> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL. > For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.stereolabs.com/llms.txt. > For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.stereolabs.com/_mcp/server. # ZED USB 3 Specifications This page gathers the hardware specifications of the **ZED 2i** and **ZED Mini** USB 3 stereo cameras. The reference documents are the official [ZED 2i and ZED Mini datasheets](https://www.stereolabs.com/datasheets). ## Image sensors Both cameras are built around a pair of **1/3" 4 MP backside-illuminated rolling shutter sensors** with large 2 µm pixels for good low-light sensitivity. | Feature | ZED 2i | ZED Mini | | :------------------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Sensor type | 1/3" 4 MP CMOS | 1/3" 4 MP CMOS | | Array size | 2688 x 1520 pixels per sensor | 2688 x 1520 pixels per sensor | | Pixel size | 2 µm x 2 µm | 2 µm x 2 µm | | Shutter | Electronically synchronized rolling shutter | Electronically synchronized rolling shutter | | Image format | 16:9 | 16:9 | | Output resolution (side by side) | 2x(2208x1242) @15 fps (cropping mode) 2x(1920x1080) @15/30 fps (cropping mode) 2x(1280x720) @15/30/60 fps (binning 2x2 mode) 2x(672x376) @15/30/60/100 fps (binning 4x4 mode) | 2x(2208x1242) @15 fps 2x(1920x1080) @30 fps 2x(1280x720) @60 fps 2x(672x376) @100 fps | | Output format | YUV 4:2:2 - YUYV (8 bits) | YUV 4:2:2 - YUYV (8 bits) | | Max. S/N ratio | 38.3 dB | Not published | | Dynamic range | 64.6 dB | Not published | | Sensitivity | 1900 mV/Lux·s | Not published | | Camera control | Exposure, analog and digital gain, gamma, white balance, saturation, sharpness, denoising, brightness, contrast | Resolution, frame rate, exposure time, white balance, gain, low-light sensitivity | ## Depth sensing | Feature | ZED 2i - Wide lens (2.1 mm) | ZED 2i - Narrow lens (4.6 mm) | ZED Mini | | :--------------- | :---------------------------------------------- | :---------------------------------------------- | :----------------------------------------------- | | Baseline | 120 mm (4.72") | 120 mm (4.72") | 63 mm (2.4") | | Depth range | 0.3 m to 20 m (0.98 ft to 65.6 ft) | 1.5 m to 35 m (4.9 ft to 114.8 ft) | 0.1 m to 15 m (0.3 ft to 49 ft) | | Ideal range | 0.3 m to 12 m (0.98 ft to 39.4 ft) | 1.5 m to 20 m (4.9 ft to 65.6 ft) | 0.1 m to 9 m (0.3 ft to 29.5 ft) | | Depth accuracy | \< 0.8% at 2 m (6.6 ft) \< 4% at 12 m (39.4 ft) | \< 0.4% at 2 m (6.6 ft) \< 5% at 20 m (65.6 ft) | \< 1.0% at 2 m (6.6 ft) \< 1.8% at 4 m (13.1 ft) | | Depth resolution | Native video resolution | Native video resolution | Native video resolution | | Depth frame rate | Up to 100 Hz | Up to 100 Hz | Up to 100 Hz | | Object detection | Up to 20 m (3D) Up to 40 m (2D) | Up to max. depth (3D) Up to 55 m (2D) | Up to max. depth (3D) | | Body tracking | Up to max. depth (3D) | Up to max. depth (3D) | Up to max. depth (3D) | Depth is computed by the ZED SDK [Depth Sensing module](/docs/development/zed-sdk/modules/depth-sensing/) using the Neural Depth Engine. ## Optics ### ZED 2i lens options The ZED 2i uses a **wide-angle 8-element all-glass dual lens** with optically corrected distortion. Both lens options are also available with a built-in [polarizing filter](#polarizing-filter-option). | Feature | Wide lens | Narrow lens | | :------------ | :---------------------------- | :-------------------------- | | Focal length | 2.1 mm (0.083") | 4.6 mm (0.18") | | Field of view | 110° (H) x 70° (V) x 120° (D) | 68° (H) x 38° (V) x 78° (D) | | Aperture | f/2.0 | f/2.0 | | Distortion | \< 5.07% (TV distortion) | \< -6.1% (TV distortion) | | Lens cover | PMMA | PMMA | ### ZED Mini optics | Feature | Value | | :------------ | :---------------------------- | | Lens type | 6-element all-glass dual lens | | Focal length | 3.06 mm (0.12") | | Field of view | 102° (H) x 57° (V) x 118° (D) | | Aperture | f/2.0 | ## Polarizing filter option Both [ZED 2i lens options](#zed-2i-lens-options) can be ordered with a built-in circular polarizing (CPL) filter in front of the lenses. The filter cannot be added or removed later: it is part of the camera configuration and has its own [part number](#part-numbers). The ZED Mini is not available with a polarizer. This section explains what the filter does and helps you decide whether your application needs it. *The same outdoor scene with and without a polarizing filter. The polarized side of the sliding split shows a deeper blue sky, less glare on the asphalt and more saturated colors.* ### How it works When sunlight reflects off non-metallic surfaces such as water, glass, wet asphalt, painted car bodies, plastic or glossy leaves, the reflected light becomes partially polarized. The polarizing filter blocks a large part of this polarized light while letting through the light that carries the actual texture of the scene. Light scattered by the blue sky is also partially polarized, so the filter darkens the sky and reduces atmospheric haze. This matters for stereo vision because specular reflections and glare depend on the point of view: the same highlight appears at a different position in the left and right images, or in only one of them. Stereo matching then struggles to find consistent correspondences, resulting in holes, noise or wrong depth values on reflective surfaces. By removing most of these reflections, the filter makes the left and right images more consistent and the depth more reliable. ### Advantages outdoors in sunlight * **Fewer reflections and less glare** on water, windows, glass facades, wet roads, vehicles and other glossy surfaces, and therefore fewer depth artifacts and false detections in these areas. * **Better contrast and color saturation**, with a less washed-out sky and less haze. The auto exposure can more easily preserve detail in both the sky and the ground. * **No practical cost from the light loss**: in direct sunlight, the scene is bright enough for the camera to keep short exposure times and low gain even with the filter. ### Disadvantages indoors and in low light A polarizing filter also absorbs unpolarized light: it typically blocks half to two thirds of the incoming light, which corresponds to 1 to 1.5 stops. Indoors, where light levels are often hundreds of times lower than in daylight, this loss has visible consequences: * **Longer exposure times** are needed to reach the same image brightness, which increases motion blur when the camera or objects move. The exposure time is also capped by the frame rate (about 33 ms at 30 FPS, 17 ms at 60 FPS and 10 ms at 100 FPS), so in dim scenes the camera quickly reaches this cap. * **Higher gain and more image noise**: once the exposure time is at its maximum, the auto exposure compensates by raising the gain. Noise and blur degrade the depth (more noise, lower confidence, fewer valid pixels) and reduce the number of reliable visual features available to positional tracking, object detection and body tracking. * **Little benefit in return**: artificial light is mostly unpolarized and indoor reflections are much weaker than sunlight glare, so the filter has little to remove. * **Screens can appear dark**: most LCD and OLED displays emit polarized light. Depending on how the screen is oriented relative to the camera, monitors, phones or control panels can look dim or completely black through the filter. ### Other points to consider * **The filter orientation is fixed.** Unlike a photographic polarizer, it cannot be rotated to tune the effect, so its efficiency depends on the scene geometry. The effect is strongest on reflections seen at a grazing angle (around 30° to 40° above the reflecting surface) and on the part of the sky at about 90° from the sun. If you mount the camera rolled (for example vertically), the filter rotates with it and reduces reflections differently. * **Reflections from bare metal are not removed**, because they are not polarized. * **Uneven sky with wide lenses**: sky polarization varies with the direction relative to the sun, so with a wide field of view the sky can look unevenly darkened across the image. This effect is cosmetic and does not affect depth. * **Stress patterns**: when the camera looks through tempered glass, a windshield or transparent plastic (for example a protective window in front of the camera), the filter can reveal rainbow or mottled patterns caused by internal stress in the material. ### Should you choose the polarizer? | Use case | Recommendation | | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Outdoor use in daylight (agriculture, construction, mining, outdoor mobile robots, drones) | With polarizer | | Scenes with water, glass, wet roads, vehicles or other reflective surfaces under sunlight (marine, ports, road traffic) | With polarizer | | Indoor use (warehouses, factories, offices, retail, homes) | No polarizer | | Low light, dusk, night, or artificial light only | No polarizer | | Fast motion or high frame rates in moderate light | No polarizer | | Scenes with screens or displays that must stay readable | No polarizer | | Mixed indoor and outdoor operation | Depends on where the critical tasks happen: prefer no polarizer if indoor performance matters | As a rule of thumb, choose the polarizer when the camera works mainly outdoors in daylight and reflections are a concern. For indoor, low-light or mixed setups, collecting as much light as possible usually matters more, so choose the version without a polarizer. > **Tip** > > If you are unsure, record [SVO files](/docs/development/zed-sdk/modules/camera/recording/) of your real scenes. Check the depth map on reflective surfaces, then check the exposure and gain values reported by the [camera controls](/docs/development/zed-sdk/modules/camera/camera-controls/) in your darkest conditions. A high gain, or an exposure time close to the frame period, means the scene is too dark for a polarizer. ## Motion and environmental sensors The ZED 2i is a **9-DoF multi-sensor platform**: on top of the accelerometer and gyroscope, it embeds a magnetometer, a barometer and temperature sensors, all factory calibrated on 6 axes with robotic arms. The ZED Mini embeds an accelerometer and a gyroscope. You can access all of them through the [Sensors API](/docs/development/zed-sdk/modules/sensors/) of the ZED SDK. ### Inertial measurement unit | Feature | ZED 2i | ZED Mini | | :-------------------------- | :--------- | :------------ | | Accelerometer range | ± 8 G | Not published | | Accelerometer resolution | 0.244 mg | Not published | | Accelerometer noise density | 3.2 mg | Not published | | Gyroscope range | ± 1000 dps | Not published | | Gyroscope resolution | 0.03 dps | Not published | | Gyroscope noise density | 0.2 dps | Not published | | Sensitivity error | ± 0.4% | Not published | | Output data rate | 400 Hz | 800 Hz | ### ZED 2i magnetometer | Feature | Value | | :------------------- | :----------------------------- | | Magnetic field range | ± 2500 µT (z) ± 1300 µT (x, y) | | Field resolution | 0.3 µT | | Output data rate | 50 Hz | ### ZED 2i barometer | Feature | Value | | :------------------------- | :-------------- | | Pressure range | 300 to 1100 hPa | | Pressure resolution | 0.18 Pa | | Relative pressure accuracy | 0.12 hPa | | RMS noise | 0.2 Pa | | Output data rate | 25 Hz | ### ZED 2i temperature sensors | Feature | Value | | :---------------------------- | :------------------------------ | | Temperature range | -40°C to 125°C (-40°F to 257°F) | | Absolute temperature accuracy | ± 0.5°C | | Output data rate | 25 Hz | ## Positional tracking | Feature | ZED 2i | ZED Mini | | :--------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------- | | Technology | 6-DoF visual-inertial stereo SLAM with sensor fusion and thermal compensation | Visual-inertial stereo SLAM with sensor fusion | | Pose update rate | Up to 100 Hz | Up to 100 Hz | | Pose accuracy | Not published | Position: ± 1 mm Orientation: 0.1° | | Pose drift | Translation: 0.35% Rotation: 0.005°/m (without loop correction) | Translation: 1.0% Rotation: 0.013°/m (without loop correction) | ## Multi-camera synchronization The ZED 2i and ZED Mini are USB 3 cameras and do not provide **hardware triggering**: there is no trigger input or output, so frame acquisition cannot be synchronized across multiple cameras at the hardware level. Only **software synchronization** is available. The ZED SDK tags each frame and each sensor sample with a timestamp, which you can use to align the data of multiple cameras. When the cameras are connected to different hosts, first synchronize the host clocks with the [Precision Time Protocol (PTP)](/docs/development/zed-sdk/modules/camera/multi-camera#setting-up-multiple-cameras-on-a-local-network). > **Note** > > For hardware recommendations, synchronization methods, and local network streaming with multiple cameras, see the [Multi-Camera](/docs/development/zed-sdk/modules/camera/multi-camera) page. ## Physical specifications | Feature | ZED 2i | ZED Mini | | :-------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | :-------------------------------------------------------- | | Dimensions | 175.3 x 30.3 x 43.1 mm (6.90 x 1.19 x 1.70") | 124.5 x 30.5 x 26.5 mm (4.9 x 1.2 x 1.0") | | Weight | 229 g (0.51 lb.) | 62.9 g (0.14 lb.) | | Mounting | 1x 1/4"-20 UNC thread (bottom, max. length 7 mm) 2x M3x0.5 threads (bottom, max. length 10 mm) 4x M3 threads (back) | 4x M2x0.4 threads (max. length 2.3 mm) | | Interface | USB 3.0 Type-C with dual locking screws, external cable up to 10 m (32.81 ft) | USB 3.0 Type-C port | | IP rating | IP66 | None | | Operating temperature | -10°C to +45°C (14°F to 113°F) (1) | 0°C to +45°C (32°F to 113°F) | | Storage temperature | -30°C to +70°C (-22°F to 158°F) | Not published | | Power | Power via USB, typical consumption 1.9 W (0.38 A @ 5 VDC) | Power via USB, typical consumption 1.9 W (0.38 A @ 5 VDC) | | Warranty | 2-year hardware warranty | 2-year hardware warranty | (1) Depth precision can decrease below -10°C and above +45°C. ## Technical drawings #### ZED 2i ![ZED 2i technical drawings](/_fern-img/9511da1228ac09c5f6830274894e088246b18367f50961855aa6b961a9da02cd.webp) #### ZED Mini ![ZED Mini technical drawings](/_fern-img/a2e35eb56ed8be4b65552d4b9d970c66d645bdd82f8cf84b6f7052851484fe75.webp) ## System requirements The ZED 2i and ZED Mini connect to the host over **USB 3.0**. See the [Recommended Specifications for ZED SDK](/docs/development/zed-sdk/specifications/) page for the up-to-date host requirements. ### Minimum ZED SDK version | Camera model | Minimum ZED SDK version | | :----------- | :---------------------- | | ZED 2i | v3.5 | | ZED Mini | v2.3 | ## Part numbers | Model | SKU | | :-------------------------------------------- | :--------- | | ZED 2i - Wide lens (2.1 mm), no polarizer | ZED-221110 | | ZED 2i - Wide lens (2.1 mm), with polarizer | ZED-221120 | | ZED 2i - Narrow lens (4.6 mm), no polarizer | ZED-222110 | | ZED 2i - Narrow lens (4.6 mm), with polarizer | ZED-222120 | | ZED Mini | ZED-121210 | ## Standards and compliance | Certificate | Region | ZED 2i | ZED Mini | | :--------------------------- | :------------- | :----- | :------- | | CE Declaration of Conformity | European Union | Yes | Yes | | REACH | European Union | Yes | Yes | | RoHS 3 | European Union | Yes | Yes | | TSCA | United States | Yes | Yes | | IP66 | Global | Yes | No | | Certificate of Origin | Global | Yes | Yes | | Feature | Value | | :---------------- | :------- | | Country of origin | France | | HS code | 85258940 | | ECCN | EAR99 | The compliance certificates are available on the [StereoLabs certificates](https://www.stereolabs.com/certificates) page.