[falconeye]

Canon succeeded in developing an extra-large CMOS sensor.

-> PRESS RELEASE: Canon succeeds in developing world's largest CMOS image sensor, with ultra-high sensitivity



It has 48x the surface of a 35mm full frame.

While Canon in the above press release, congratulates the arrival of nocturnal photography and video (with no doubt a great idea ), I'll have two comments to share:

1. Canon please stop the press of how technically challenging and expensive it is to produce a full frame sensor. It is increasingly getting ridiculous only exhibiting Canon's agenda (don't cannibalize the FF market).

The fact that the above sensor was produced (certainly by stitching the reticles) is an indication how good the yield in CMOS full frame sensor production already is (even if they wasted 1000 300mm wafers to get one good sensor (a 200mm wafer would have been too small), it must be better than 0.001^(1/48) or 86%. And if Canon could really afford to waste the equivalent of 66,000 FF sensors for this project then this is quite a statement too... More likely, they wasted only 100 wafers though. Thanks Canon for publishing these figures

2. One should realize that this great monster sensor would have to go with fast lenses in order not to kill it's light advantage. The appropriate (not equivalent!) lens to replace a 50/1.4 lens is a 300/1.4 lens with more than 200mm diameter and a 300mm image circle. Such a lens is easily designed but may actually be much more expensive to produce than the sensor

E.g., the Rodenstock Apo Sironar 300mm view camera lens for 320mm image circle (8"x10") are f/5.6. Then there is the 4 element lens Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 300mm f/4.5 for 8"x10", basically from 1919 and maybe still for order. There seem to be no wider lenses.

Therefore, assuming f/4 is a reasonable limit at the given image circle, the equivalent full frame lens would be 50mm f/0.67 . In a world where 50mm f/0.95 lenses do exist for full frame, Canon's monster sensor just gives half a stop more light. Hurra!!

I see a slight chance that there is military money involved here and the sensor project may have been accompanied by a large lens project yielding a solution for nocturnal field observation.

---

Last edited by falconeye; 08-31-2010 at 07:10 AM.

[Samsungian]

Canon's Agenda ?

Here's the press release:


Canon succeeds in developing world’s largest CMOS image sensor, with ultra-high sensitivity

TOKYO, August 31, 2010-Canon Inc. announced today that it has successfully developed the world’s largest*1 CMOS image sensor, with a chip size measuring 202 x 205 mm. Because its expanded size enables greater light-gathering capability, the sensor is capable of capturing images in one one-hundredth the amount of light required by a professional-model digital SLR camera.

At 202 x 205 mm, the newly developed CMOS sensor is among the largest chips that can be produced from a 12-inch (300 mm) wafer, and is approximately 40 times the size of Canon’s largest commercial CMOS sensor.*2

In the past, enlarging the size of the sensor resulted in an increase in the amount of time required between the receiving and transmission of data signals, which posed a challenge to achieving high-speed readout. Canon, however, solved this problem through an innovative circuit design, making possible the realization of a massive video-compatible CMOS sensor. Additionally, by ensuring the cleanest of cleanroom environments during the production process, the sensor minimizes image imperfections and dust.

Because the increased size of the new CMOS sensor allows more light to be gathered, it enables shooting in low-light environments. The sensor makes possible the image capture in one one-hundredth the amount of light required by a 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor, facilitating the shooting of 60 frame-per-second video with a mere 0.3 lux of illumination.

Potential applications for the new high-sensitivity CMOS sensor include the video recording of stars in the night sky and nocturnal animal behavior.

Through the further development of distinctive CMOS image sensors, Canon will break new ground in the world of new image expression, in the area of still images as well as video.

[jogiba]

Great, I could use my Schneider 150mm f/4 APO-Componon HM Enlarging Lens .

Schneider 150mm f/4 APO-Componon HM Enlarging Lens 12-014679 -

[falconeye]

Canon's Agenda ?

Here's the press release:

Sorry for the confusion and Thanks for posting the text.

My "agenda" comment applies to some specific Canon FF white papers which seem to be technically flawed on purpose (a discussion not to be repeated here though). It's just what I meant by agenda.

It has nothing to do with this new large sensor and I express my respect for Canon for this great technological achievement. I should have said this first before jumping to my critics section about the implications.

Great, I could use my Schneider 150mm f/4 APO-Componon HM Enlarging Lens .

If I'm not misreading the specs, this lens would only have half the required image circle.

---

Last edited by falconeye; 08-31-2010 at 07:16 AM.

[Class A]

...Canon's monster sensor just gives half a stop more light. Hurra!!

Thanks for putting things into perspective.

[jeffkrol]

Sorry for the confusion and Thanks for posting the text.

My "agenda" comment applies to some specific Canon FF white papers which seem to be technically flawed on purpose (a discussion not to be repeated here though).

Thank you.........
BTW: Whats the pixel count? I missed it.
I think this one is more "practical"........... and a lot cheaper......

Canon previews 120-megapixel (, APS-H sized) camera sensor

Canon previews 120-megapixel camera sensor | Electronista

[krypticide]

Wow, the images from that sensor must have an awesome 3D effect!