Comparison Of Mechanical And Electronic High-Speed Recording Systems

Abstract

Commercially available mechanical, video, and electronic high-speed imaging systems are compared as part of an attempt to answer the question, will electronic cameras replace film cameras for high-speed recording? Of special interest is the relationship between spatial resolution and frame rate. Equally important is the compatibility of the imaging systems for recording different types of experiments and tests. The resolution of a number of systems that represent various classes of framing cameras has been compared at their maximum framing rate. Included are several classes of mechanically advanced framing cameras, electronic streak cameras operated in a framing mode, and high-speed video systems. Likewise, the resolution of various classes of streak and image motion cameras has been compared at their maximum temporal resolution. The results: at frame rates up to 25 Mf/s, mechanical cameras can record from 10 to 100 times more data per frame and several times as many frames per run as existing electronic cameras, and from 100 to 1000 times more data per frame than existing video cameras. Video systems are limited in resolution and speed but provide instant access to data. Electronic cameras provide faster frame and streak rates than mechanical cameras (up to 600 Mf/s) but are limited in resolution. Neither of these "electronic" technologies is expected to replace mechanical technologies for frame rates up to a few million frames per second. Future development of new electronic technologies using CCD arrays, however, may result in devices that are more competitive with conventional film techniques.