Sony FCB camera block
How can one ensure maximum security during long-distance voyages? A clear and reliable visual monitoring system is the guarantee for safe operations at sea. For a long time, onboard cameras have faced challenges such as variable lighting, continuous shaking, and harsh environments.
The Sony FCB-ER9500, as an industrial-grade camera module integrating 4K/60-frame ultra-high-definition imaging, 25x optical zoom, super starlight night vision and multi-dimensional anti-shake technology, is becoming the core visual engine in fields such as ship monitoring, offshore operations, and emergency rescue with its revolutionary performance.
Xuanzhan Technology, an official authorized dealer of Sony (China), will analyze the application advantages of FCB-ER9500 in shipborne visual systems from three aspects: technological breakthroughs, scene adaptation, and industry value.
I. Technological Breakthrough: Three Core Capabilities Form a Visual Barrier
1. 4K/60 frames + 25x optical zoom: The “ultra-clear telescope” for dynamic capture
The FCB-ER9500 is equipped with a 1/1.8-inch STARVIS 2 CMOS sensor, supporting native 4K resolution (3840×2160) and high-speed output at 60 frames per second. The pixel density is four times higher than that of traditional 1080P devices. This feature enables it to capture details even at long distances: during ship navigation, through 25x optical zoom, the number of buoys or the outline of reefs 2 kilometers away can be clearly identified, avoiding collision risks; in maritime search and rescue operations, the 60 frames per second high frame rate can reduce motion blur of fast-moving targets, ensuring the real-time accuracy of locating the person who has fallen into the water.
2. Super Starlight Night Vision: Color Imaging at Extremely Low Illumination of 0.028 Lx
Traditional onboard cameras rely on infrared illumination in low-light or nighttime conditions and can only output black-and-white images. However, the FCB-ER9500 uses a large sensor (1/1.8 inch) and high sensitivity design to output color images even at an illumination of 0.028 Lx. In the dark sea areas without moonlight, the equipment can clearly distinguish rust marks on the hull or oil stains on the deck, providing a basis for equipment maintenance. When combined with the night infrared sensing mode, it can capture heat sources or reflective targets in the 850-1000nm wavelength range, even in complete darkness, enhancing the safety of nighttime operations.
3. Multi-dimensional Anti-Shake: Super+ Mode for Extreme Vibration Resistance
During ship navigation, factors such as waves, engine vibrations, or wind and wave impacts can cause image jitter. The FCB-ER9500 is equipped with a gyroscope sensor and an electronic stabilizer, providing two anti-shake modes: “Super” and “Super+”:
Super mode: Suitable for minor vibrations during daily navigation, ensuring image stability;
Super+ mode: In strong wind and waves or high-speed maneuvers, it expands the correction area to suppress severe jitter, ensuring image clarity. During fishing net operation on fishing boats, the equipment can stably capture the state of the fishing net and avoid misjudgment due to jitter; in monitoring on the deck of research vessels, even when the ship shakes, it can output usable scientific research image data.
II. Scene Adaptation: Comprehensive coverage from near-sea operations to ocean exploration
1. Ship Safety Monitoring: 360° Unobstructed Protection
The FCB-ER9500 can be combined with the 4KP60 HDMI interface board or the 4KP60 AI network interface board to achieve real-time monitoring of areas such as the bridge, cargo hold, and deck. Its wide dynamic range (WDR) technology can simultaneously handle bright (such as direct sunlight) and dark (such as cabin shadows) areas, avoiding overexposure or underexposure; the area automatic focusing function allows for fine adjustment of specific areas (such as the rudder, engine) to enhance monitoring efficiency.
2. Maritime Emergency Rescue: A Rapid Response Lifeline
In maritime search and rescue operations, the 4K resolution and 60-frame output of the FCB-ER9500 can clearly identify the location of the drowning individuals, the color of their clothes, and even their facial features. Combined with a 25x zoom function, it can quickly locate the target. In night mode, the infrared color mode and black-and-white mode can be switched for dual operation, ensuring 24-hour operational capabilities. For example, during a rescue operation for a collapsed bridge, the equipment used low-light imaging technology to detect the outline of trapped vehicles in thick fog, providing crucial information to the rescue team.
3. Marine Research and Resource Exploration: “Visual Sensing Tools” in the Deep Sea and Polar Regions
In deep-sea exploration, the FCB-ER9500 can be installed on underwater robots (ROVs) and enables real-time video transmission through a 4K HDMI encoding control board. Its fog-penetrating algorithm and high dynamic range technology can capture details of coral reef ecosystems or underwater mineral deposits through turbid seawater, providing data support for marine biology research.
III. Industry Value: Comprehensive Upgrade from Cost Optimization to Ecological Empowerment
1. Reduce deployment costs and enhance system compatibility
Based on 16 years of practical experience in high-definition video secondary development, Xuanzhan Technology independently developed 12G-SDI, 4KP60 HDMI, 4KP30 HDMI, USB TYPE-C and IP network multi-interface output encoding control boards for FCB-ER9500. These boards can seamlessly connect with existing onboard systems, reducing equipment replacement costs. Their modular design allows for flexible combination with different encoding control boards to meet requirements ranging from single-machine monitoring to distributed networks.
2. Promote intelligent transformation and unlock data value
The FCB-ER9500 camera module is equipped with the independent 3A functions (automatic focus, exposure, white balance) and motion detection algorithm within the module. It can automatically identify abnormal events (such as goods shifting, personnel intrusion) and trigger alarms, reducing the pressure on manual inspections. Combined with the 4KP60 AI network encoding control board based on AI edge computing, it can conduct real-time analysis of image data. Through crack detection algorithms, it can identify the rust level of the ship’s hull and predict maintenance cycles, thereby extending the equipment’s lifespan.
3. Build an open ecosystem and empower various industries
Given Xuanzhan Technology’s ability for secondary development and its multi-faceted technical support, the video solution of FCB-ER9500 has been extended to fields such as port management, marine fishery, and offshore wind power.
Summary
The ultra-clear picture quality, extremely low light sensitivity performance and multi-dimensional anti-shake technology of the Sony FCB-ER9500 not only solve the core problems in ship navigation, operation and scientific research, but also, with the support of various interface encoding control boards from Xuanzhan Technology, inject new impetus into the high-quality development of the marine economy.