Basler acA1300-200um Review: Specs & Applications
Updated: 7 days ago
Basler acA1300-200um provides a 1280 × 1024 image with global-shutter acquisition through USB 3.0 / USB3 Vision. Its documented frame-rate configuration is 203 fps in fast sensor readout; 169 fps in normal readout. Price: Request a quote.
The camera should be selected as part of an imaging system rather than evaluated from one headline specification. The useful result is an image that reveals the required feature at the right time, followed by a reliable inspection or measurement decision. This review considers the documented acquisition package, optical implications and practical purchasing scope for acA1300-200um.
Quick Verdict
acA1300-200um is a compact monochrome USB camera that favors acquisition cadence over a large native grid. It is worth evaluating when 1280 by 1024 sampling satisfies the feature requirement. Its readout-mode distinction should be explicit in a quotation and station acceptance test.
acA1300-200um at a Glance
Product: Basler acA1300-200um
Image format: 1280 × 1024
Acquisition: Global
Interface: USB 3.0 / USB3 Vision
Capture rate: 203 fps in fast sensor readout; 169 fps in normal readout
Sensor: onsemi PYTHON NOIP1SN1300A CMOS
Optical format: 1/2-inch
Pixel size: 4.8 µm
Output: Monochrome
Body: 29.3 × 29 × 29 mm without mount or connectors
Software: Basler pylon
Price: Request a quote
acA1300-200um Technical Specifications
Specification | Value or configuration |
Product | Basler acA1300-200um |
Image format | 1280 × 1024 |
Acquisition | Global |
Interface | USB 3.0 / USB3 Vision |
Capture rate | 203 fps in fast sensor readout; 169 fps in normal readout |
Sensor | onsemi PYTHON NOIP1SN1300A CMOS |
Optical format | 1/2-inch |
Pixel size | 4.8 µm |
Output | Monochrome |
Body | 29.3 × 29 × 29 mm without mount or connectors |
Software | Basler pylon |
Price | Request a quote |
Design and Optical Requirements
The half-inch sensor and 4.8 µm pixels should be matched to a C-mount lens and the required object-space feature scale. A lower-resolution camera can be appropriate when the field is narrow or the relevant feature is large enough. Evaluate contrast and focus on actual objects rather than assuming a faster sensor improves the decision.
Acquisition Speed and Integration
Basler’s model documentation gives 203 fps in fast readout mode and 169 fps in normal mode. Select the readout behavior, output representation and exposure together. Validate the supported USB controller and cable on the intended host while the actual analysis is active. Global shutter does not remove exposure-time motion blur.
Programming and Image Processing
The documented capabilities include hardware triggering, software triggering, free-run capture, programmable exposure, opto-coupled I/O and GPIO. Use those controls to establish a repeatable acquisition recipe for the station. Determine which adjustments are performed in the camera and which belong in the host software. Store the chosen settings with the inspection configuration so an operator or service technician can reproduce the image used during commissioning. A parameter change should be evaluated against both good and faulty samples before it becomes the production default.
Image Data and Host Capacity
As an engineering estimate, a 1280 × 1024 frame represented as one uncompressed 8-bit value per pixel contains about 1.31 MB of pixel data, using decimal megabytes. This excludes transport overhead and metadata. It is a sizing example, not a measured camera transfer rate; other output representations change the data volume. Multiply the selected frame size by the planned acquisition rate when budgeting host memory, processing and storage, then validate the complete pipeline under realistic load.
acA1300-200um Applications and Use Cases
Fast presence checks, triggered component observation and motion studies can merit a trial with this grid. The useful result is reliable feature visibility and image association at the required cycle. For multiple cameras, test the actual shared USB and host architecture rather than multiplying one-camera maximum rates.
Building a Useful Acceptance Trial
Prepare representative parts or scenes that include the smallest required feature, normal production variation and realistic faults. Confirm the field of view and exposure before tuning the inspection. Record wrong accepts, wrong rejects, missing frames and the complete trigger-to-decision timing. A trial should also show what happens when the expected image is absent or unusable. This connects camera selection to the station's actual acceptance requirement rather than relying on a sharp reference picture.
acA1300-200um Price and Value
Price: Request a quote. Ask for the complete acA1300-200um ordering code and an itemized scope covering the camera, suitable optics, receiving hardware, cables, power and commissioning. Compare quotations for the same image format, acquisition mode and integration scope. The cost of a camera component is different from the cost of a working inspection station. Evaluate any financial return with the plant's actual labor, defect, rework and maintenance data; no universal payback period follows from these specifications.
Comparison and Selection
acA3800-10gc supplies a much larger color image through GigE but uses rolling shutter and a lower listed rate. These are different imaging priorities. A newer ace 2 model also has its own sensor, interface and software scope. Compare the actual feature scale and acquisition-to-decision timing.
Ordering, Environment and Lifecycle
The catalog is a reseller listing, while Basler is the manufacturer. This review follows the official model documentation for sensor and readout limits. The manufacturer lists IP30, which should not be confused with a sealed industrial camera. Confirm current availability, pylon compatibility, mount and USB connection scope.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Documented high-rate monochrome USB acquisition.
Global-shutter PYTHON sensor.
Explicit fast versus normal readout modes.
Cons
Native grid is only 1280 by 1024.
USB host and multi-camera load need validation.
IP30 does not provide a sealed environmental installation.
Who Should Buy acA1300-200um?
Shortlist acA1300-200um when its documented sensor, interface and acquisition mode match the imaging task and the team can demonstrate the complete host pipeline. Use the sample trial to establish whether the relevant features remain distinguishable under the expected lighting, presentation and motion. Before purchase, settle the optical configuration, ordering variants and support requirements. The best choice is the configuration that satisfies the acceptance criteria with a maintainable system architecture.
acA1300-200um FAQ
What is the native resolution of acA1300-200um?
1280 × 1024 pixels is the documented native image format. Evaluate the optics and required feature scale alongside that pixel count.
Which shutter architecture does it use?
The documented sensor uses a global shutter. A common exposure interval across the image does not eliminate blur caused by movement during exposure.
What interface is required?
USB 3.0 / USB3 Vision is the documented acquisition interface. Match the receiving hardware and software to the exact ordering configuration.
What is the maximum frame rate?
The documented rate is 203 fps in fast sensor readout; 169 fps in normal readout. Confirm the specified operating mode; maximum capture rate is not a guarantee of completed inspection throughput.
Which acquisition features are documented?
The product information includes hardware triggering, software triggering, free-run capture, programmable exposure, opto-coupled I/O and GPIO. Configure the selected functions around the actual trigger and image-processing requirement.
What should be included in a system comparison?
acA3800-10gc supplies a much larger color image through GigE but uses rolling shutter and a lower listed rate. These are different imaging priorities. A newer ace 2 model also has its own sensor, interface and software scope. Compare the actual feature scale and acquisition-to-decision timing.
How much does the camera cost?
Price: Request a quote. Include the exact camera variant, optics, receiving hardware, power, cables and commissioning.
What should be tested before ordering?
Test representative good and faulty samples, the intended optical geometry, image timing, capture diagnostics and the complete result association with each inspected part.
Price: Request a quote. Final configuration, pricing, availability and support terms depend on the supplier's current quotation.
