Introducing the SIR-C Intensified Colour Framing Camera

Specialised Imaging is proud to announce the launch of the SIR-C colour range camera, capable of producing high resolution (2336 x 1752 pixel) colour images with exposure times down to 3ns for freezing motion and capturing very short duration events

What differentiates the SIR-C from other more commonly used cameras is the ability to produce high resolution images captured at the very point of interest, even when microsecond or nanosecond triggering accuracy is required.

Colour image of muzzle flash.

The SIR-C is possibly the first intensified colour framing camera for more than 20 years. Predecessors were large, cumbersome cameras which were supplanted by the introduction of high-speed digital video cameras. However, to capture microsecond timescale events the high-speed video camera pixel resolutions are reduced to very low values e.g. 128 x 64 pixels. In addition, there is no way to accurately trigger each exposure relative to the event. This is where the SIR-C with its ability to trigger all exposures with nanosecond accuracy can be a more effective solution.

SVR-C colour ranges camera (1990s)

The portable and robust SIR-C uses the same core beam-splitter and four intensified sensors (channels) as the Specialised Imaging SIM-ES (Enhanced Sensitivity) camera. Both systems capture two images per channel that can be nanoseconds or microseconds apart. The SIM-ES captures these as two sets of 4 monochrome images with or without user changeable filters. The SIR-C has 3 dedicated channels with R, G, B filters and a fourth monochrome channel. This arrangement produces two colour and two monochrome images nano or microseconds apart.

The main applications for the SIR-C camera are ballistic and detonic events where high-speed video cameras are too slow or capture at insufficient resolution. With this in mind, the SIR-C has been designed to be robust enough for use on an outside range. Comprehensive triggering adjustment and a wide range of output signals are controlled using a custom software package, which also includes measurement and image enhancement functions.

The SIR-C could be used to capture pressure or temperature sensitive paints which change colour according to the variations of pressure or temperature on a surface. Typically, these paints are used on the surface of supersonic and hypersonic wind tunnel models. The SIR-C provides a solution to capture the paint colour variations of a ‘real-world’ projectile flight outside of a wind tunnel.

Colour images of ballistics and detonic events captured by the SIR-C not only make it possible to better the understanding of exactly what is happening - but are also rare and fascinating in themselves.

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