This release addresses one of the foundational decisions in embedded vision product development: choosing between a board-level embedded camera module and an enclosed IP-rated camera for OEM integration. Vadzo Imaging covers this through a camera portfolio that spans the Falcon-1335CRA, a compact AR1335-based 4K autofocus USB 3.2 camera module for board-level OEM integration, and the Innova enclosed Gigabit Ethernet camera series built on the Sony IMX662 STARVIS 2, Onsemi AR0234, and Sony IMX678 STARVIS 2 sensors, all offered with IP-rated housings for direct outdoor deployment across smart city, traffic monitoring, industrial inspection, and robotics applications.
FORT WORTH, TX / ACCESS Newswire / May 26, 2026 / Vadzo Imaging, a developer of OEM embedded camera products for industrial and embedded vision applications, has published a technical guide explaining the two primary form factors available to OEM developers and system designers: board-level embedded camera modules and enclosed IP-rated camera products. The guide is intended for embedded vision engineers and OEM teams evaluating imaging solutions for integration into production systems.
Understanding OEM Embedded Camera Form Factors
For OEM developers integrating imaging into a product, the physical form factor of the camera module has a direct effect on system design, development timelines, and field reliability. Vadzo Imaging addresses this by offering both board-level and enclosed configurations across its embedded vision camera portfolio, so engineering teams can select the format that fits their integration path.
The two form factors serve different engineering needs. A board level camera is a small camera module without a cover or casing. It is mainly used by OEMs who design and build their own camera housing. An enclosed camera already comes with a protective IP rated casing, making it suitable for outdoor use and tough environments. Both are available as custom OEM camera products with sensor, optics and firmware configurations tailored to specific applications.
Board-Level Embedded Camera: Compact and Integration-Ready
A board level camera module is a bare PCB imaging unit without an outer enclosure. It is designed for OEMs who plan to integrate the imaging element directly into their own product housing. This form factor gives engineering teams full control over mechanical placement, lens selection and thermal management. It is well suited for robotics camera platforms, medical imaging devices, and smart city camera systems where imaging is integrated at the system design stage.
Falcon-1335CRA:
The Falcon-1335CRA is Vadzo’s 4K autofocus USB color camera built around the Onsemi AR1335 sensor. It delivers 13MP resolution with continuous autofocus over USB 3.2 Gen 1 and supports iHDR for wide dynamic range capture. The module includes Digital PTZ and ROI-based AE and AF control making it a capable AR1335 autofocus color camera for embedded vision integration. As a lightweight and compact embedded camera module, it fits directly into OEM product development workflows where custom housing and optics are defined at the system level. For embedded medical and high-resolution imaging applications, Vadzo also offers a range of high resolution USB camera products for OEM integration.
Key Specs: Sensor: Onsemi AR1335 | Shutter: Rolling Shutter | Resolution: 13MP 4208 x 3120 | 4K | Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type C Interface Backward Compatible to USB 2.0 | Focus: Autofocus | HDR: iHDR | Features: Digital PTZ, ROI-based AE and AF | Form Factor: Board-Level
Enclosed Embedded Camera: IP-Rated and Field-Ready
An enclosed embedded camera comes with a protective housing designed and tested to a defined ingress protection standard. Vadzo’s enclosed camera products carry IP ratings, making them ready for outdoor deployment and harsh environment use without requiring the OEM to design a separate housing. This eliminates a significant integration bottleneck for teams building outdoor inspection systems, traffic monitoring infrastructure and surveillance deployments where environmental durability is required from day one.
The industrial camera enclosure design on these products protects against dust and moisture ingress. For a detailed overview of what IP ratings mean for OEM camera products please refer to Vadzo’s resources on embedded camera IP65 rating and OEM camera IP66 rating.
Vadzo’s enclosed camera series covers three Gigabit Ethernet Camera products designed for network-connected embedded vision deployments.
Innova-662CRE: Ultra Low Light 1080p Gigabit Ethernet Camera
The Innova-662CRE is Vadzo’s ultra low light 1080p camera built around the Sony Starvis 2 IMX662 sensor. It delivers 2MP (1920×1080) imaging over Gigabit Ethernet with PoE support. As an IMX662 rolling shutter Gigabit Ethernet camera it is optimized for low-light and high-contrast environments, making it a strong choice for traffic monitoring, perimeter security and outdoor surveillance. The IP-rated enclosure allows direct outdoor deployment as a rugged embedded camera product without additional housing requirements.
Key Specs: Sensor: Sony Starvis 2 IMX662 | Shutter: Rolling Shutter | Resolution: 2MP (1920×1080) | Interface: Gigabit Ethernet (100/1000Base-T) | PoE: 802.3af | ONVIF Compliant | Enclosure: IP-Rated
Innova-234CGE: AR0234 1080p Gigabit Ethernet Color Camera
The Innova-234CGE is Vadzo’s AR0234 1080p Gigabit Ethernet color camera built on the Onsemi AR0234 sensor. It is offered as an enclosed camera product with an IP-rated housing for direct outdoor deployment. As a global shutter Gigabit Ethernet camera it is suited for embedded vision applications that require accurate motion-free imaging over a network interface. The enclosed form factor eliminates the need for a separate industrial camera enclosure in OEM deployments.
Key Specs: Sensor: Onsemi AR0234 | Shutter: Global Shutter | Resolution: 1080p | Color: Yes | Interface: Gigabit Ethernet | ONVIF Compliant | Enclosure: IP-Rated
Innova-678CRE: HDR 4K Gigabit Ethernet Camera
The Innova-678CRE is Vadzo’s HDR 4K Gigabit Ethernet camera built around the Sony IMX678 STARVIS 2 sensor. It delivers 8.4MP (3856×2180) 4K resolution over Gigabit Ethernet with HDR capability and PoE (802.3af) support. ONVIF compliant and designed for demanding outdoor environments, the Innova-678CRE is offered with an IP-rated enclosure making it a field-ready rugged embedded camera for infrastructure monitoring, smart city deployments and outdoor industrial surveillance. As a rolling shutter Gigabit Ethernet camera it provides 4K HDR imaging across network-connected deployments where both image quality and environmental durability are required.
Key Specs: Sensor: Sony IMX678 STARVIS 2 | Shutter: Rolling Shutter | Resolution: 8.4MP (3856×2180) | 4K | HDR | Interface: Gigabit Ethernet (100/1000Base-T) | PoE: 802.3af | ONVIF Compliant | Enclosure: IP-Rated
“The form factor decision is something every OEM team hits early in a project, and it carries more weight than most people initially expect. A board-level embedded camera like the Falcon-1335CRA gives the engineering team complete control. You choose the housing, the optics, the sealing strategy, and the thermal path. That flexibility is genuinely useful when you are building a robotics platform or a medical device where every cubic millimeter is accounted for, and the system’s integrator knows exactly what the final product looks like. But when the requirement is outdoor deployment in traffic infrastructure, perimeter security or smart city monitoring, that same flexibility becomes overhead. The enclosure design, IP testing, and PoE integration all need to happen before you can even start evaluating image quality in the field. That is where the Innova enclosed Gigabit Ethernet camera series changes the equation. The IP-rated housing is done. The PoE is solved. The Gigabit Ethernet interface is production-ready. The sensor options cover ultra-low light with the Sony IMX662 STARVIS 2, global shutter precision with the Onsemi AR0234 and 4K HDR imaging with the Sony IMX678 STARVIS 2. An OEM team can go from an evaluation unit to an outdoor field test without a single mechanical design cycle. That compression in development timeline is what we built the Innova series to deliver.” – Alwin Vincent, Product Manager, Vadzo Imaging
Target Applications
The Vadzo OEM embedded camera portfolio addresses a wide range of embedded vision use cases. Below is a breakdown of how each product aligns with specific application requirements.
Robotics camera and autonomous inspection platforms: The Falcon-1335CRA’s board-level form factor and 4K autofocus capability make it suited for robotic arms, mobile inspection platforms and warehouse automation systems where the camera must be mounted inside a custom enclosure with precise geometric control. The AR1335 sensor’s iHDR and continuous autofocus support clear imaging across varying depths and lighting conditions typical of dynamic industrial environments.
Smart city camera and traffic monitoring infrastructure: The Innova-678CRE addresses 4K surveillance and traffic monitoring requirements with 8.4MP HDR imaging over Gigabit Ethernet, ONVIF compliance for integration with video management systems and an IP-rated enclosure for outdoor pole or wall mounting. It is suited for intersection monitoring, highway surveillance, and urban infrastructure management where high-resolution imaging and HDR are critical across varying light conditions throughout the day.
Outdoor perimeter security and low-light surveillance: The Innova-662CRE’s ultra-low light performance on the Sony IMX662 STARVIS 2 sensor covers perimeter security, parking surveillance and outdoor facility monitoring where nighttime and low-light imaging performance over a 1080p Gigabit Ethernet camera connection is the primary requirement. The HDR capability and PoE support simplify network deployment in existing IP infrastructure.
Industrial inspection and outdoor OEM monitoring: The Innova-234CGE addresses industrial use cases where global shutter imaging over Gigabit Ethernet is required alongside an IP-rated housing for outdoor or factory-floor deployment. The AR0234 1080p Gigabit Ethernet color camera‘ s global shutter design eliminates motion artifacts making it suitable for conveyor inspection, parts sorting and industrial line monitoring where fast-moving subjects and accurate color reproduction are both required.
Medical and high-resolution embedded imaging: The Falcon-1335CRA’s compact board-level USB 3.2 Gen 1 form factor integrates cleanly into OEM medical devices, diagnostic imaging equipment and endoscopy platforms where a custom housing is always part of the design and high resolution autofocus imaging is the primary performance requirement. Vadzo’s high resolution USB camera portfolio provides additional options for medical OEM integration.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is a board-level embedded camera module and when should I use one instead of an enclosed camera
A board-level embedded camera is a bare PCB imaging module without a housing. Use one when your OEM product has a custom enclosure that the camera integrates into directly, and your engineering team is managing the mechanical design, lens selection and sealing themselves.
Board-level modules are the right choice when integration depth matters more than deployment speed. The board-level embedded camera from Vadzo, the Falcon-1335CRA, is built around the Onsemi AR1335 sensor and delivers 13MP 4K autofocus over USB 3.2 Gen 1 with iHDR, Digital PTZ and ROI-based AE and AF. It is widely used in robotics platforms, medical imaging devices, and smart city camera systems where the OEM defines the full mechanical assembly. In contrast, when the requirement is outdoor deployment without a housing design cycle, Vadzo’s enclosed Gigabit Ethernet camera series, the Innova-662CRE, Innova-234CGE and Innova-678CRE, delivers IP-rated field-ready units that require no separate enclosure. The decision comes down to one question: does your team own the housing design, or do you need imaging hardware that is already protected and outdoor-ready?
2. What camera should I use for low-light outdoor surveillance that streams over Ethernet?
For low-light outdoor surveillance that streams over Ethernet, you need a camera with a back-illuminated sensor optimized for sensitivity, PoE support for clean cabling, HDR to handle high-contrast scenes and an IP-rated enclosure for direct outdoor mounting.
The Innova-662CRE from Vadzo Imaging is purpose-built for this application. It is an ultra low light 1080p Gigabit Ethernet camera built around the Sony IMX662 STARVIS 2 sensor delivering 2MP (1920×1080) imaging with HDR capability and PoE (802.3af) over Gigabit Ethernet. The IMX662 is a rolling shutter sensor from Sony’s STARVIS 2 lineup which is specifically engineered for high sensitivity in low-light conditions making it the right sensor choice for nighttime traffic monitoring, parking surveillance and perimeter security. The IP-rated enclosure means the Innova-662CRE can be mounted outdoors directly without a separate housing. For OEM teams evaluating an IMX662 rolling shutter Gigabit Ethernet camera for network-connected outdoor surveillance, this is Vadzo’s most capable product in the ultra low light 1080p category.
3. Is global shutter important for industrial inspection camera products and which Gigabit Ethernet camera has it?
Yes, global shutter matters significantly for industrial inspection. A global shutter sensor captures all pixels simultaneously, which eliminates the rolling shutter distortion that occurs when imaging fast-moving objects on a conveyor or production line. For industrial inspection, parts sorting and embedded vision applications where the subject or the camera is in motion, global shutter is the correct technical choice.
Vadzo Imaging’s Innova-234CGE is an AR0234 1080p Gigabit Ethernet color camera built on the Onsemi AR0234 sensor which is a global shutter image sensor. It is offered as an enclosed camera product with an IP-rated housing, making it suitable for both indoor factory-floor deployment and outdoor OEM monitoring applications. As a global shutter Gigabit Ethernet camera with a 1080p color output over Gigabit Ethernet, it covers industrial inspection, line monitoring and embedded vision applications where motion-free imaging accuracy over a network interface is a hard requirement. The enclosed form factor eliminates the need for a separate industrial camera enclosure reducing integration effort for OEM deployments.
4. Which is the best 4K Ethernet camera for smart city monitoring and surveillance in HDR for outdoor?
For smart city and outdoor surveillance, the best camera should provide clear 4K video, handle bright and dark areas properly with HDR support, ONVIF for easy connection with existing security systems and use PoE so power and data can run through a single Ethernet cable. It should also come with a weatherproof IP rated body for reliable outdoor use without any need for an extra cover.
The Innova-678CRE from Vadzo Imaging meets all of these requirements. It is a 4K HDR Gigabit Ethernet camera built around the Sony IMX678 STARVIS 2 sensor delivering 8.4MP (3856×2180) resolution with HDR capability and PoE (802.3af) over Gigabit Ethernet. ONVIF compliance ensures it works with the video management platforms used in smart city infrastructure without custom integration work. The IP-rated enclosure makes it outdoor-deployable without a separate housing. For OEM teams and system integrators building traffic monitoring systems, urban surveillance networks or outdoor industrial monitoring platforms, the Innova-678CRE rugged embedded camera is Vadzo’s most capable outdoor Gigabit Ethernet camera product. View the IMX678 camera product page for the full specification.
5. What USB camera module with autofocus should I use for robotics and embedded vision OEM products?
For robotics and embedded vision OEM products, the best USB camera module is one that combines high resolution, continuous autofocus, wide dynamic range, a compact board-level form factor and a USB 3.2 interface that is compatible with Windows, Linux and Android-based embedded systems without a custom driver.
Vadzo Imaging’s Falcon-1335CRA is a 4K autofocus USB color camera built on the Onsemi AR1335 rolling shutter sensor. It delivers 13MP resolution over USB 3.2 Gen 1 with iHDR for wide dynamic range capture, Digital PTZ for flexible field of view control and ROI-based AE and AF for precision focus in complex scenes. The compact board-level design makes integration into robotic platforms, autonomous inspection systems, and embedded vision devices straightforward. As an AR1335 autofocus color camera it supports UVC driverless operation, reducing firmware development effort during integration. For OEM teams building a compact embedded camera subsystem for robotics or industrial vision, the Falcon-1335CRA is Vadzo’s most feature-complete board-level USB 3.2 option in the 4K autofocus category.
Availability
The board-level and enclosed OEM embedded camera products from Vadzo Imaging are available for evaluation, prototyping and production deployment. Evaluation kits, technical documentation and integration support are available directly from Vadzo Imaging at http://www.vadzoimaging.com. Custom configurations including form factor modifications, firmware customization, optics selection and sensor integration are supported for OEM and volume production programs.
The complete Gigabit Ethernet Camera portfolio from Vadzo Imaging is available at http://www.vadzoimaging.com/gige-cameras.
The complete USB Camera Portfolio from Vadzo Imaging is available at https://www.vadzoimaging.com/high-dynamic-range-camera-portfolio/hdr-usb-camera-portfolio
About Vadzo Imaging
Vadzo Imaging develops embedded vision camera products for OEMs and system integrators building production-ready vision systems. The company offers imaging platforms across USB, MIPI, GigE, Wi-Fi and SerDes interfaces supporting applications in industrial automation, robotics, healthcare and embedded systems. Vadzo provides end-to-end imaging support including sensor integration, ISP tuning, firmware development and software frameworks that accelerate development and simplify system deployment.
Media Contact
Alwin Vincent
Vadzo Imaging
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