A new vision from Sony.

This article provides information on the XCD-V50 camera from the Image Sensing Solutions division of Sony Europe. Image Sensing Solutions division, a pioneer of the IEEE1394 standard, has introduced one of the industry's first IEEE1394.b cameras. XCD-V50 is ideally suited to very high-speed machine vision applications or users wishing to make the transition from analogue to digital solutions. The high performance and daisy-chaining capabilities of Sony's machine vision camera module means it is also ideally suited to high-speed network shooting applications. Specific applications include robot guidance, automotive data monitoring and production inspection. The XCD-V50 is the first commodity product to bring home the benefits of the IEEE1394.b standard to the machine vision market. Sony said the camera combines the higher data rate of the IEEE1394.b standard, with extremely low power and small size. The Japanese company said the camera provides superior quality images via a 14-bit output delivering up to 16,384 levels of grey per pixel. The XCD-V50 is the smallest of all the IEEE1394.b cameras available, measuring only 57.5 mm in width, 44 mm in height and 29 mm in diameter. It weighs just 120g and offers a low power usage of less than 2.5W, making it ideal for use in space restricted areas. Sony said the G-mount cameras are easy to install and are the first IEEE1394.b cameras to offer daisy-chaining capability. The XCD-V50 supports two new screw connectors for the cabling, which offers more robust performance over standard capabilities.