Non High-G series high-speed cameras

No. This range is intended for non-high-G use and should not be treated as having a shock rating for onboard impact, sled or projectile installation. The J-PRI, L-PRI, M-PRI and PROMON 2000 HSR are identified for laboratory environments, and the individual platforms do not provide a G-shock trigger. They remain applicable to crash, airbag and impact studies when positioned off-board on a stationary support. In practice, the camera should be mounted outside the severe acceleration zone and protected against debris, vibration and cable strain. A purpose-designed high-G camera should be selected when the imaging device must travel with the test article.

Choose the platform by balancing image detail, full-resolution speed, available light and required recording duration. J-PRI provides the highest spatial resolution, reaching 2560 × 1920 at 2060 fps in Configuration 3. L-PRI provides 1920 × 1080 operation across 1000, 1500, 2000 and 3500 fps grades, while M-PRI prioritises sensitivity with 14 µm pixels and a 4000 fps nominal grade at 1280 × 800. PROMON 2000 HSR is the appropriate architecture when uninterrupted or extended Full HD recording matters more than an integrated camera body. The final choice should be checked against the required field of view, exposure time, recording duration and mounting arrangement.

M-PRI has the highest stated sensitivity within the colour-capable PRI platforms, at ISO 10,000 monochrome and ISO 8000 colour without gain. Its 14 µm pixels are larger than the 10 µm pixels used by L-PRI and PROMON 2000 HSR and the 7.8 µm pixels used by J-PRI. L-PRI is rated at ISO 8000 monochrome and ISO 6000 colour, while J-PRI is rated at ISO 7200 monochrome and ISO 3000 colour. PROMON 2000 HSR provides ISO 8000 monochrome sensitivity and a stated spectral range of 350–950 nm. Lens aperture, illumination wavelength, exposure time and acceptable motion blur must still be included in the lighting calculation.

Reducing vertical resolution is the principal method used to increase frame rate across this range. J-PRI Configuration 3 moves from 2060 fps at 2560 × 1920 to 32,000 fps at 2560 × 64, while L-PRI 3500 reaches 76,400 fps at 1920 × 16. M-PRI 4000 reaches 67,560 fps at 1280 × 16, and PROMON 2000 HSR reaches 50,847 fps at 1920 × 16 in 8-bit mode. The horizontal dimension remains comparatively wide, but the captured vertical field becomes progressively narrower. The test should therefore be framed so that the expected motion remains inside the reduced region of interest throughout the event.

Use J-PRI, L-PRI or M-PRI internal memory for short triggered events, and PROMON 2000 HSR when acquisition must continue for minutes rather than seconds. At full resolution, 64 GB provides 6.2 seconds for J-PRI Configuration 3, 8.7 seconds for L-PRI 3500 and 15 seconds for M-PRI 4000. Lower speed grades provide longer durations, including 57 seconds for M-PRI 1000 with 64 GB and 60 seconds for L-PRI 1000 with 128 GB. PROMON provides approximately 30 minutes at 1920 × 1080 and 1000 fps with 2 TB, with capacities up to 8 TB available. Recording time also increases when resolution or frame rate is reduced.

The PRI platforms provide a trigger input, armed output, synchronisation input/output and a strobe output for coordinating illumination. Their TTL-compatible I/O is tolerant up to 24 V, but signal levels and grounding should still be checked against the connected controller. J-PRI supports IRIG-B 122–127 AM and 002–007 DCLS for frame synchronisation and time stamping, while L-PRI and M-PRI also list IRIG-B timing support. PROMON 2000 HSR provides trigger, synchronisation input and synchronisation output connections together with software-based motion detection. For multi-camera testing, the required master clock, cable lengths, trigger polarity and propagation delays should be defined before installation.

J-PRI uses an F mount with an optional motorised EF interface, while L-PRI and M-PRI use a C mount with optional F and EF arrangements. PROMON 2000 HSR uses a C mount with adjustable back focus and offers an optional externally controlled EF interface. The PRI camera bodies measure 98 × 98 × 118 mm, weigh 1.5 kg and provide M6 and 1/4-inch UNC mounting points. J-PRI requires 10–36 V DC at 36 W, while L-PRI and M-PRI require 10–36 V DC at 30 W; a snap-on battery arrangement can provide up to three hours of operation. The PROMON recorder requires 19 V DC at 90 W and uses a separate tethered camera connection.

Pay-As-You-Record is a J-PRI-specific licensing method for temporarily enabling a higher resolution and speed configuration. A licence can unlock Configuration 2 or Configuration 3 for 24 hours from activation, allowing a basic camera configuration to operate at the licensed settings during that period. Activation is handled through Imaging Studio V4 and does not require an internet connection. Multiple licence keys do not have to be used on consecutive days, and a permanent upgrade can also be arranged. Unused keys should be stored securely because misplaced licence codes cannot be regenerated.