The STC-MBS500POE (monochrome) and STC-MCS500POE (color) are compact GigE Vision 2.1 industrial cameras using the Sony IMX264 2/3" CMOS global-shutter sensor at 2,448 x 2,048 (5MP) resolution with 3.45 µm pixels, running up to 21.9 fps. They connect over 1000BASE-T with IEEE 802.3af Class 2 Power over Ethernet or external power (+10.8 to +26.4 Vdc), consuming 4.4 W or less on PoE and 3.6 W or less on external power. The camera uses a C-mount, measures 29 x 29 x 53 mm, weighs about 65 g, and offers analog gain 0 to 20.8 dB and exposure from 1 µs to 16.777 s.
Brand
Omron / Sentech
Camera type
Area scan camera
Interface
GigE Vision over 1000BASE-T (PoE)
Resolution
5 MP
Horizontal resolution
2,448 (H) x 2,048 (V) px
Mono / color
Monochrome (STC-MBS500POE) / Color (STC-MCS500POE)
This is a compact 5MP area-scan camera built on the Sony IMX264 2/3-inch CMOS global-shutter sensor, delivering a 2,448 (H) x 2,048 (V) frame at up to 21.9 fps over a single GigE Vision 2.1 link. The global shutter is the headline trait: every pixel is exposed simultaneously, so fast-moving parts on a conveyor or a rotating index table are captured without the slanted, smeared geometry a rolling shutter would introduce. That makes it a natural fit for inline inspection where the target never stops moving, and it pairs cleanly with a strobed light and a hardware trigger to freeze motion at the exposure window you define (the camera supports exposure from 1 microsecond up to 16.777 seconds, so it spans flash-freeze imaging through long integration in dim scenes). With 3.45 micron pixels across the 2/3-inch optical format, the IMX264 is one of the better-behaved Pregius-generation sensors for low-noise, high-dynamic-range monochrome work, and the same body is offered in color (STC-MCS500POE) when you need to read colored labels, wires, or packaging.
On the connectivity side, the camera runs GigE Vision over 1000BASE-T and accepts power either from IEEE 802.3af Class 2 Power over Ethernet or an external supply of +10.8 to +26.4 Vdc. The single-cable PoE option is the practical advantage for installers: one Cat-5e/6 run carries both image data and power up to the usual 100 m reach, cutting harness count on multi-camera lines and simplifying cabinet wiring. Power draw is modest at 4.4 W or less on PoE (3.6 W or less on external power), so heat load inside an enclosure stays low. GenICam compliance means it drops into standard GigE Vision software stacks without a vendor-locked SDK, and the 1 GbE link comfortably sustains the full 5MP frame at 21.9 fps without needing the higher-bandwidth interfaces a faster or larger sensor would demand.
Mechanically it is a small, light unit: a C-mount front, a 29 x 29 x 53 mm body, and roughly 65 g of mass make it easy to fit on compact gantries, robot wrists, or tight inspection stations. The 2/3-inch sensor and C-mount combination is well served by the broad ecosystem of standard C-mount machine-vision lenses, so matching field of view and working distance to the application is straightforward. Analog gain is adjustable from 0 to 20.8 dB to recover signal in light-starved setups, though as always the cleanest images come from adding light rather than gain. Rated for 0 to +40 C operation, it suits typical climate-controlled factory and lab environments rather than hot, unconditioned outdoor enclosures.
Best for
Inline defect and surface inspection of moving parts on a conveyor or index table, where the global shutter prevents motion distortion
OCR/OCV and 1D/2D code traceability reading on labels, marks, and DPM where 5MP resolution provides character and code detail
Packaging and print inspection, with the color variant (STC-MCS500POE) reading colored labels, lot codes, and fill-level cues
Dimensional measurement and gauging stations where consistent global-shutter geometry supports repeatable edge and feature metrology
Multi-camera lines and space-constrained mounts (robot wrist, compact gantry) where single-cable PoE and the 65 g body reduce wiring and payload
Selection notes
Confirm your switch or injector delivers 802.3af Class 2 PoE; otherwise budget an external +10.8 to +26.4 Vdc supply, and verify Cat-5e/6 cable runs stay within standard GigE reach for both data and power
The 1 GbE link sustains the full 5MP frame at 21.9 fps; if your cycle time needs more than ~22 fps at full resolution, plan on ROI/binning or step up to a faster interface, as this is a GigE-bandwidth camera
Choose mono (STC-MBS500POE) for maximum sensitivity and resolution on geometry, edges, and most code/OCR tasks; choose color (STC-MCS500POE) only when color is genuinely diagnostic, since the color filter costs effective resolution and light
Spec C-mount lenses for the 2/3-inch format and check the lens resolves the 3.45 micron pixel pitch; size focal length to your required field of view and working distance before committing the mount geometry
Plan lighting and hardware triggering up front: use the 1 microsecond to 16.777 s exposure range with a strobed light to freeze motion, and keep analog gain (0 to 20.8 dB) as a last resort rather than a substitute for adequate illumination
Verify the 0 to +40 C operating range against your enclosure; in warm cabinets add cooling or ventilation, as this camera is not rated for high-temperature unconditioned environments
Specifications: General
Brand
Omron / Sentech
Camera type
Area scan camera
Specifications: Sensor
Resolution
5 MP
Horizontal resolution
2,448 (H) x 2,048 (V) px
Mono / color
Monochrome (STC-MBS500POE) / Color (STC-MCS500POE)
Sensor manufacturer
Sony Pregius (IMX264)
Sensor model
Sony IMX264 CMOS
Shutter
Global shutter
Sensor size
2/3 inch
Pixel size
3.45 x 3.45 µm
Specifications: Performance
FPS
21.9 fps (full resolution)
Specifications: Interface
Interface
GigE Vision over 1000BASE-T (PoE)
Protocols
GigE Vision 2.1 / GenICam
Specifications: Optics
Mount
C-mount
Specifications: Electrical
Power
PoE (IEEE 802.3af Class 2) or external +10.8 to +26.4 Vdc
Power consumption
4.4 W
Specifications: Environment
Operating temperature
0 to +40 °C
Specifications: Mechanical
Dimensions
29 (W) x 29 (H) x 53 (D) mm
Weight
65 g
Applications this camera is commonly selected for. Open one to see the full recommended hardware and approach.
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 the Sony IMX264 2/3-inch CMOS global-shutter sensor (Sony Pregius family) at 2,448 (H) x 2,048 (V), which is 5 MP, with 3.45 x 3.45 micron pixels.
It has a true global shutter, so all pixels are exposed at once for distortion-free imaging of moving parts. It runs at up to 21.9 fps at full 5MP resolution.
It connects via GigE Vision 2.1 / GenICam over 1000BASE-T. Power comes from IEEE 802.3af Class 2 Power over Ethernet (single-cable) or an external +10.8 to +26.4 Vdc supply, drawing 4.4 W or less on PoE and 3.6 W or less on external power.
Yes. STC-MBS500POE is monochrome and STC-MCS500POE is color, sharing the same body. Both use a C-mount for standard machine-vision lenses sized to the 2/3-inch sensor.
Exposure is adjustable from 1 microsecond to 16.777 seconds and analog gain from 0 to 20.8 dB. The body measures 29 x 29 x 53 mm and weighs about 65 g, rated for 0 to +40 C operation.
