High frame rate area scan camera based on the 1/2.9" Sony IMX273 Pregius global shutter CMOS sensor, 1440 x 1080 resolution with 3.45 um pixels, reaching 238 fps over USB 3.0 / USB3 Vision. C-mount, color output with IR cut filter.
The Omron Sentech STC-MCS163U3V is a 1.6 MP color area scan camera built around a 1/2.9" Sony Pregius IMX273 global shutter CMOS sensor. The global shutter exposes every pixel simultaneously, so fast-moving objects are captured without the skew or smear that a rolling shutter introduces. Combined with a frame rate of up to 238 fps over a USB3 Vision interface, the camera is well suited to applications where parts are moving on a conveyor or indexing past the field of view and image distortion cannot be tolerated.
Resolution is 1440 px horizontally for a total of 1.6 MP, delivered through a 3.45 um pixel pitch on the compact 1/2.9" optical format. This is a moderate resolution that prioritises speed and clean motion capture over fine pixel density, making it a balanced choice when the inspection target fits comfortably within the field of view and the priority is throughput rather than resolving very small features across a large area. The color sensor adds spectral information that mono cameras cannot provide, which helps when defects, markings, or sorting criteria are distinguished by hue rather than by contrast alone.
Connectivity is USB3 Vision with GenICam compliance, giving a standardised, plug-and-play path into common machine-vision software and SDKs without proprietary acquisition layers. The C-mount lens interface is the de facto standard for cameras in this sensor-size and resolution class, opening up a broad selection of off-the-shelf optics. The camera is also listed as Rosepetal-ready, indicating it is intended to integrate cleanly with the Rosepetal vision and AI inspection workflow.
Best for
Surface inspection of moving parts on a conveyor, where the global shutter prevents motion-induced distortion
AI-based defect detection where color information improves discrimination of flaws, stains, or material variation
High-speed sorting and presence/verification tasks that benefit from frame rates up to 238 fps
Color-dependent grading or classification where hue and saturation are part of the pass/fail decision
Compact, space-constrained inspection stations that can use the small 1/2.9" format and standard C-mount optics
Selection notes
Choose a C-mount lens rated to cover at least the 1/2.9" sensor format; under-sized image circles will vignette. Match the lens resolving power to the 3.45 um pixel pitch so the optics do not become the limiting factor.
USB3 Vision is host-bound: keep cable runs short (typically a few metres with passive cabling) and use locking, industrial-grade USB3 Vision cables. For longer distances or multi-camera fan-out, consider active optical cabling or a GigE-class interface instead.
To sustain 238 fps the host needs adequate USB3 bandwidth and CPU/IO headroom; budget for SSD storage or real-time processing and avoid sharing the controller with other high-bandwidth devices.
If the application requires substantially higher pixel density to resolve very small features across a large field of view, or monochrome sensitivity for low-light or NIR work, evaluate a higher-resolution or mono model rather than this 1.6 MP color unit.
For AI defect inspection, confirm the GenICam/USB3 Vision and Rosepetal-ready integration path early so acquisition, triggering, and lighting synchronisation are validated against the target software stack.
Specifications: General
Camera type
Area scan
Specifications: Sensor
Resolution
1.6 MP
Horizontal resolution
1440 px
Mono / color
Color
Sensor manufacturer
Sony Pregius
Sensor model
Sony IMX273
Shutter
Global shutter
Sensor size
1/2.9"
Pixel size
3.45 µm
Specifications: Performance
FPS
238 fps
Specifications: Interface
Interface
USB3 Vision
Protocols
USB3 Vision, GenICam
Specifications: Optics
Mount
C-mount
Specifications: Commercial
Rosepetal-ready
Yes
This product groups every purchasable order code that shares the same sensing method, range and output. Cable length, connector type and operation mode (Light-ON/Dark-ON, NO/NC) vary by order code below.
Family variants with highlighted differences
Model
Mono / color
Interface
Availability
1.6 MP Color USB3 Vision Base
Color
USB3 Vision
On request
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
Yes. It uses a Sony Pregius IMX273 global shutter CMOS sensor, which exposes all pixels at the same instant. This eliminates the motion skew and smear seen with rolling-shutter sensors, making it suitable for imaging fast-moving objects.
It is a USB3 Vision camera and is GenICam compliant, so it connects to a host PC over a USB3 Vision link. Use a quality, ideally locking, industrial-grade cable and keep the run short; for longer distances consider active optical cabling.
It is a color camera with a resolution of 1.6 MP (1440 px horizontal). The color sensor captures spectral information useful when defects or sorting criteria are defined by hue rather than contrast alone.
Up to 238 fps over its USB3 Vision interface, which supports high-speed inspection and sorting. Sustaining that rate requires sufficient host bandwidth, CPU, and storage or real-time processing headroom.
It has a C-mount and a 1/2.9" optical format with 3.45 um pixels. Select a C-mount lens whose image circle covers at least the 1/2.9" format and whose resolving power matches the pixel pitch.
