EPIX 15C5 Review: Specs & Applications
Updated: 7 days ago
EPIX SILICON VIDEO 15C5 provides a 4608 × 3288 image with rolling-shutter acquisition through SILICON VIDEO interface with PIXCI SI frame grabbers. Its documented frame-rate configuration is 4.4 fps at maximum resolution. 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 15C5.
Quick Verdict
15C5 is a compact, high-resolution color camera for an EPIX host-based imaging architecture. Its most important selection constraint is not merely 15 MP: it combines rolling-shutter acquisition with a modest full-resolution rate and a specific receiving-board ecosystem. It is worth evaluating when those conditions fit the scene and the required sequence-capture workflow.
15C5 at a Glance
Product: EPIX SILICON VIDEO 15C5
Image format: 4608 × 3288
Acquisition: Rolling
Interface: SILICON VIDEO interface with PIXCI SI frame grabbers
Capture rate: 4.4 fps at maximum resolution
Sensor: RGB Bayer CMOS
Pixel pitch: 1.4 µm
Optical format: 1/2.3-inch
Output: 8 or 12-bit; uncompressed
Body: 32 × 32 × 32 mm; 45 g
Lens: Adjustable-flange C-mount; lens optional
Compatible acquisition boards: PIXCI SI1, SI2 and SI4
Software: XCAP and programmer libraries; edition dependent
Price: Request a quote
15C5 Technical Specifications
Specification | Value or configuration |
Product | EPIX SILICON VIDEO 15C5 |
Image format | 4608 × 3288 |
Acquisition | Rolling |
Interface | SILICON VIDEO interface with PIXCI SI frame grabbers |
Capture rate | 4.4 fps at maximum resolution |
Sensor | RGB Bayer CMOS |
Pixel pitch | 1.4 µm |
Optical format | 1/2.3-inch |
Output | 8 or 12-bit; uncompressed |
Body | 32 × 32 × 32 mm; 45 g |
Lens | Adjustable-flange C-mount; lens optional |
Compatible acquisition boards | PIXCI SI1, SI2 and SI4 |
Software | XCAP and programmer libraries; edition dependent |
Price | Request a quote |
Design and Optical Requirements
The 1.4 µm pixel pitch makes optical contrast and focus important to the use of the nominal resolution. The small body can help a restricted installation, but the lens must still provide a usable field. Evaluate the real surface and color information; Bayer output also means the chosen color-processing method belongs in the complete image-quality evaluation.
Acquisition Speed and Integration
The manufacturer's example runs at 4.4 fps for the full 4608 × 3288 image. Smaller capture areas have different rates, so request the specific operating mode needed by the project. The RJ-45 connector carries the camera's proprietary interface signals and should not be mistaken for a conventional GigE Vision connection. Match it with the specified PIXCI receiving board.
Programming and Image Processing
The documented capabilities include programmable area of interest, asynchronous reset and strobe output, image flip, black-level calibration. 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 4608 × 3288 frame represented as one uncompressed 8-bit value per pixel contains about 15.15 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.
15C5 Applications and Use Cases
Consider detailed color inspection or laboratory capture where the object presentation and frame-rate requirement fit the camera. For time-sequence work, choose the XCAP edition from the required capture duration and storage behavior. A stationary reference image should not be used to assume acceptable rolling-shutter behavior on a moving target.
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.
15C5 Price and Value
Price: Request a quote. Ask for the complete SILICON VIDEO 15C5 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
A compact GigE, Camera Link or CoaXPress camera may play a similar acquisition role through a different host architecture. Compare the complete receiving hardware, software licensing and image requirements. The EPIX 160 MP system is a multi-camera arrangement, not a single higher-resolution replacement for 15C5.
Ordering, Environment and Lifecycle
Ask for the exact camera, PIXCI board, cable and software scope. The manufacturer identifies optional lenses and software capabilities; the component camera does not include every image-processing or long-sequence feature. Confirm the operating-system and driver plan for the workstation.
Pros and Cons
Pros
High-resolution Bayer color output in a small body.
Programmable area and acquisition controls.
Established EPIX acquisition-board and software ecosystem.
Cons
Rolling shutter must suit object motion.
Modest full-resolution rate.
Specific receiving hardware and software scope affect system cost.
Who Should Buy 15C5?
Shortlist 15C5 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.
15C5 FAQ
What is the native resolution of 15C5?
4608 × 3288 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 rolling shutter. The acquisition must account for row-by-row timing when the object or camera moves.
What interface is required?
SILICON VIDEO interface with PIXCI SI frame grabbers 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 4.4 fps at maximum resolution. 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 programmable area of interest, asynchronous reset and strobe output, image flip, black-level calibration. Configure the selected functions around the actual trigger and image-processing requirement.
What should be included in a system comparison?
A compact GigE, Camera Link or CoaXPress camera may play a similar acquisition role through a different host architecture. Compare the complete receiving hardware, software licensing and image requirements. The EPIX 160 MP system is a multi-camera arrangement, not a single higher-resolution replacement for 15C5.
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.
