Typically, CMOS sensors are considered optimal for high-speed imaging applications. But in general, the performance parameters of any camera are dictated by its imaging sensor, around which all other system components are designed.
At its heartĮvery camera is a complete optoelectronic system with optics, optomechanics, detector, housing, and electronic data storage and control components. An analysis of the always-improving capabilities of high-speed imaging cameras highlights the photonics advances that allow users to freeze time for a continually expanding parade of applications. Of course, imaging speed is tightly coupled with imaging resolution and light level. Even inexpensive digital cameras routinely exceed 1000 frames/s, and streak cameras have been designed that reach one trillion frames/s.īut the scientific workhorses found in most laboratories for studying laser-based ignition events, ultra-rapid industrial production-line assembly and processing, chemical and biological events, and even vehicle crash-test outcomes are those complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) or charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras with imaging speeds that range from several thousand to around one million frames/s. However, in scientific terms, those types of speeds are child's play. According to Wikipedia, high-speed cameras are those that exceed frame rates of 250 frames per second (frames/s).