What is a progressive scan camera and when should I use one?

"Progressive scan" means that the charge on the CCD (charge coupled device) accumulates simultaneously and is outputted sequentially (line by line) as opposed to the outputting of every other line (odd field/even field readout) that occurs more commonly in interlaced scanning CCDs. The non-interlaced image of a progressive scan CCD contains the full vertical and horizontal resolution of the object. Progressive scan cameras are used when capturing images of events that happen very quickly, i.e., in high-speed inspection applications. If you are not trying to capture a high-speed event, you do not need a progressive scan camera, although you might want to plan ahead for future applications.