High-speed Mode

Several models of the high-end camera series ImageIR® from InfraTec offer users the option to choose between two speed modes for the same camera. In standard mode, the familiar frame rates for full frame, half frame and sub-frame are available with full spatial resolution. In high-speed mode, images can be taken with the identical FOV – while the frame rate, i.e. the speed of image processing and image storage, increases to more than three times the previous value.

InfraTec glossary high-speed mode - Picture credits: © iStock.com / storm

High-speed Mode for Infrared Camera Series ImageIR®

New High-speed Mode for Thermographic Camera Series ImageIR®

Advant­ages of Binning

  • Binning means the hardware combination of pixels of an (IR-)FPA

  • Resulting in an effective larger new pixel

  • Larger pixel: better SNR → low NETD

  • Less amount of pixels: higher frame rate

  • Same FOV in standard mode (high amount of pixels) and high-speed mode (high speed, low NETD)

  • Switching between both modes just with a click

Decrease Number of Pixels, Keep the FOV

The principle behind this new option is called binning. In the course of this, four pixels of adjacent lines and columns are combined into one pixel in each case. Consequently, the number of pixels of the resulting thermal image decreases. However, the FOV remains constant, so that the scene section captured with the camera does not change. The object distance selected and the lens used can be retained for each respective task.

Of course, the frame rate can also be increased with a conventional infrared camera, for example by changing from full to half frame. However, the FOV changes in this case. The corresponding compensation requires a re-adjustment of the object distance and a correction in relation to the lenses used.

High-speed Mode also Increases the Thermal Resol­u­tion

Combining the pixels during binning also results in a higher thermal sensitivity for each virtual pixel. The reason for this is the fact that each readout event of the individual pixels generates associated noise in the signal. A lower number of pixels with a constant detector size automatically implies a reduced readout noise. So together with the larger effective pixel area, the signal-to-noise ratio also improves in high-speed mode of the ImageIR® cameras – by almost a factor of 2. This increase in thermal resolution ensures that even smaller temperature differences can be detected reliably.

Switch Over Once, Benefit Twice

Switching between both speed modes is done conveniently by software. When it comes to depict the smallest geometrical details, users apply the native number of pixels of the camera detector. If the focus is more on the exact time lapse of a fast process, they use the high-speed mode and the associated higher frame rates. The results of both scenarios can then be overlaid in a suitable manner.

Binning technology enables to use a single camera for the analysis of different measurement scenarios, which previously might have required the use of several different thermographic cameras. The example of the ImageIR® 9400 camera series illustrates the wide range resulting from the latest development of InfraTec. Usually, full-frame images with (1,280 x 1,024) IR pixels at 180 Hz can be captured with this camera. Thanks to binning, in high-speed mode the frame rate for (640 x 512) IR pixels in the same FOV increases more than threefold to 622 Hz.

InfraTec Glossary high-speed mode

Pixel grid without high-speed mode

  • Pitch: 10 µm

  • Resolution: (1,280 x 1,024) IR pixels

InfraTec Glossary high-speed mode

Pixel grid with high-speed mode

  • Pitch: 20 µm

  • Resolution: (640 x 512) IR pixels

Relevant Indus­tries & Applic­a­tions

thermal imaging in electronics

Elec­tronics & Elec­trical Engin­eering

Measure temperature distributions of smallest electronic components with infrared cameras.

thermal imaging for automotive applications

Auto­motive Industry

Infrared camera systems help you to secure a high product quality in production and at your suppliers.

thermal imaging in aviation

Aerospace Industry

Comply with highest security demands by applying state-of-the-art infrared camera systems.

All branches and application areas
Contact to thermography division of InfraTec

Would You Like to Know More?

It is not unusual for tasks to be associated with special requirements. Discuss your specific application needs with our specialists, receive further technical information or learn more about our additional services.

United Kingdom & Irland
InfraTec GmbH Infrarotsensorik und MesstechnikGostritzer Straße 61 - 6301217 DresdenGERMANY

Further Glossary Items relating to High-speed Mode

HighSense for thermographic camera series ImageIR®

High­Sense – Always the Optimal Camera Setting

Thanks to HighSense, ImageIR® users have the option of setting up individual measuring ranges based on the factory calibration that best suit the respective task. Depending on the measuring task, the required temperature range can be selected and the optimum integration time for this purpose is calculated – or one decides to proceed in reverse order. Thus, the calibration can be retained even in the case of changed integration times.

Thermography with ImageIR series - HDR feature - Picture credits: © iStock.com / Vershinin M

HDR – Simultaneous Mapping of Wide Temperature Ranges

The High Dynamic Range (HDR) function of the Infrared ImageIR® camera series enables measurement scenarios with extremely different temperatures to be recorded continuously. When recording in HDR mode, multiple thermograms with different integration times and different filters are recorded quickly in succession and compiled into an overall image with a high dynamic range. The measuring range can span up to 1,500 K. Users obtain high-contrast images in a wide temperature range characterized by high measurement accuracy.

MicroScan feature ImageIR

Micro­Scan – Quad­ruple the Image Format

Behind the function is a fast-rotating MicroScan wheel, which is integrated into the camera. It ensures that four different individual exposures are taken per wheel revolution, which are offset laterally by half a pixel each. In this way, thermography achieves a new quality due to thermal images providing a quadrupled spatial resolution.

Significantly extended temperature range using the MIT function

Multi Integration Time (MIT)

To measure temperatures spanning more than one calibration range requires the acquisition of multiple thermograms with different calibrations. This can be achieved by using our Multi Integration Time feature (MIT). This function increases the dynamic range up to 16 bit and significantly extends the temperature measurement ranges.

Thermal image during ignition of an airbag  Image Small

Window Mode (Subwin­dowing) – Capture of Rapid Sequences

The thermal imaging camera can be operated in full, half, quarter and sub mode. With the camera control software, it is possible to use the extended subwindowing function. Using click-and-drag, freely definable sections can be set up quickly and conveniently. A defined sub-frame of the detector is picked out to achieve these extremely high refresh rates.

Thermografie-Kameraserie ImageIR® mit neuer 10 GigE-Schnittstelle

10 GigE Inter­face for a Strong Increase in Output

The 10 Gigabit Ethernet interface of the high-end camera series ImageIR® opens this extremely fast transmission standard with a NIC specially developed by InfraTec. This works with optical or electrical transceiver modules that are easy to change and are called SFP+.

Thermography Cameras using High-speed Mode*

InfraTec Infrared camera
Zoom Cameras

ImageIR® 6300 Z

Image Format(640 x 512) IR-Pixel
Detector typeXBn

InfraTec Infrared camera
High-end Cameras

ImageIR® 9400 hs

Image Format(640 x 512) IR-Pixel
Detector typeInSb

InfraTec Infrared camera
High-end Cameras

ImageIR® 9400

Image Format(2,560 x 2,048) IR-Pixel
Detector typeInSb

InfraTec Infrared camera
High-end Cameras

ImageIR® 9400 hp

Image Format(2,560 x 2,048) IR-Pixel
Detector typeInSb