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Basler a2A4096-30uc machine vision camera
BaslerHigh-resolution cameras
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Basler ace 2 a2A4096-30uc

a2A4096-30uc

The Basler a2A4096-30uc is an ace 2 series industrial area scan camera using a 1/1.1" Sony IMX545 global shutter CMOS sensor with 4096 x 3000 pixel (12.3 MP) resolution and 2.74 µm square pixels. It delivers about 30 fps over a USB 3.0 (5 Gbit/s SuperSpeed) interface and is bus-powered, consuming roughly 3.2 W. The compact box housing (42.8 x 29 x 29 mm, under 85 g) uses a C-mount, an M8 6-pin I/O connector, and carries an IP30 rating. It is USB3 Vision and GenICam compliant and outputs 8, 10, or 12-bit color images.

Brand
Basler
Camera type
Area scan
Interface
USB 3.0 (5 Gbit/s SuperSpeed)
Resolution
12.3 MP (4096 x 3000); Basler spec table rounds this to 12 MP
Horizontal resolution
4096 x 3000 px
Mono / color
Color
Sensor manufacturer
Sony (IMX545)
Sensor model
Sony IMX545-AAQJ-C
Shutter
Global shutter
FPS
~30 fps (29.3 default / 31.7 max)
Mount
C-mount
Sensor size
1/1.1" (11.22 x 8.22 mm, 13.91 mm diagonal)
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Technical overview

The Basler ace 2 a2A4096-30uc pairs a 1/1.1" Sony IMX545 global shutter CMOS sensor with a 4096 x 3000 pixel (12.3 MP) array of 2.74 um square pixels, delivering full-frame color images at roughly 30 fps (29.3 fps default, up to 31.7 fps). The global shutter is the key behavior to design around: every pixel is exposed simultaneously, so fast-moving parts on a conveyor or a robot end-effector are captured without the geometric skew that a rolling shutter introduces. That makes this camera a natural fit for measurement and high-resolution inspection where edge straightness and feature position must remain trustworthy at speed. The 12.3 MP resolution on a compact 11.22 x 8.22 mm sensor means a lot of detail in a single grab, which suits large fields of view where you still need fine pixel-level discrimination.

The camera outputs over USB 3.0 (5 Gbit/s SuperSpeed) and is bus-powered at around 3.2 W from the 5 VDC supply, so a single cable carries both data and power to the host PC. It is USB3 Vision and GenICam compliant, which keeps it interoperable with standard machine-vision SDKs and pylon-based pipelines, and it emits 8, 10, or 12-bit color data, giving headroom for color-critical work or for grading and verification tasks that benefit from extra bit depth. USB 3.0 is best thought of as a short, direct, point-to-point link to a nearby PC rather than a long cable run; the bus-powered design simplifies wiring but ties the camera to USB cable-length limits, so plan the host placement accordingly.

Physically this is a small box-housing camera, 42.8 x 29 x 29 mm and under 85 g, with a C-mount for the lens, an M8 6-pin I/O connector for trigger and signaling, and an IP30 rating. The C-mount and 1/1.1" sensor (13.91 mm diagonal) set the lens-selection envelope: you need a C-mount lens that covers at least the 1/1.1" format and resolves the dense 2.74 um pixels, otherwise the optics, not the sensor, become the limit on sharpness. The M8 6-pin I/O is your hook for hardware-triggered acquisition synchronized to an encoder or proximity sensor and for strobing lighting in step with exposure, which is how you exploit the global shutter to freeze motion cleanly. The IP30 rating and -10 to 60 C operating range indicate a controlled-enclosure, indoor-industrial deployment rather than a washdown or outdoor environment.

Best for

  • High-resolution defect and surface inspection on electronics, semiconductor, and automotive parts where 12.3 MP captures fine features across a wide field of view in one frame
  • Dimensional measurement and metrology on moving product, where the global shutter keeps edges and feature positions geometrically accurate at conveyor speed
  • Packaging inspection and print/label verification, using the color sensor and 12-bit depth to discriminate subtle color and contrast differences
  • OCR/OCV and code-reading tasks that need dense resolution to resolve small characters or marks across a large inspection area
  • Robot-guidance and pick stations where a compact, lightweight (under 85 g), bus-powered camera can be mounted on or near the end-effector with a single USB cable

Selection notes

  • Budget the USB 3.0 link as a short point-to-point run to a dedicated host; the camera is bus-powered, so cable length and host USB controller bandwidth directly limit reliable 30 fps throughput at 12.3 MP.
  • Specify a C-mount lens that covers the 1/1.1" (13.91 mm diagonal) format and resolves 2.74 um pixels; under-spec'd optics will cap effective resolution well below the sensor's 4096 x 3000.
  • Wire the M8 6-pin I/O for hardware triggering and strobe-synchronized lighting; this is how you turn the global shutter into reliably motion-frozen, repeatable captures rather than free-running grabs.
  • Confirm the host PC and software stack are USB3 Vision / GenICam compatible (e.g., pylon); the 8/10/12-bit color output and full frame rate depend on a properly configured driver and adequate host processing.
  • Match the IP30 rating and -10 to 60 C range to the environment: this camera belongs in a clean enclosed cabinet or guarded line, not a washdown, dusty, or outdoor location without additional protection.

Specifications: General
BrandBasler
Camera typeArea scan

Specifications: Sensor
Resolution12.3 MP (4096 x 3000); Basler spec table rounds this to 12 MP
Horizontal resolution4096 x 3000 px
Mono / colorColor
Sensor manufacturerSony (IMX545)
Sensor modelSony IMX545-AAQJ-C
ShutterGlobal shutter
Sensor size1/1.1" (11.22 x 8.22 mm, 13.91 mm diagonal)
Pixel size2.74 x 2.74 µm

Specifications: Performance
FPS~30 fps (29.3 default / 31.7 max)

Specifications: Interface
InterfaceUSB 3.0 (5 Gbit/s SuperSpeed)
ProtocolsUSB3 Vision, GenICam

Specifications: Optics
MountC-mount

Specifications: Electrical
PowerBus-powered via USB 3.0, ~3.2 W
Supply voltage5 VDC
Power consumption3.2 W

Specifications: Environment
Operating temperature-10 to 60 °C

Specifications: Mechanical
Housing materialBox
Dimensions42.8 x 29 x 29 mm
Weight85 g

Frequently asked questions

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