Tag Archives: IMX

Sony IMX472-AAJK sensor offers huge frame rates in 4/3ds format!

Sony has released some white paper specs on a new Micro 4/3rds sensor that is as of now, the most advanced ever on the format considering the mix of Backside illumination, Stacked technology and high resolution color at 10 bits on full sensor read outs. The frame rates offered are also quite impressive with up to 1139fps at 0.46 Megapixels or 1760px Horizontal x 262px Vertical on the fastest range and 121fps at the full sensor area read-out at 20.9MP.

The Panasonic GH6 is coming later this year and it is estimated that this new sensor is actually the one that will be used on that camera. If Lumix technology can make full use of the sensor specs even for small fractions of time, we could have a killer slow motion mass produced camera.  The VFR mode on Panasonic Lumix cameras has always been more than acceptable and they could breathe new life into the format if these sensor specs are used to their fullest. We expect at least 1080p at 240fps which will be a slightly stretched delivery from the 1760 x 1318 240.2fps mode listed on the sensor specs → Continue Reading Full Post ←

SONY IMX586 Stacked Sensor 48MP and High Frame Rates!

SONY IMX586 Stacked Sensor

Sony has released specs for a new IMX Cellphone oriented sensor that has a whopping 48 Megapixel photosite grid with a new Bayer altered pattern of quad pixel colors that aims to quadruple the dynamic range of the signal and increase detail retention significantly by supersampling every photosite and creating a final 12MP image with excellent characteristics.

As far as frame rates go we were glad to see very high-end read-out speeds for this sensor as full 4k video can max out at 90fps and other high fps settings include 1080p 240fps full area downsampling and 720p 480fps but with a cropped windowed frame extraction.  At 48MP or 12 regular De-Bayered then we expect the crop to be quite extreme at the 720p mode unless they do a 4 or 6MP downsample.

Sony IMX586 Stacked Sensor Frame Rates:

  • Full Sensor Read-out at 48MP  30fps
  • 4K(4096×2160) : 90fps
  • 1080p : 240fps
  • 720p : 480fps(w/crop)

We do not expect this sensor to be the best match for high-speed imaging, more related to high-end still image quality.  Other Sony IMX Sensors capable of 960fps at full HD 1080p should be available in phone designs going forward as in the Xperia XZ2.

Some experts expect the Sony Xperia XZ3 or XZ4 to feature the first use of this sensor to have a real upper hand on the image quality front.  Now that supersampling is a clear direction for phone sensors due to hitting an upper limit on what traditional pixel sensors can do, we expect to see this technique used in more CMOS designs as phones evolve.  Looking at the image data and samples below you can clearly see that the detail may even rival professional cameras when it comes to dynamic range and detail in good light.

The following data is a direct quote from the official Sony site for the IMX586 here: https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press/201807/18-060E/index.html 

Sony IMX586 Stacked Sensor Main Features:

1.World’s first*3 0.8 μm ultra-compact pixel size enables industry’s highest*1 pixel count at 48 effective megapixels*2

Generally, miniaturization of pixels results in poor light collecting efficiency per pixel, accompanied by a drop in sensitivity and volume of saturation signal. This product was designed and manufactured with techniques that improve light collection efficiency and photoelectric conversion efficiency over conventional products, resulting in the world’s first*3 0.8 μm pixel size, with both high sensitivity and high saturation signal level.
This smaller pixel size allows the new product to deliver 48 effective megapixels*2 on a compact unit with 8.0 mm diagonal, which can be fitted on many smartphones. The increased pixel count enables high-definition imaging even on smartphones which use digital zoom. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

OnePlus 6 Initial Slow Motion Samples!

OnePlus 6 Initial Slow Motion Samples

There has been a lot of excitement about the OnePlus 6 for the past two weeks and while the slow motion feature is not the first feature you look for, it may be the biggest deal in phone slow motion in several years. The duration eclipses the competition by leaps and bounds at 3.75 seconds of recording vs 0.2s or 0.4s for the competition.

We have found a few samples that show the phone at 480fps 720p and 240fps 1080p quality which right off the bat show that the phone is capable but still a long way from competing with professional slow-motion cameras like the edgertronic series or Chronos 1.4 in both recording time and image quality.  Even with all of these negatives, the OnePlus 6 does bring the technology forward by allowing phone users to record enough slow-motion footage to make it usable for publishing on the web or specific uses in education or sports analysis.

OnePlus 6 Initial Slow Motion Samples:

Let’s start with 1080p 240fps which may be the most used feature due to better quality.

Oneplus 6 1080p 240fps slow motion Zeitlupe Geese Gänse by SportFotografie:

Oneplus 6 1080p 240fps slow motion Zeitlupe by SportFotografie: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Sony New IMX382 Sensor Tracks Objects at 1000fps!

Sony New IMX382 Sensor

Sony is not only pushing the frame rate boundaries of CMOS sensors with their Stacked technology; but now it’s implementing and improving on the design with circuitry that can track objects with pinpoint electronic precision based on pixel colors, contrast, and motion vectors. The result the IMX382 is a complete tracking sensor solution that could one day be used for full AF during high-speed video capture by accurately representing the scene.

While 1000fps is not the end all be all of high-speed frame rate, the fact that it can accurately track with very little lag the object motion in front could one day translate into perfect autofocus capability for many types of cameras. Not only the focus department is improved by this technology but now you can use the sensor in all sorts of industrial, law enforcement, traffic cameras and monitoring solutions for robotics.

Sony New IMX382 Sensor Could Change Everything:

The demo shows the technology on things like coin counting machines that have to scan at superhuman speeds. But we can glimpse at a future where the camera is intelligent enough to track you, focus and become a full camera assistant that pulls focus precisely, becoming the ultimate Vlogger tool that will not break the bank or require a salary.

Auto Focus systems today do show promise by leveraging the power of phase detection along with intelligent algorithms to keep subjects in focus. Canon has as of now the most natural looking and dependable solution with its dual pixel AF technology present in cameras like the 80D and the 5D Mark IV. However these systems are not intelligently tracking subjects based on the preference on the shooter, with a few machine learning algorithms it could use the new Sensor’s 1000fps power to create a customizable tracking solution that could communicate motion to a free motion base or drone that tracks subjects and focuses accordingly without the ill effects of misfocus.

The sensing power of the sensor is limited to just above HD resolution at 500fps with 4 bits or 1000fps at just under VGA. This is not a problem for image quality as this is used only by sensing; not image capture.

500fps
1000fps
Quad-VGA (1280×960) 4bit
640×470 4bit

Sony is making leaps in technology with their sensors that are leapfrogging the rest of the market. In a few years, the Stacked sensor technology will probably be present in most cameras, phones, and monitoring solutions.  Robotics are in need of this technology as well by needing hyper fast optical input for decision making.

Will Autonomous cars use the new sensor?

Level 3 autonomy in cars will require the best sensors possible and ones that can detect in fractions of a second if the obstacle in front is a person, a deadly object or something soft. Cars will be making decisions that will either save lives or take them based on the least damage possible. Sensors like these could scan the scene much faster and be able to analyze things like motion of target, colors, and shapes before feeding it to the main onboard computers and make car autonomy safer than any test before it.  The future will be driverless cars and technology like this will make it possible.

How Google self-driving car sees a road by Yury Yurevich:

We hope to see these sensors in cameras soon, but take a look at the test cases below withing the press release by Sony. It is quite an impressive technology.  High speed is no longer just for shooting invisible time stamps but now could be incorporated in devices all over the environment.

You will now be monitored at 1000fps, so even magicians will have to up their game when playing card tricks!

Full Press Release and Demo Video Below:

Sony Releases a High-Speed Vision Sensor that Makes Detection and Tracking of Objects at 1,000 fps Possible
Stacked CMOS Image Sensor that Combines High-Frame-Rate Imaging and High-Speed Sensing

Sony Corporation
Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation

Tokyo, Japan—Sony Corporation today announced the release of the new IMX382 high-speed vision sensor, which enables detection and tracking of objects at 1,000 frames per second. Sony will begin shipping samples in October 2017.

This vision sensor features a stacked configuration with a back-illuminated pixel array and signal processing circuit layer. The circuit layer is equipped with image processing circuits and a programmable column-parallel processor, delivering high-speed target detection and tracking. This configuration enables high-sensitivity imaging thanks to the back-illuminated pixel array, with target detection and tracking at 1,000 frames per second. The new sensor uses information such as color and brightness obtained from pixels to detect objects, then extracts the object’s centroid, moment and motion vector, and finally outputs the information from the vision sensor in each frame.

  • High-speed vision sensor IMX382
Model name Sample shipment date Sample price (excluding tax)
High-speed vision sensor IMX382 October 2017 100,000 JPY

This vision sensor has achieved imaging, target detection and tracking at 1,000 fps on a single chip. This not only expands the scope of application but delivers new value that was difficult to obtain with conventional systems.

On past systems equipped with a 30 fps processing image sensor, it was not always possible to capture fast-moving objects and/or phenomena. At 1,000 fps, approximately 33 times faster in imaging speed than conventional chips, the new product can capture fast-moving objects and detect objects from image information, while using high-speed processing to extract information such as centroid, moment, and motion vector. Because the processing results can be output from the sensor in each frame, feedback to the system is faster than conventional methods. Delays in detecting anomalies or malfunctions in production lines at factories and other places can produce fatal results. However, this vision sensor makes it possible to instantly capture such events, so that orders can be issued quickly to stop the system.

Conventional industrial robots are normally operated by specifying motion coordinates using a program. Utilizing the high-speed tracking functionality of this vision sensor, however, enables real-time feedback to robots, enabling autonomous robot operation that is responsive to the movement and status of objects. This helps make robot teaching more efficient, contributing to improved productivity.

On conventional systems, the image processing required for detecting and tracking of objects has to be carried out at a later stage (on a computer, or other computing device). This vision sensor changes all that by delivering imaging, target detection and tracking image processing on a single chip. Not only does this make the later stage devices more compact and help to save overall system power; it also expands the new system development potential by eliminating certain physical limitations.

Timed with the sample shipping, Sony will also be providing evaluation kits. The evaluation kit consists of the camera and control software, making it easy to evaluate the sensor in diverse customer environments.

Sony is focusing intently on the sensing field and seeking to leverage its potential in the image sensor market. By integrating the imaging technology that it has developed over the years with sensing technologies that enable information acquisition and utilization, Sony strives to pioneer new applications and new markets for image sensors.

Main Features

1. Enables detection and tracking of targets at 1,000 frame per second

  • The signal processing circuit layer on the bottom of the stacked configuration is equipped with image processing circuits and a programmable column-parallel processor, delivering high-speed target detection and tracking. This construction enables high-sensitivity imaging with back-illuminated pixel array and achieves target detection and tracking at 1,000 frames per second.
  • The new sensor uses information such as color and brightness obtained from pixels to detect objects, then extracts the object’s centroid, moment and motion vector, and finally outputs the information from the vision sensor as a signal in each frame.

2. Built-in sensing function for a compact system and power savings

  • The product achieves imaging and image processing on a single chip. Not only does this make for a more compact overall system and power savings; it also expands the new system development potential by eliminating certain physical limitations.
  • For system output, in addition to the image data output pathway the chip is also equipped with an output pathway solely for sensing information, so users can select between them for their particular application.

3. Evaluation kit allows the sensor to be evaluated in diverse usage environments
The evaluation kit consists of a camera and software and is designed makes it easy to evaluate the sensor in a variety of customer usage environments.

  • IMX382 high-speed vision sensor configuration

Key Specifications

Number of effective pixels 1304 (H) ×976 (V), 1.27 megapixels
Image size Diagonal 5.68 mm (type 1/3.2)
Unit cell size 3.5μm (H) × 3.5μm (V)
Frame rate Viewing 60fps
120fps
Quad-VGA (1280×960) 12bit
640×470 12bit
Sensing 500fps
1000fps
Quad-VGA (1280×960) 4bit
640×470 4bit
Power supply 2.9V / 1.8V / 3.3V / 1.1V
Image format Bayer RAW / Black and white
Output MIPI (CSI2) D-PHY 864Mbps/lane

More information on this new sensor at the Sony site here:

https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press/201705/17-051E/index.html

Mokacam GoPro Alternative Few Hrs Left!

MokacamSmall

The GoPro Like competitor project Mokacam on indiegogo has reached their goal 13x over or 1329% with over 660k USD by their backers. The project is just hours away from closing funding and a few of their offer kits are still available.  If for anything it is a very cheap way to get into 4k at 15fps on a small GoPro like camera for under $200 USD with options for a tilt screen, pluggable magnetic batteries and even a portable electronic gimble for the tiny wonder of a camera.

What jumps out is how good the image quality is and all the surmounted obstacles that the team successfully accomplished to get the camera  ready for production.   It is not as strong in the frame rates as the GoPro Hero 4 black as it is only 15fps at 4k but it is not it’s function to eclipse that camera but to offer an alternative at a very low cost. It also offers a 1080p 60, 120fps 720p mode and a 240fps VGA mode hence why we are covering it as a high speed camera.

As you can see the real strength of the camera is it’s price at just $169 it is well below the Session 4 from GoPro even at their discounted price of $199.   It has a 16MP Sony sensor with pretty good resolution. We don’t expect it to be great in low light but it is great for daylight and should do well for lower light ambient to a degree as seen on the video below.

They also have what they claim a 60 meter waterproof case vs the GoPro’s 40 meter.  As to the actual performance it will be up to divers to test that claim.

With only 6 or 7 hours left in their campaign they have had great success, if you need a GoPro alternative on the cheap with a smaller footprint and more than enough features then this may be the camera for you.

Congratulations Mokacam team on your success bringing this product to life!

To get a bundle and or more info you can visit the Mokacam indiegogo page here!

All images and video courtesy of the Mokacam project! All rights belong to Mokacam.