Guide
What frame rate do I actually need?
A high speed camera records far more frames per second than a normal camera, so that an event lasting a few milliseconds spreads across enough images to be understood. An event camera works differently again: instead of frames, each pixel reports independently the moment its brightness changes, which gives microsecond latency with far less data.
Also called: slow motion camera, high frame rate camera, hi speed camera, motion analysis camera, fastcam, kilo frame camera, event camera, DVS camera, neuromorphic camera, scientific CMOS, sCMOS, machine vision camera
How it works
Frame rate and resolution trade against each other. A camera advertised at 100,000 fps almost certainly achieves that on a small cropped region, not the full sensor. The number that matters is frames per second at the resolution you actually need.
What to check before you buy
- Frame rate at your required resolution. Ask for it explicitly, in writing.
- Minimum exposure time. Fast frames are useless if each one is blurred.
- Sensor size and pixel pitch, which drive light sensitivity. High speed work is always short of light.
- Global shutter, not rolling, for anything moving fast.
- Onboard memory and record duration. Many high speed cameras record to RAM and can only hold a few seconds.
- Trigger and sync, especially if you need more than one camera.
- Interface: CoaXPress, CameraLink, GigE or USB3.
- Lens mount and whether your existing glass fits.
Published free, no form. If a supplier will not answer one of these in writing, that is worth knowing before you order.
Common confusion
If you are trying to see something that already happened and you know roughly when, a high speed camera with a trigger is right. If you are trying to detect something happening in real time with minimal delay and data, an event camera is often the better answer.