Performance evaluation of a 12-bit, 8Mpel/s digital camera

Bruno Jaggi; Brian D. Pontifex; John Swanson; Steven S. S. Poon

doi:10.1117/12.144778

20 May 1993 Performance evaluation of a 12-bit, 8Mpel/s digital camera

Bruno Jaggi, Brian D. Pontifex, John Swanson, Steven S. S. Poon

Proceedings Volume 1901, Cameras, Scanners, and Image Acquisition Systems; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.144778
Event: IS&T/SPIE's Symposium on Electronic Imaging: Science and Technology, 1993, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

A new generation, large frame (1317 X 1035 pel) digital camera, based on the MicroImager 1400 (MI1400), has been developed. The new MicroImager 1400-12 (MI1400- 12) uses improved noise reduction circuits to allow for 12 bit digitization up to 8 Mpel/s. Methods of correlated double sampling were investigated and a clamp-and-sample design was chosen. The MicroImager is a full frame device with a 100% fill factor. Integration time, readout frequency and pixel additive mode (binning) are under computer control. The camera outputs digital, RS-422 compatible data to the host frame memory through a 50-pin high density connector. The system is compatible with various (E)ISA and VME based imaging boards. The applications are quantitative digital microscopy in brightfield and fluorescence and in numerous industrial and medical camera applications. A number of comparative performance measurements were defined and carried out including spatial resolution (impulse response), photometric response (linearity), sensitivity, dynamic range, signal-to-noise ratio and other noise parameters. The MI1400-12 has a slightly improved impulse response. When used with primary image plane optics, the MicroImager shows a 6% improvement in the spatial resolution over standard C-mount compensation optics. In further comparisons the linearity of the MI1400-12's response holds to a coefficient of regression larger than 0.999 and has a four-fold increase in sensitivity over the MI1400. A dynamic range of 61 dB was measured for single frames corresponding to an 8 dB increase. For a 30 frame average, 77 dB was achieved. Circuit noise parameters (random noise at dark levels) improved by a factor of 3 to 4.

Citation Download Citation

Bruno Jaggi, Brian D. Pontifex, John Swanson, and Steven S. S. Poon "Performance evaluation of a 12-bit, 8Mpel/s digital camera", Proc. SPIE 1901, Cameras, Scanners, and Image Acquisition Systems, (20 May 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.144778

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available