Thermal Infrared Camera - Photon - Uncooled Microbolometer


			Print

FLIR’s New Photon 640 LWIR thermal imaging cameras are now available. The Photon 640 is based on the same camera design architecture as the Photon 320, which means the same rapid turn-on time, wide operating temperature range, high shock rating, and overall reliability customers have come to expect from the Photon family. This latest addition to the remarkably successful Photon product line offers several new features and capabilities:

· 640x480 resolution (640x512 for PAL) with 25 µm pixels

· Shorter thermal time constant to reduce image blurring and smearing

· Field-switchable between NTSC and PAL video formats

· 4x (and 2x) digital zoom modes

Along with a lens-lens core version, three lens options are supported: 19mm; 35mm; and 50mm. See the Optics Table tab for detailed lens information. Additional lenses are planned.

Similar to the other Photon camera formats, a variety of accessories are available for the Photon 640 camera.

The Photon 640 cameras operate at a 30 Hz (25 Hz PAL) frame rate. For cameras that will be exported or re-exported outside of the United States, FLIR offers a “slow video” option that exempts the camera from export license requirements. The slow video frame rates are 7.5 Hz for NTSC and 8.3 Hz for PAL. Digital video is generated at 8- or 14-bit resolution at the equivalent analog video frame rate of the camera. For more information about digital data acquisition options, click here.

A single interface connector facilitates power in, analog and digital video out, RS-232 communication for command and control of the camera, and external sync. All Photon cameras can operate autonomously: all the user has to do is provide power, get video. FLIR’s sophisticated on-board signal processing takes care of optimizing the image under any conditions.

Many common camera controls are brought out in software program called the Photon GUI (graphical user interface), which is available for download at the Software Updates page. The GUI can be freely downloaded and run without needing a camera to see the various camera commands that are available. FLIR also provides an extensive command set for customers that want more control of camera features and functions, and a Photon Software Developer’s Kit (SDK) is offered for those customers that want to develop their own custom interface to the camera. In fact, the GUI that FLIR makes available is an example of a control program developed with the Photon SDK.

FLIR designs, manufactures, and assembles all its critical camera components in-house, from the readout integrated circuits (ROICs), to the focal plane array sensors, and final Photon camera assembly, test, and calibration.


			Print

Features	Benefits
Environmentally Superior	Highest Shock Rating & Widest Operating Temp Range of Any IR Camera
Reliable	Designed for Years of Maintenance-Free Operation
Self-Contained	Fully Integrated, with Options for Both OEM and Non-OEM Customers
Versatile	Feature Rich for Flexibility in Applications
Affordable	Low-Priced in Both Small & Large Quantities


			Print

System Overview	Photon 640	Photon 320	Photon 160
System Type	Uncooled LWIR Thermal Imager
Sensor Type	VOx Microbolometer
Sensor Format	640x512	324x256	160x128
Pixel Size	25um	38um
Spectral Band	7.5 - 13.5um
NEdT Performance	<65mK at f/1.0	<85mK at f/1.6

Outputs
Analog Video	NTSC @ 30 Hz Option: NTSC slow (7.5 Hz) Option: PAL @ 25 Hz Option: PAL slow (8.3 Hz)
Digital Video	8- or 14-bit serial LVDS

Operation
Image Control	2x, 4x digital zoom, digital detail enhancement (DDE)	Invert, revert 2x digital zoom, digital detail enhancement (DDE)	Invert, revert, digital detail enhancement (DDE)
Camera Control	Autonomous, or manual via GUI or RS-232 serial command
Signal Interface	30-pin SAMTEC connector for power, video, communication, digital data, external sync

Power
Input Voltage Range	7 - 14 VDC	5 - 24 VDC
Power Dissipation	<3W	1.6 W steady-state
Time to Image	~3 seconds	~2 seconds

Environmental
Operating Temp Range	-40 - +80 °C external temp
Scene Temp Range	To 150 °C standard
Shock	To 70 g's, 11ms half-sine profile

Physical Attributes
Size	63.5 x 60.9 x45.7 mm (less lens)	51.4 x 49.8 x 34.0 mm (less lens)
Weight	113g (core only, no lens)	97g (core only, no lens)
Mounting Interface	4 heatsink attach points	7 heatsink attach points, M3


			Print

Focal Length	6.3mm	14.25mm	19mm	35mm	50mm
f/number	1.2	1.3	1.4	1.4	1.7
Field of View¹
320x240	-	46° x 36°	36° x 27°	20° x 15°	14° x 11°
160x120	52° x 40°	-	18° x 14°	-	-
640x480	-	-	-	26° x 20°	18° x 14°
IFoV² (milliradians)
320, 160	6.032	2.667	2.000	1.086	0.760
640	-	-	-	0.714	0.500
Minimum Focus Distance	~5 inches	~5 inches	~12 inches	~27 inches	~72 inches
Hyperfocal Distance³	0.25m	5 meters	7.5 meters	26 meters	35 meters
Hyperfocal Depth of Field⁴		2.5 meters	3.8 meters	13 meters	18 meters
Weight (Lens & Lens Mount only)	55g	56 g	33 g	88.5 g	128 g
Length (Lens Only)	0.377”	1.209”	0.769”	1.709”	2.632”
Diameter (maximum)	1.250”	1.654”	1.024”	1.654”	1.772”
Coating Type	High Efficiency	High Durability		Hard Carbon⁵
Nominal Wavelength	8.0 to 14.0 microns

1 Field of View describes the angular measure of a scene imaged with the given pixel array, expressed as degrees in horizontal by vertical directions.
2 Instantaneous Field of View is the angular measure of a single pixel. Small angles are usually measured in milliradians. The IFoV is the pixel size (in microns) divided by the lens focal length
3 Hyperfocal distance is the distance beyond which all objects are acceptably sharp, for a lens focused at infinity.
4 Hyperfocal depth-of-field is the theoretical maximum depth-of-field achievable, and is obtained when a system is focused at the hyperfocal distance. Higher f/number optics generate larger depths-of-field by sacrificing signal or minimum temperature resolution.
5 Coating Type for 35mm and 50mm configurations of Photon 640 will be High Durability, not Hard Carbon.


			Print

Photon Weight Information

The camera weight will depend on which type of cover is installed, if any, and whether or not a wearsaver adapter is used. The table below shows the approximate weight of the different camera/lens configurations, as well as the weights for the covers and wearsaver connector. There can be some variation in the actual weight, but the figures shown for the Core + Lens should be accurate to within +/- 2 grams.

Weight Table For Photon 320 and 160

	No Lens	6.3mm¹	14.25mm²	19mm	35mm²	50mm²
Core	97g	132g	153g	130g	185.5g	225g
Wearsaver Cover	16g	16g	16g	16g	16g	16g
Wearsaver	7g	7g	7g	7g	7g	7g
Core + Wearsaver + Cover	120g	155g	182g	158g	212g	253g

¹ Only available for Photon 160
² Only available for Photon 320

Weight Table For Photon 640

	No Lens	35mm	50mm
Core	113g	227g
Wearsaver Cover	22g	22g	22g
Wearsaver	24g	24g	24g
Core + Wearsaver + Cover	159g	273g

Photon 320 Drawings & Models
	Photon 160 O&M Drawing - 6.3mm Lens
	Photon 320 O&M Drawing - 14.25mm Lens
	Photon 320 O&M Drawing - 19mm Lens*
	Photon 320 O&M Drawing - 35mm Lens
	Photon 320 O&M Drawing - 50mm Lens
Photon 320 DRI Charts
	DRI Chart - Vehicle
	DRI Chart - Human Target

*The Outline and Mounting drawing for the 19mm lens version is valid for both the Photon 160 and Photon 320.

The Photon OEM Camera Core is a compact, all-in-one thermal imager with outstanding sensitivity and image quality.?
Integrators have embedded tens of thousands of Photon cores in a variety of applications.

	Mine Safety Appliances incorporates FLIR's Photon camera in their Evolution 5200 firefighting product.
	AeroVironment uses FLIR's Photon as thermal imaging payload cameras in the next generation Raven B unmanned aerial vehicles.
	Qioptiq uses FLIR's Photon in their VIPIR-2 thermal weapon sight.
	Tactical Electronics uses FLIR’s Photon in the new Pole Camera Thermal Camera.
	FLIR’s Photon is a featured payload of Cloud Cap Technology’s TASE gimbal.

Click on the video below to see footage from the Photon 640 camera.

Download this video in .MOV format