The Basler a2A1920-51gc is an ace 2 series industrial area scan camera built around the 1/2.3" Sony IMX392 progressive-scan CMOS sensor delivering 1920 x 1200 px (2.3 MP) color images at 51 fps with a global shutter. It connects over Gigabit Ethernet using the GigE Vision and GenICam standards and uses a C-mount lens interface. Power is supplied via Power over Ethernet (IEEE 802.3af) or 12-24 VDC through the I/O connector, with typical consumption around 3.1 W. The compact IP30 housing measures roughly 29 x 29 mm in cross-section and weighs under 100 g.
The Basler a2A1920-51gc is a 2.3 MP color area scan camera from the ace 2 family, built around the 1/2.3-inch Sony IMX392 CMOS sensor (7.77 mm diagonal, 3.45 x 3.45 um pixels). It delivers a 1920 x 1200 px frame at 51 fps with a true global shutter, which is the single most important characteristic for an installer: every pixel is exposed simultaneously, so parts moving on a conveyor or rotating under the camera are captured without the skew and smear that a rolling shutter would introduce. That combination of moderate resolution, color output and clean motion freezing makes it a general-purpose workhorse for line-rate inspection rather than a high-megapixel detail camera. The Bayer color sensor suits tasks where chromatic information matters (print verification, color-coded parts, food and packaging cues) at the cost of some spatial resolution and light sensitivity versus an equivalent monochrome model.
Connectivity is over Gigabit Ethernet using GigE Vision 2.0 and GenICam, so the camera drops into any standard machine-vision stack and runs on cable lengths up to about 100 m without repeaters - a meaningful advantage over USB3 when the camera sits far from the controller or in a distributed cell. At 2.3 MP and 51 fps the data rate comfortably fits inside a single GigE link, so this camera does not push you toward 5GigE or CoaxPress. Power is flexible: it accepts Power over Ethernet (IEEE 802.3af) so a single cable carries data and power, or 12-24 VDC through the I/O connector when PoE infrastructure is not available, with typical consumption around 4.4 W. The I/O connector also provides the hardware trigger line you will use to synchronize acquisition with an encoder, photoelectric sensor or PLC strobe output.
Optically, the camera uses a C-mount and a 1/2.3-inch sensor format, so any C-mount lens rated for at least a 1/2.3-inch (or larger) image circle will cover the sensor without vignetting; the 3.45 um pixel pitch means you should pair it with a lens of adequate resolving power to avoid being the limiting factor. The package is compact and light - a 48.9 x 29 x 29 mm box housing weighing about 100 g - which simplifies mounting on robot end-effectors, in tight enclosures, or on multi-camera frames. Environmentally it is an IP30 unit rated from -10 to 60 C, meaning it is built for clean, enclosed factory conditions and must be protected from dust, washdown and direct fluid contact; in wet or particulate-heavy areas it needs an external enclosure.
Best for
Color defect and surface inspection on moving conveyor lines, where the global shutter freezes motion and the Bayer sensor distinguishes color-related defects
Print, label and packaging verification including OCR/OCV and reading of color-coded markings at line speed
1D/2D code and traceability reading where 2.3 MP resolution and 51 fps keep up with sorting throughput
Robot-guidance and pick stations on an end-effector, leveraging the compact 100 g box housing and single-cable PoE
Distributed or multi-camera cells where the 100 m GigE Vision reach simplifies cabling back to a central controller
Selection notes
Confirm your inspection actually needs color - a monochrome ace 2 variant would give better light efficiency and effective resolution; choose this color model only when chromatic information is part of the decision
Budget the resolution: at 1920 x 1200 px, the achievable feature size depends on field of view, so size the lens focal length and working distance so the smallest defect spans several pixels
Pair with a C-mount lens whose image circle covers the 1/2.3-inch format and whose resolving power matches the 3.45 um pixel pitch, or the lens, not the sensor, will limit sharpness
Plan the power path early: use IEEE 802.3af PoE for single-cable installs, or wire 12-24 VDC to the I/O connector where PoE switches or injectors are unavailable (about 4.4 W draw)
Respect the IP30 rating and -10 to 60 C range - in dusty, wet or washdown zones add a protective enclosure, and provide adequate lighting and a hardware trigger via the I/O line to fully exploit the 51 fps global shutter
Specifications: General
Brand
Basler
Camera type
Area scan
Specifications: Sensor
Resolution
2.3 MP
Horizontal resolution
1920 x 1200 px
Mono / color
Color
Sensor manufacturer
Sony
Sensor model
Sony IMX392LQR-C
Shutter
Global shutter
Sensor size
1/2.3" (7.77 mm diagonal)
Pixel size
3.45 x 3.45 µm
Specifications: Performance
FPS
51 fps
Specifications: Interface
Interface
GigE (Gigabit Ethernet, GigE Vision)
Protocols
GigE Vision 2.0, GenICam
Specifications: Optics
Mount
C-mount
Specifications: Electrical
Power
PoE (IEEE 802.3af) or 12-24 VDC
Power consumption
4.4 W
Specifications: Environment
IP rating
IP30
Operating temperature
-10 to 60 °C
Specifications: Mechanical
Dimensions
48.9 x 29 x 29 mm
Weight
100 g
Housing material
Box
Applications this camera is commonly selected for. Open one to see the full recommended hardware and approach.
Matched automatically by: lens mount fits the camera mount · lens image circle covers the camera sensor — this camera: C-mount · 1/2.3" (7.77 mm diagonal) sensor.
By category
All 237C-mount lenses 172Telecentric lenses 62F-mount / large-format lenses 3
By brand
All 237Omron / Sentech 74iRAYPLE 66Basler 65Datalogic / Datasensing 32
Get a first image quickly with the pylon Viewer, then move into the pylon SDK for your application. These cameras are GenICam/GenTL-compliant, so any compliant vision software can drive them as well.
Download and install the pylon Camera Software Suite for your OS from Basler. This provides the pylon Viewer, the GenTL transport-layer producers and the pylon SDK (C/C++/.NET/Python). On Windows the installer adds the needed drivers; on Linux follow the included setup notes for USB and network permissions.
2. Connect the camera and check the link
Cable the camera to its matching interface: GigE Vision to a GigE port (use a quality cable and, ideally, a dedicated NIC with jumbo frames enabled), USB3 Vision to a USB 3.x port with the supplied cable, or CoaXPress to the frame grabber. Provide power where required (PoE, USB bus power, or PoCXP). Open the pylon Viewer and confirm the camera appears in the device list; for GigE, make sure the camera and NIC are on the same subnet.
3. Grab a first image and set exposure, gain and pixel format
Select the camera in the pylon Viewer and start a continuous grab. Adjust exposure time and gain until the image is well exposed (avoid clipped highlights), set the pixel format (e.g. Mono8 or a Bayer/RGB format), and focus the lens. Use a test pattern if the lens or scene is not ready yet.
4. Configure triggering and acquisition
Decide between free-run and triggered acquisition. For synchronized capture, set the trigger source (software or a hardware line on the I/O connector), trigger mode and any debounce or exposure mode, then verify timing. Note the parameter names you change in the Viewer feature tree, as you will reuse them in code.
5. Move to the SDK or a GenICam-compliant library
Recreate your settings in code with the pylon SDK (C, C++, .NET or Python) to open the device, apply the same features and pull frames into your pipeline; pylon vTools and pylon AI can add processing blocks. Because the cameras are GenICam/GenTL standard, third-party vision libraries work too. Once the image stream is stable, you can route frames to a deep-learning inspection such as Rosepetal for automated defect detection.
Frequently asked questions
It has a global shutter, courtesy of the Sony IMX392 CMOS sensor. All pixels are exposed at once, so it captures fast-moving parts without the geometric distortion of a rolling shutter.
It is a color camera. The Sony IMX392LQR-C is a Bayer color sensor, making it suitable for inspections where color information matters, such as print and packaging checks.
It connects over Gigabit Ethernet using the GigE Vision 2.0 and GenICam standards, which supports cable runs up to roughly 100 m - useful for cameras mounted far from the controller.
It supports Power over Ethernet (IEEE 802.3af) for a single-cable install, or 12-24 VDC supplied through the I/O connector. Typical power consumption is about 4.4 W.
It uses a C-mount and a 1/2.3-inch sensor (7.77 mm diagonal) with 3.45 um pixels, so any C-mount lens covering a 1/2.3-inch or larger image circle will work.
It carries an IP30 rating and operates from -10 to 60 C, so it is intended for clean, enclosed factory settings. For dusty, wet or washdown areas it needs an additional protective enclosure.
