The Basler a2A2840-48ucBAS is a Basler ace 2 R area scan camera built around a 2/3" Sony IMX546 Pregius S global-shutter CMOS sensor with 2840 x 2840 active resolution (8 MP) and 2.74 µm square pixels. It outputs color images at up to 48 fps over a USB 3.0 (5 Gbit/s SuperSpeed) interface using the USB3 Vision and GenICam standards. The compact 29 x 29 mm housing uses a C-mount, is powered over the USB connection at ≈3.2 W, and includes an M8 6-pin I/O connector with one opto-isolated input and two GPIO lines. Color models ship with a removable IR cut filter.
The Basler a2A2840-48ucBAS is a Basler ace 2 R area scan camera built around a 2/3-inch Sony IMX546 Pregius S global-shutter CMOS sensor. The square 2840 x 2840 active array delivers 8 MP across a 7.78 x 7.78 mm imaging area on 2.74 um square pixels, and because the shutter is global rather than rolling, the entire frame is exposed simultaneously. That combination is the core of what this camera buys you: crisp, geometrically faithful images of objects moving on a conveyor or under a robot, with no shear or skew on fast-moving features. The square format is unusual and useful for inspecting square or round parts, packaging tops, and code fields where a 4:3 or 16:9 frame would waste resolution.
Data leaves the camera over USB 3.0 (5 Gbit/s SuperSpeed) using the USB3 Vision and GenICam standards, and the sensor runs at up to 48 fps (44.6 fps default, up to 48.4 fps), giving high throughput for fast inspection without a frame grabber. USB 3.0 keeps cabling simple and the camera is powered over the USB connection at roughly 3.2 W (5 VDC), so a single cable carries both image data and power over the typical few-meter run. For longer distances or multi-camera cells you will need to plan around USB cable length limits and host bandwidth, but for a compact single-camera station the wiring is about as clean as machine vision gets. The C-mount front face measures 29 x 29 mm in cross-section, so this pairs with the broad ecosystem of C-mount lenses sized for 2/3-inch sensors.
This is a color model, shipping with a removable IR cut filter so the color output reflects real-world color while blocking near-IR contamination; removing the filter is an option if you later move to IR-assisted imaging. With 2.74 um pixels, lens selection matters: pair it with a lens that resolves to that pixel pitch on a 2/3-inch image circle to actually capture the 8 MP of detail, and budget good lighting because small pixels and short exposures at 48 fps need adequate light. An M8 6-pin I/O connector provides one opto-isolated input and two GPIO lines, so you can hardware-trigger acquisition from an encoder or photoelectric sensor and strobe a light in sync. The IP30-rated, 85 g, 36.3 x 29 x 29 mm housing operates from -10 to 60 C, suiting it to enclosed cabinets and machine-mounted stations rather than washdown environments.
Best for
High-detail surface and defect inspection of moving parts where the global shutter prevents motion blur at 8 MP and 48 fps
Reading and verifying 2D codes, OCR/OCV text, and print quality on packaging and labels using the square 2840 x 2840 field
Dimensional measurement of square or round parts where the symmetric sensor maximizes usable resolution
Color-dependent inspection in electronics, food and beverage, and printing where accurate color from the color sensor and IR cut filter is needed
Robot-guidance and pick stations needing a compact, USB-powered USB 3.0 camera with hardware-triggered, distortion-free capture
Selection notes
Match the lens to the sensor: a C-mount lens for a 2/3-inch (11.1 mm diagonal) image circle that resolves to the 2.74 um pixel pitch is required to realize the full 8 MP detail
Plan lighting around the small pixels and short exposures at 48 fps; use the opto-isolated input and two GPIO lines on the M8 6-pin connector to trigger acquisition and strobe lighting in sync
Verify USB 3.0 host bandwidth and cable length limits, especially for multi-camera cells, since the camera is powered over USB (5 VDC, ~3.2 W) and has no separate power input
The IP30 rating means no protection against dust or liquids, so mount in an enclosure or cabinet rather than exposed washdown areas; confirm the -10 to 60 C ambient range fits the installation
For applications needing IR sensitivity, note the IR cut filter is removable; for pure color fidelity leave it in place, and consider whether a monochrome model would serve better for tasks that do not require color
Specifications: General
Brand
Basler
Camera type
Area scan
Specifications: Sensor
Resolution
8 MP
Horizontal resolution
2840 x 2840 px
Mono / color
Color (with removable IR cut filter)
Sensor manufacturer
Sony Pregius S
Sensor model
Sony IMX546-AAQJ-C
Shutter
Global shutter
Sensor size
2/3" (11.1 mm diagonal, 7.78 x 7.78 mm)
Pixel size
2.74 x 2.74 µm
Specifications: Performance
FPS
48 fps (44.6 fps default; up to 48.4 fps)
Specifications: Interface
Interface
USB 3.0 (5 Gbit/s SuperSpeed, USB3 Vision)
Protocols
USB3 Vision, GenICam
Specifications: Optics
Mount
C-mount
Specifications: Electrical
Power
Powered via USB 3.0 (5 VDC, ≈3.2 W typical)
Supply voltage
5 VDC
Power consumption
3.2 W
Specifications: Environment
IP rating
IP30
Operating temperature
-10 to 60 °C
Specifications: Mechanical
Dimensions
36.3 x 29 x 29 mm
Weight
85 g
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 · 2/3" (11.1 mm diagonal, 7.78 x 7.78 mm) sensor.
By category
All 198C-mount lenses 135Telecentric lenses 60F-mount / large-format lenses 3
By brand
All 198Omron / Sentech 66Basler 59iRAYPLE 48Datalogic / Datasensing 25
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 uses a 2/3-inch Sony IMX546 Pregius S global-shutter CMOS sensor. The global shutter exposes the whole 2840 x 2840 frame at once, so fast-moving objects are captured without rolling-shutter skew.
The sensor is 8 MP at 2840 x 2840 px on 2.74 um square pixels, running at up to 48 fps (44.6 fps default, up to 48.4 fps maximum).
This is a color model. It ships with a removable IR cut filter for accurate color, which can be removed if IR imaging is needed later.
It connects over USB 3.0 (5 Gbit/s SuperSpeed) using the USB3 Vision and GenICam standards, with no frame grabber required. It is powered over the USB connection at 5 VDC and about 3.2 W typical.
It has a C-mount for the 2/3-inch sensor, and an M8 6-pin I/O connector providing one opto-isolated input plus two GPIO lines for hardware triggering and synchronizing lighting.
