User`s manual

Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Color Filters

Basler aviator Camera Link 93

6 Pixel Formats, Tap

Geometries, and Color Filters

This chapter provides information about the pixel formats and the Camera Link tap geometries

available on the camera. By selecting a pixel format, you determine the bit depth of the image data

transmitted by the camera. By selecting a tap geometry, you determine how the pixel data will be

transmitted over the Camera Link interface.

This section also provides information about the Bayer pattern filter used on color versions of the

camera.

6.1 Pixel Formats

The camera uses 12 bit ADCs to digitize the pixel values captured by the camera’s imaging sensor.

The choice of a pixel format determines whether all 12 bits of data will be transmitted from the

camera for each pixel in the acquired frames or if only 8 or 10 bits will be transmitted for each pixel.

(This is often referred to as setting the bit depth of the pixels.)

On monochrome versions of the camera, the pixel format can be set to Mono 8, Mono 10, or Mono

12. With the Mono 8 setting, the 8 most significant bits from the camera’s ADCs will be transmitted

for each pixel and the 4 least significant bits will be dropped. With the Mono 10 setting, the 10 most

significant bits from the camera’s ADCs will be transmitted for each pixel and the 2 least significant

bits will be dropped. With the Mono 12 setting, all 12 bits from the camera’s ADCs will be transmitted

for each pixel.

On color versions of the camera, the pixel format can be set to Bayer GR 12, Bayer GR 10, or Bayer

GR 8. With the Bayer GR 8 setting, the 8 most significant bits from the camera’s ADCs will be

transmitted for each pixel and the 4 least significant bits will be dropped. With the Bayer GR 10

setting, the 10 most significant bits from the camera’s ADCs will be transmitted for each pixel and

the 2 least significant bits will be dropped. With the Bayer GR 12 setting, all 12 bits from the

camera’s ADCs will be transmitted for each pixel.

The Bayer GR refers to the color filter used in color versions of the camera.

For more information about the Bayer filter on color cameras, see Section 6.3 on page 99.

If you plan to design your own frame grabber, or if you would like complete details

regarding the way that pixel data is handled by the camera, refer to the document

called Aviator Information for Frame Grabber Designers (AW000831xx000). You

can download the document from the Basler website: