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Sensors exposure times

CMOS sensors

Most of CMOS sensors generate the exposure interval internally.
For a few, it is possible to control it by external signalling.
The sensor internal timing depends on the provided system clock.
Most of the sensors are using dividers to generate slower clocks for internal state machines.

The exposure time is mostly defined by a number of row times, where the row time is dependent on various internal settings.
Almost none of them supports exposure time equal to zero.
There is defined minimal exposure time as well as steps between possible exposure times.


SENSOR Minimum exposure Exposure step Maximum exposure Note
e2V
EV76C560
15.625 µs 15.625 µs 1 sec
CMOSIS
CMV300
54 µs 7.56 µs 1 sec defined for maximum bandwidth (1)
CMOSIS
CMV2000
16.2 µs 2.69 µs 1 sec defined for maximum bandwidth and 8bit per pix.
For more bits, the values will double (1)
CMOSIS
CMV4000
26 µs 2.69 µs 1 sec defined for maximum bandwidth and 8bit per pix.
For more bits, the values will double (1)
CMOSIS
CMV12000
19 µs 6 µs 1 sec With ROI feature (2)
CMOSIS
CMV20000
94 µs 16 µs 1 sec
CMOSIS
CMV50000
100 µs µs 17 sec
On Semi
VITA1300
74 µs 1 µs 1 sec step 1 µs if exp < 65.54 ms; 4 µs if exp < 262.1 ms;
16 µs otherwise
On Semi
PYTHON1300
29 µs 1 µs 1 sec step 1 µs if exp < 65.54ms; 4 µs if exp < 262.1 ms;
16 µs otherwise
LUXIMA
LUX13
1 µs 1 µs 1 sec
LUXIMA
LUX19
1 µs 1 µs 1 sec
Sony
IMX174
19 µs 4.96 µs 3 sec
Sony
IMX252
19 µs 5.29 µs 3 sec
Sony
IMX250
20 µs 6.32 µs 3 sec
Sony
IMX255
25 µs 10.54 µs 3 sec
Sony
IMX253
25 µs 10.54 µs 3 sec
Aptina
MT9V034 (Currera)
10.83 µs 0.042 µs 10 sec
Aptina
MT9P031 (Currera)
36.38 µs 36.38 µs 10 sec full resolution (2)
Aptina
MT9P031
(MU9P)
110 µs
1 ms
110 µs
110 µs
10 sec
10 sec
full resolution in Rolling Shutter mode (2)
full resolution in Global Reset Release mode (2)

(1) - By decreasing bandwidth, the minimum exposure time and exposure step will increase

(2) - Decreasing the width of the image and the use of downsampling further decreases the value of the minimum exposure time.

CCD sensors

Maximum Exposure Times

Following table shows maximum exposure times in minutes for different camera models and different modes:

readout frequency 26 / 52 MHz 65 MHz
model \ readout mode 2/4 TAP 1 TAP 2/4 TAP 1 TAP
Sony ICX674 6.54 min 11.88 min 5.24 min 9.51 min
Sony ICX694 8.71 min 16.24 min 6.98 min 13 min
Sony ICX814 10.4 min 19.62 min 8.34 min 15.69 min
Sony ICX834 12.69 min 24.18 min 10.16 min 19.35 min

Minimum Exposure Times


Triggered Modes

All triggered modes have minimum possible exposure time 26 microseconds.

Not Triggered Modes

If the camera frame is not triggered by hardware or software, the minimum exposure time is different for different models and modes.

Following table shows minimum exposure times in microseconds for different camera models and different modes:

readout frequency 26 / 52 MHz 65 MHz
model \ readout mode 2/4 TAP 1 TAP 2/4 TAP 1 TAP
Sony ICX674 47 µs 66 43 58
Sony ICX694 54 µs 82 49 71
Sony ICX814 61 µs 94 54 80
Sony ICX834 69 µs 110 60 94