Monitoring device for monitoring a moving material web, especially for defects, using analyzed image data of the material web, having at least two camera elements (14, 140), which are positioned adjacent to one another perpendicular to the direction of transport of the material web, having a control and evaluating unit (20, 200) and having at least one serial communication link (21, 22), which connects at least one camera element (14, 140) and the control and evaluating unit (20, 200), wherein each camera element comprises an area scan camera element for recording raw data, at least one camera module (13, 130, 131), that comprises at least one camera group (G1, G2) having at least two camera elements (14, 140) and a housing, wherein the camera elements (14, 140) of a camera group (G1, G2) are connected to a serial communication link (21, 22), wherein in each camera group (G1, G2) the camera elements (14, 140) are designed for the transmission of the raw data captured by the area scan camera elements over the serial communication link (21, 22) to the control and evaluating unit; wherein the control and evaluating unit is designed to generate image data from the raw data and to analyze the image data from the camera elements (14, 140) of the camera groups (G1, G2), wherein a camera module (13, 130) designed as a main camera module comprises the control and evaluating unit (20, 200), wherein at least one of the camera elements (14, 140) of a camera group (G1, G2) comprises two data links and a multiplexer, wherein in each case one data link is designed as a camera data link, which is led to the area scan camera element of the camera element (14, 140) and the other data link is designed as a through data link which is passed through the camera element (14, 140) and which may be connected to a data link of a further camera element (14, 140) of the camera group (G1, G2) and wherein the two data links of the camera element (14, 140) may be connected successively via the multiplexer to the serial communication link (21, 22). having at least two camera elements (14, 140), which are positioned adjacent to one another perpendicular to the direction of transport of the material web, having a control and evaluating unit (20, 200) and having at least one serial communication link (21, 22), which connects at least one camera element (14, 140) and the control and evaluating unit (20, 200), wherein each camera element comprises an area scan camera element for recording raw data, at least one camera module (13, 130, 131), that comprises at least one camera group (G1, G2) having at least two camera elements (14, 140) and a housing, wherein the camera elements (14, 140) of a camera group (G1, G2) are connected to a serial communication link (21, 22), wherein in each camera group (G1, G2) the camera elements (14, 140) are designed for the transmission of the raw data captured by the area scan camera elements over the serial communication link (21, 22) to the control and evaluating unit; wherein the control and evaluating unit is designed to generate image data from the raw data and to analyze the image data from the camera elements (14, 140) of the camera groups (G1, G2), wherein a camera module (13, 130) designed as a main camera module comprises the control and evaluating unit (20, 200), wherein at least one of the camera elements (14, 140) of a camera group (G1, G2) comprises two data links and a multiplexer, wherein in each case one data link is designed as a camera data link, which is led to the area scan camera element of the camera element (14, 140) and the other data link is designed as a through data link which is passed through the camera element (14, 140) and which may be connected to a data link of a further camera element (14, 140) of the camera group (G1, G2) and wherein the two data links of the camera element (14, 140) may be connected successively via the multiplexer to the serial communication link (21, 22).