The STC-MBA503POE-HS (monochrome) and STC-MCA503POE-HS (color) are compact 29 x 29 x 53 mm C-mount cameras built around the onsemi AR0521 1/2.5" CMOS sensor with 2.2 um pixels and 5 MP resolution (2592 x 1944), using a rolling shutter with global reset. They deliver 21.8 fps over a GigE Vision 2.1 / GenICam 1000BASE-T interface and are powered either by Power over Ethernet (IEEE 802.3af Class 1, <=3.6 W) or external +10.8 to +26.4 Vdc (<=3.0 W). Imaging features include exposure from 20.2 us to 1.323 s, analog gain x1 to x15.28, binning/decimation, defective pixel correction, PTP/IEEE1588 synchronization, and chunk/event support. The '-HS' designation denotes the high-frame-rate, higher-bandwidth GigE variant within the 503 series.
The Omron Sentech STC-MBA503POE-HS (monochrome) and STC-MCA503POE-HS (color) are compact area-scan cameras built around the onsemi AR0521, a 1/2.5-inch CMOS sensor with 2.2 um pixels that delivers 5 MP (2592 x 1944) at 21.8 fps over a GigE Vision 2.1 / 1000BASE-T interface. That combination places the camera in the sweet spot for detail-driven inspection where a single field of view needs to resolve fine features: at 2592 px across, each pixel maps to a small fraction of a millimetre on a typical bench setup, which is enough to read small print, detect surface defects, or measure part edges. The 2.2 um pixel is on the small side, so it trades some per-pixel sensitivity for resolution density. Plan for adequate lighting, because at 21.8 fps the available exposure window per frame is limited, and the small pixel collects fewer photons than a larger one would.
The shutter is the most important nuance to understand before designing this camera in. It is a rolling shutter with global reset, not a true global shutter. Global reset starts integration for all rows simultaneously, but rows are still read out sequentially, so the bottom of the frame is exposed to ambient light longer than the top unless the scene is dark and the illumination is strobed. In practice that means this camera shines on stationary or slow-moving parts under continuous lighting, and on faster motion only when you control the light, freezing the action with a short, bright strobe flash in a darkened enclosure rather than relying on a fast shutter alone. Exposure is adjustable from 20.2 us to 1.323 s and analog gain spans x1 to x15.28, giving wide latitude to balance brightness against noise, while binning/decimation and defective pixel correction help tune throughput and image quality for the task at hand.
Connectivity and power make this a clean single-cable design. PoE under IEEE 802.3af Class 1 keeps consumption at 3.6 W or less and lets one Ethernet run carry both data and power, which simplifies cabling on a line and removes the need for a local supply at the camera; where PoE is unavailable, an external +10.8 to +26.4 Vdc input is supported (drawing 3.0 W or less). GigE Vision 2.1 with GenICam means broad compatibility with standard machine-vision software, and PTP / IEEE 1588 synchronization plus chunk/event data support enable precise multi-camera timing and per-frame metadata. The camera takes C-mount lenses, weighs 62 g in a 29 x 29 x 53 mm body, and operates from 0 C to +45 C, so it drops easily into compact fixtures and robot-mounted setups but is intended for controlled indoor environments rather than hot or freezing process areas.
Best for
Surface and defect inspection of stationary or slow-indexing parts, where 5 MP resolution resolves fine flaws across a single field of view
Reading printed text and labels for OCR/OCV and traceability on packaging and electronics under controlled lighting
Dimensional measurement and edge-gauging where the 2592 x 1944 pixel grid provides fine spatial sampling for accurate part metrology
Single-cable PoE installations distributed across a line, where one Ethernet run carries both data and power with no local supply at the camera
Multi-camera stations needing synchronized capture, using PTP / IEEE 1588 timing to coordinate several units on the same network
Selection notes
Confirm motion handling early: this is a rolling shutter with global reset, so for moving parts pair it with a strobed light in a controlled enclosure to freeze the scene and avoid row-to-row skew, rather than relying on a fast electronic shutter
Budget your light: the 2.2 um pixel and 21.8 fps cap leave a limited exposure window, so size illumination generously and use gain (up to x15.28) only as a last resort to keep noise in check
Choose the variant for the job: the MBA monochrome delivers full per-pixel resolution and is preferred for gauging, defect detection, and code reading, while the MCA color is for tasks that genuinely need color discrimination
Match the lens to the sensor: select a C-mount lens specified for at least a 1/2.5-inch format and 5 MP, otherwise the optics will limit the resolution the sensor can deliver
Verify network bandwidth and PoE budget: GigE 1000BASE-T must carry 5 MP at 21.8 fps, so provision a dedicated NIC with jumbo frames and confirm the switch supplies 802.3af Class 1 power, or wire the external 10.8 to 26.4 Vdc input
Respect the environment: rated 0 C to +45 C for indoor, controlled settings, so add cooling or an enclosure for hot machinery and avoid cold or wet process zones
Specifications: General
Brand
Omron / Sentech
Camera type
Area scan
Specifications: Sensor
Resolution
5 MP
Horizontal resolution
2592 x 1944 px
Mono / color
Mono (MBA) / Color (MCA)
Sensor manufacturer
onsemi
Sensor model
onsemi AR0521 CMOS
Shutter
Rolling shutter / Global reset
Sensor size
1/2.5" optical format
Pixel size
2.2 um x 2.2 um
Specifications: Performance
FPS
21.8 fps
Specifications: Interface
Interface
GigE Vision 2.1 (1000BASE-T) with PoE
Protocols
GigE Vision 2.1
Specifications: Optics
Mount
C-Mount
Specifications: Electrical
Power
PoE (IEEE 802.3af Class 1) or external +10.8 to +26.4 Vdc
Power consumption
3.6 W
Specifications: Environment
Operating temperature
0 C to +45 C
Specifications: Mechanical
Dimensions
29 (W) x 29 (H) x 53 (D) mm
Weight
62 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 · 1/2.5" optical format 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
These steps take an Omron Sentech (STC) camera from the box to a stable first image and on to your own application. They apply across the GigE Vision, USB3 Vision and CoaXPress STC families; the interface only changes how you cable and power the camera.
Download and install the Sentech SDK on the host PC. The package provides StViewer, the viewing and configuration software you use to bring the camera up, and StApi, the programming SDK you integrate later. Because the cameras are GenICam/GenTL-compliant, StApi also registers a GenTL producer, so any GenICam-compliant third-party vision software can discover and drive the camera as an alternative front end.
2. Cable, power and connect the camera
Connect according to the interface. GigE Vision: link to a Gigabit NIC (use PoE or the separate power input) and put the camera and host on the same subnet; for USB3 Vision use a USB 3.x port and a certified cable; for CoaXPress (STC) connect to a CoaXPress frame grabber, which also supplies Power-over-Coax. Then open StViewer and let it enumerate the camera. If a GigE camera does not appear, check the IP configuration and firewall, and on USB3 confirm the host bandwidth and driver.
3. Configure exposure, gain and white balance
Open the device in StViewer and start a live stream. Set exposure and gain for a well-exposed, low-noise image: raise exposure first and only add gain when more light or a faster shutter is not an option, keeping exposure short enough to freeze motion on global-shutter models. On colour cameras, run white balance under your actual production lighting. Adjust the lens aperture and focus on a representative target before tuning anything else.
4. Set the trigger and grab a first image
Start in free-run (continuous) acquisition to confirm a clean, stable image. For inline inspection switch to hardware or software triggering: select the trigger source, set the active edge and any delay, and wire the strobe or illumination to the camera's I/O so lighting fires with each exposure. Acquire and save a frame in StViewer; this saved image is your reference for the SDK stage and for downstream inspection.
5. Move to the StApi SDK (or any GenICam software)
Once the image is stable, reproduce the same settings in code. Use StApi to open the device, apply the GenICam features you validated in StViewer (exposure, gain, trigger, pixel format) and grab frames into your application via the bundled C++, C, C#/.NET or Python interfaces; the included samples are the fastest starting point. Prefer a different stack? The same GenICam/GenTL camera works with third-party vision libraries. With a reliable feed, you can route it into a deep-learning inspection such as Rosepetal for AI-based defect detection.
Frequently asked questions
It uses a rolling shutter with global reset. Global reset starts exposure on all rows at once, but readout is still sequential, so for moving objects you should strobe the lighting in a controlled (dark) enclosure to freeze motion. It is best suited to stationary or slow-moving parts under continuous light.
It delivers 5 MP at 2592 x 1944 pixels and runs at 21.8 fps over its GigE Vision 2.1 / 1000BASE-T interface.
It is built around the onsemi AR0521, a 1/2.5-inch CMOS sensor with 2.2 um x 2.2 um pixels.
It connects over GigE Vision 2.1 (1000BASE-T) and can be powered by PoE (IEEE 802.3af Class 1, 3.6 W or less) over the same Ethernet cable, or by an external +10.8 to +26.4 Vdc supply (3.0 W or less).
Yes. The STC-MBA503POE-HS is monochrome and the STC-MCA503POE-HS is color; both share the same AR0521 sensor, 5 MP resolution, and 21.8 fps. Choose mono for gauging, defect detection, and code reading, and color where color discrimination is required.
It uses a C-mount and is a compact 29 x 29 x 53 mm, 62 g body. It is rated for 0 C to +45 C operation, so it is intended for controlled indoor settings rather than hot, cold, or wet process areas.
