Low light, High Sensitivity Cameras
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What is a high sensitivity camera? What makes a sensitive camera?
Why use a low light camera?
High Sensitivity cameras are designed to work in low light
conditions to produce a high dynamic range image with few light photons.
The sensor in a high sensitivity camera is typically designed with
large pixels so that they have a large area to collect light. A sensitive
camera also requires a high quantum efficiency which means it is efficient
at converting light photons to electrons. A sensitive camera with
high QE has a sensor with specially designed internal structure and when
is a visible light silicon sensor is doped for optimal photon conversion.
Some low light cameras use Frame Transfer or Full Frame sensors
and so use the full pixel area for light collection. Other low light
cameras have the more standard interline sensors but use a microlens
located over every pixel to collect light from a larger area and focus
it onto the smaller light collecting pixel area.
There are also low light cameras that use different materials
to silicon . For example InGaAs sensors are used in Infrared Low light
cameras to detect moon glow or the airglow on (moonless nights) that
occurs due to electro luminescence in the upper atmosphere. These cameras
operate in the short wave infrared rather than the visible spectrum.
Low light cameras and sensitive cameras are used for may
different types of applications. Night time surveillance is a common application
for short wave infraredlow light cameras. When imaging fast moving
objects the shutter time must be short to freeze motion and so use of
a high sensitivity camera is important. Other scientific applications
like fluorescence microscopy deal with emitted light and so often there
are very few electrons to play with and so a low light camera is
essential.
Adept supplies the Australian and New Zealand market with high sensitivity
and low light cameras. See list below.
For more information on High sensitivity cameras and low light
cameras please contact
us.
It is important that the correct equipment for low light camera
work is selected in order to ensure that you get the best possible result.
If you do require any further assistance with selecting high sensitivity
camera equipment Adept Electronic Solutions has highly qualified machine
vision specialists ready to assist you with your digital imaging application.
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