VA Imaging MER2-230-168U3C-VA 1/1.2" Color CMOS (Sony IMX174) Camera, 2.3 Megapixels, 1920 x 1200, 168 fps, Global Shutter, C-Mount, USB 3.0 Output

Industrial USB 3.0 Vision Camera Featuring IMX174

The Mercury2 USB 3.0 camera is designed as an industrial vision device equipped with a USB 3.0 interface. This interface supports high-resolution and high-speed imaging, making it ideal for embedded systems such as Raspberry Pi (version 4 or newer), NVIDIA platforms, and conventional PCs.
This industrial vision camera is suitable for applications that meet these criteria:
- Industrial-grade camera
- Cable length up to 4.5 meters (extendable to 10 meters with optical USB3 cable)
- Single-cable connection simplifies setup
- Compact size of 29x29x29mm
- Compatible with x86 computers and embedded ARM V7 & ARM V8 platforms
- Supports hardware triggering (requires I/O cable)

For additional information regarding our industrial USB 3.0 vision cameras, please consult our manual.

MTBF, Warranty, and Product Longevity

Daheng Imaging manufactures over 100,000 industrial cameras annually, adhering to stringent quality standards. The mean time between failures (MTBF) exceeds 400,000 hours (equivalent to 45 years of continuous operation). These industrial cameras are TÜV Rheinland certified and come with a 3-year warranty. Each camera model remains available for a minimum of 7 years after its market release, with many models supported for even longer periods. For further details on our product life cycle management, refer to this article.

Industrial-Grade Color Camera

Color imaging is achieved through a Bayer filter pattern, which calculates the RGB value of each pixel by analyzing that pixel along with its neighboring pixels. This process results in images that are generally less sharp compared to monochrome cameras. Because of the RGB filter, each pixel captures approximately 66% fewer photons under white light conditions than a monochrome sensor, reducing light sensitivity. To address this limitation, the following adjustments can be made:
- Increase illumination levels
- Raise the gain setting
- Extend shutter speed or exposure time
- Choose a sensor with higher light sensitivity
- Use a lens optimized for better light transmission
Compared to typical security cameras and webcams, industrial color cameras feature larger, more light-sensitive pixels, delivering superior image quality.

I/O Interface for Hardware Triggering, Strobe Control, and PLC Communication

The USB camera s I/O connector is an 8-pin HR25 Hirose type, which is a standard in industrial machine vision applications. This camera includes an input port for hardware triggering. Its output can be utilized to activate external devices such as industrial machine vision lighting. Additionally, the camera provides two GPIO pins (General Purpose Input/Output) programmable via our SDK. Electrical wiring diagrams for the I/O connector are available in the user manual. You may also find our article on hardware triggering multiple industrial cameras useful.

If the I/O port is not required, the camera can be ordered without it. For bulk orders, this option reduces the camera s cost by 10 per unit. The minimum order quantity for USB3 cameras without I/O is 10 units. Please contact us if you wish to purchase the industrial USB3 camera without the I/O interface.