From the range of FLIR cameras, the Teledyne FLIR Blackfly S camera has been tested and is recommended.
For more information, see the following topics:
Choice of Blackfly S camera
The following camera has been tested with Vicon Nexus. The frame rate given is the maximum possible at full resolution using the camera's native Bayer format. Higher rates may be possible if region-of-interest windowing is enabled on the camera, whereas the camera is limited to lower rates if certain onboard processing features are enabled.
| Range | Model | Sensor resolution | Max frame rate at full resolution | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLIR spec | Nexus | |||
Teledyne FLIR Blackfly S | BFS-U3-23S3C-C | 1920 × 1200 (2.3 MP) | 163 | 150 |
Number of Blackfly S cameras
You can use up to four cameras with a single Vicon Lock unit, subject to sufficient GPO ports being free and not required for any other devices. For more information, contact Vicon Support.
With Nexus 2.14 and later, you can use up to eight FLIR cameras in your Nexus system, enabling you to use post-processing with Theia. Note that, to do this, you must use an advanced PC. For details, contact Vicon Support.
The number of cameras that can be used is constrained by the USB3 bandwidth of the PC or its ability to keep up with video encoding and/or disk bandwidth.
Vicon Lock unit, cables, and accessories
The minimum requirements are a Vicon Lock unit, sync cable, and USB3 cable. (The Vicon Lock unit is required to provide a sync signal to the camera.)
Important
If you are sourcing your own PC, ensure that, in addition to a USB3 controller card, it also includes a high-speed (M.2) hard drive, as supplied with current Vicon PCs (see What are the latest PC specifications?).
| Item | Required/ Optional | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vicon Lock Studio or Lock Lab |
| Required | Provides synchronization signal for FLIR camera. |
| Vicon 10 m Sync Cable |  | Required | Carries synchronization signal from Vicon Lock to FLIR camera. |
| Teledyne FLIR 5 m USB 3.1 Locking Cable |  | Required | Connects camera to PC for power, data and control. |
| M23VM615IR-V 2/3" Varifocal Lens 6–15mm C-mount |  | Required | Lens is required for camera. |
| Teledyne FLIR Tripod Adapter for Blackfly S |  | Required | Enables camera to be mounted on tripod head. |
| Teledyne FLIR 4-Port Quad Channel USB 3.1 Host Controller Card |  | Required | Required for all Vicon systems that include FLIR cameras, to ensure stability of connection and data, especially at higher frames rates. |
10 m Single RCA Phono Extension Cable |  | Optional | 10 m extension for sync cable. |
| 30 m USB3 Extension Cable |  | Optional | 30 m extension for USB3 cable. For details and advice on suitable cables, contact Vicon Support. |
