The Basler ace 2 a2A5320-7gc is a Gigabit Ethernet (GigE Vision 2.0) area scan camera using the 1.1-inch Sony IMX542 progressive-scan CMOS sensor with a global shutter, providing 5320 x 3032 pixel (16.1 MP) color images at up to 7 fps with 8/10/12-bit pixel depth. It uses a C-mount lens interface and an RJ45 data connector, and is powered either over Ethernet (PoE, IEEE 802.3af) or via 12-24 VDC through its M8 6-pin I/O connector. Housed in a compact 55.5 x 29 x 29 mm box with IP30 protection, it supports the GenICam standard and operates from -10 to 50 degrees C. The model is offered in Basic (a2A5320-7gcBAS) and Pro (a2A5320-7gcPRO) feature variants sharing identical imaging specifications.
The Basler ace 2 a2A5320-7gc is a 16.1 MP color area scan camera built on the 1.1-inch Sony IMX542 (Pregius S, back-illuminated CMOS) sensor, delivering 5320 x 3032 pixel frames at up to 7 fps with selectable 8/10/12-bit depth. The defining choice here is the global shutter: every pixel is exposed simultaneously, so parts moving past the camera, or a camera mounted on a moving axis, are captured without the geometric skew or smear that a rolling shutter would introduce. That makes this sensor a natural fit for indexed conveyor work and precise dimensional checks where edges must stay straight and true. At 16.1 MP it sits squarely in high-resolution inspection territory: with a 14.58 x 8.31 mm imaging area and small 2.74 µm pixels, it resolves fine surface detail and small features across a sizeable field of view, which is why Basler positions it in the high-resolution camera category.
The interface is GigE (Gigabit Ethernet, 1000 Mbit/s) over an RJ45 connector, running GigE Vision 2.0 and GenICam. At full 16.1 MP resolution the single Gigabit link is the practical limiter that holds frame rate to 7 fps, so this is a camera for detailed still or slow-indexed capture rather than high-throughput streaming. The trade-off you get in return is GigE's long, inexpensive standard cabling and easy integration into existing network-based vision cells. Power is flexible: it runs over PoE (IEEE 802.3af) so a single cable carries both data and power, or from 12-24 VDC through the M8 6-pin I/O connector, which also carries the I/O lines used to synchronize exposure to an encoder or a part-present sensor. Typical draw is a modest 4.8 W.
Mechanically the camera uses a C-mount and ships in a compact 55.5 x 29 x 29 mm box housing at 105 g, so it fits tight inspection stations and robot end-effectors. Because the sensor is 1.1-inch (16.8 mm diagonal), pair it with C-mount lenses rated to cover at least the 1.1-inch format, and verify the lens resolves the 2.74 µm pixel pitch so you are not wasting the sensor's resolution. The IP30 rating means this is an enclosure or clean-cell camera, not a washdown unit, and the -10 to 50 degrees C operating range covers most indoor industrial environments. Being a color (Bayer) camera, it is the right pick when print, label, or material color carries inspection information; for pure greyscale tasks a mono variant would give more light sensitivity. The model comes in Basic (BAS) and Pro (PRO) feature variants that share identical imaging specifications.
Best for
High-resolution surface and defect inspection where 16.1 MP and small 2.74 µm pixels resolve fine flaws across a wide field of view
Dimensional measurement and gauging on moving or indexed parts, where the global shutter keeps edges geometrically accurate
Color-dependent print, label and packaging inspection that relies on the Bayer color sensor
Industrial OCR/OCV reading where high pixel count provides enough characters-per-image margin
Network-cabled vision cells in electronics, semiconductor and automotive lines that benefit from PoE single-cable installation
Selection notes
Bandwidth bounds throughput: the single GigE (1000 Mbit/s) link caps full-resolution output at 7 fps, so confirm your cycle time tolerates that or plan to use a region of interest to raise the rate
Budget the light: small 2.74 µm pixels and a 12-bit option demand adequate, stable illumination, and the color Bayer filter further reduces light reaching each pixel versus a mono sensor
Match the optics to the format and pitch: use C-mount lenses that cover the 1.1-inch (16.8 mm diagonal) sensor and resolve 2.74 µm pixels, or effective resolution will fall short
Choose your power and connection path early: PoE (802.3af) gives single-cable simplicity, while the M8 6-pin I/O connector with 12-24 VDC carries the I/O lines for synchronizing exposure to your line
IP30 housing means the camera needs an enclosure in dusty or wet areas, and keep ambient within the -10 to 50 degrees C range; decide between the BAS and PRO variants on features since imaging specs are identical
Specifications: General
Brand
Basler
Camera type
Area scan
Specifications: Sensor
Resolution
16.1 MP
Horizontal resolution
5320 x 3032 px
Mono / color
Color
Sensor manufacturer
Sony Pregius S (IMX542)
Sensor model
Sony IMX542 (Pregius S, back-illuminated CMOS)
Shutter
Global shutter
Sensor size
1.1" (14.58 x 8.31 mm, 16.8 mm diagonal)
Pixel size
2.74 x 2.74 µm
Specifications: Performance
FPS
7 fps at full resolution
Specifications: Interface
Interface
GigE (Gigabit Ethernet, 1000 Mbit/s)
Protocols
GigE Vision 2.0, GenICam
Specifications: Optics
Mount
C-mount
Specifications: Electrical
Power
PoE (IEEE 802.3af) or 12-24 VDC
Power consumption
4.8 W
Specifications: Environment
IP rating
IP30
Operating temperature
-10 to 50 °C
Specifications: Mechanical
Housing material
Box
Dimensions
55.5 x 29 x 29 mm
Weight
105 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 · 1.1" (14.58 x 8.31 mm, 16.8 mm diagonal) sensor.
By category
All 67C-mount lenses 43Telecentric lenses 24
By brand
All 67Basler 34iRAYPLE 23Omron / Sentech 8Datalogic / Datasensing 2
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 the 1.1-inch Sony IMX542 (Pregius S, back-illuminated CMOS) sensor with a global shutter, which exposes all pixels at once so moving parts are captured without distortion.
The sensor delivers 5320 x 3032 pixels (16.1 MP) in color at up to 7 fps at full resolution, with selectable 8, 10 or 12-bit pixel depth.
It is a GigE Vision 2.0 camera using Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbit/s) over an RJ45 connector and supports the GenICam standard.
You can power it over Ethernet via PoE (IEEE 802.3af) for single-cable operation, or supply 12-24 VDC through the M8 6-pin I/O connector. Typical consumption is 4.8 W.
It has a C-mount interface in a compact 55.5 x 29 x 29 mm box housing weighing 105 g, with IP30 protection and a -10 to 50 degrees C operating range, suiting indoor or enclosed industrial use.
