharp image.

A: The maximum rate at which exposure and readout can occur is called the “line rate” and is specified in kilohertz (kHz). To “freeze” the motion of fast moving objects, high line rates are needed. Teledyne DALSA line scan cameras have line rates of up to 200 kHz, or 5 microseconds per line of pixels imaged.