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Gadgets Sony Producing 12.47 Megapixel Sensor for D-SLR
Marcus Yam (Blog) - August 22, 2007 8:54 AM

17 comment(s) - last by colonelclaw.. on Aug 24 at 12:24 PM

The next D-SLR from Sony could capture 12.47MP images

In the digital imaging market, the megapixel specifications continue to climb. Sony is putting into action its latest image sensor dubbed "IMX021," an APS-C size (diagonal: 28.40mm/Type 1.8) 12.47 megapixel ultra-high speed, high image quality CMOS image sensor designed for digital SLR cameras.

The new sensor features a high signal conversion speed (in all-pixel scan mode) of 10.39 frame/s (12 bit). Furthermore, according to the press release:

The "Column-Parallel A/D Conversion Technique" aligns both digital and CDS circuits alongside each column. Column-parallel digital CDS circuits reduce not only pixel noise, but also the noise and inter-column processing variations that can affect analog CDS circuits. These circuits also limit A/D converter fluctuations. With this dual noise cancelling technology realizing high-precision noise reduction across both analog and digital circuits, the "IMX021" image sensor allows signals to be transferred, with limited noise, to the image processing circuits of the camera unit itself. This makes it ideally suited for the development of high image quality digital SLR cameras.

"IMX021" production will be carried out at Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Corporation's Kumamoto Technology Center in Japan.

Sony’s current D-SLR product consists of the Alpha A100 series, which features up to a 10.2 megapixel sensor. Sony introduced the A100 over a year ago, making a 12.47 megapixel follow-up product a logical conclusion.

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Nikon?

By soydios on 8/22/2007 10:02:06 AM , Rating: 3

I wonder whether or not this sensor will be seen in any upcoming Nikon DSLRs.

RE: Nikon?

By daBKLYNdoorman on 8/22/2007 10:32:02 AM , Rating: 2

It probably will but Sony will charge Nikon a premium if they want to use the sensor, which will bring the prices of the Nikon cameras up.

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RE: Nikon?

By NagoyaX on 8/22/2007 2:14:48 PM , Rating: 2

Im not too sure how much sony will charge nikon. Nikon has sony sensors in the D200, 80, 40x and 40 DSLR and Pentax has it in the K10D if im not mistaking.

So I dont think that it will cost Nikon or pentax too much to get the sensors again.

But Nikon did file a new patent for a new type of CCD chip, so it makes one wonder if it will be used in the new cameras or are they going to go with sony chips instead

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RE: Nikon?

By kenyee on 8/22/2007 5:23:17 PM , Rating: 2

Someone in the Nikon forums on DPR called Sony and asked how much it'd cost (since it's available to everyone :-).
My guess is that it will show up on $1500+ camera bodies first and then trickle down to the $1K bodies in a year or two...

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RE: Nikon?

By kenyee on 8/22/2007 5:23:56 PM , Rating: 2

Weird...it changed my subject when I posted.

Anyways, the guy found out it's $352/chip...

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RE: Nikon?

By NagoyaX on 8/23/2007 3:30:05 AM , Rating: 2

Your probably right on it trickling down. I happened with the D200, D80 then finally the D40x. But i still curious of why they applied for a new patent for the new CCD chip.

Though i think CMOS sensors are much nicer than CCD in terms of noise and what not

Btw its been confirmed.. Nikon is using the sony chip
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0708/07082313nikond30...

As well as released a full size sensor camera...
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0708/07082312nikond3....

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RE: Nikon?

By TomZ on 8/23/2007 8:56:55 AM , Rating: 2

...drools on self. Did you see that huge piece of glass on the D3? Nice!

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RE: Nikon?

By melgross on 8/22/2007 4:23:48 PM , Rating: 2

By law that's current in Japan as well as here in the US, Sony has to charge the camera division the same prices for any components they make, as they do for any third party OEM. The pricing can only be based on numbers of chips ordered, and future guarantees of purchase.

If you're going to say that they'll do something illegal, well, then we really can't discuss that, can we?

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RE: Nikon?

By TomZ on 8/22/2007 4:46:44 PM , Rating: 2

What law is that? I've never heard of such a law. I've also never heard of a company having to charge all its customers the same price.

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RE: Nikon?

By melgross on 8/22/2007 6:37:18 PM , Rating: 2

I can't give you the laws offhand, but they are part of the competition frameworks we have here and there.

Companies can't sell to other internal divisions at favorable prices that they don't offer others.

Sales must be accounted for as any others.

Prices are determined using a number of factors, it's not that everyone must be charged the same number of dollars per se, though that's usually what happens with components based on numbers and guarantees.

They must be given the equivalent pricing.

It's not like a finished good. though Canon's copier division selling a copier to another division might be able to do deals just like anyone else.

Basically, If I run a division, I can't give my division a loss to make another division have a profit.

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RE: Nikon?

By TomZ on 8/22/2007 7:49:11 PM , Rating: 2

I don't buy it. I don't see how forcing a company to sell an internally-developed component to itself at the same price as an external company really promotes competition.

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RE: Nikon?

By mxzrider2 on 8/23/2007 12:31:45 AM , Rating: 2

that doesn't make any sense. you don't have to sell to anything to yourself right? its like this if i give a cookie to my kid for free, now i got to give every kid on the planet a cookie for free too. business doesn't work like that. they are owned by the same conglomerate and the products move freely between. there is no loss or profit based on movement in the business. i can find no law in Japanese law thats states u have to charge the business as it would go right back into the same pile of money anyway!

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RE: Nikon?

By colonelclaw on 8/24/2007 12:24:10 PM , Rating: 2

this sensor will no doubt appear in a number of future SLRs from many different manufacturers. nikon have already announced to d300 for starters.

one thing's for sure, all of the competition's efforts will be better than sony's - their own slrs are absolutely horrible. casting aside marketing fluff most cameras at the same price point will produce images of comparible quality, which leaves the deciding factor on which brand to buy down to ergonomics and handling.
go into any decent camera shop and ask to look at the equivilant sony nikon and canon. the nikon will feel best in your hands, the canon a close second; both will feel well made and not likely to break anytime soon. buttons will be in that places that feel most natural. on the other hand the sony will feel like an absolutely horrible lump of plastic with all the buttons in the wrong place, and an overtall feeling of cheapness.
an slr camera is something that spends its life in your two hands - when sony understands that to make a good slr is about ergonomics as well as technology they may start to be worth considering

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Canon?

By Netscorer on 8/22/2007 11:04:49 AM , Rating: 2

It is goin to be very interesting to see first implementation of this chip and comparison to Canon's own CMOS sensors. Canon sensors are famous for producing very clean images that are tolerant to high ISO settings while being able to preserve sharpness. This is a big reason people are sticking to Canon (excelent lenses of course too).

RE: Canon?

By Oregonian2 on 8/22/2007 1:52:07 PM , Rating: 2

Should be interesting to see reports comparing same-sized sensors between the two companies (comparison of different physical sized ones is an apple-oranges thing).

Canon makes good stuff, and undoubtedly one reason they're now number one seller of digital cameras. Sony is number two (although used to be number one a few years ago) and is only starting DSLRs just recently with their Konica-Minolta acquisition. Will be interesting to see where that goes.

I wonder if any sony sensors are in any Canon cameras -- just about everybody else has at least some with Sony sensors it seems.

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RE: Canon?

By melgross on 8/22/2007 4:26:42 PM , Rating: 2

They are in some of Canon's point and shoot models, but Canon has always made its own D-SLR sensors and processing chips. The DIGIX chips are all Canon designed and made, and they are also used in most of Canon's point and shoots as well.

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Want this in an upgraded DSC-R1

By Ajax9000 on 8/23/2007 8:22:49 PM , Rating: 2

There seems to be a lot of interest in the use of the IMX021 in dSLR. Fair enough, but my own interest would be to see this in a camera such as an upgraded DSC-R1.

One of the other interesting (but unanswered) things about this sensor is how many frames per second it could do at 4>1 and 9>1. Nominally, 12.4Mpx*10.39fps (129Mpx/s) translates to 1920x1080p60.

One disapointment of the DSC-R1 was no movie-mode at all. I'm not suggesting that putting 1080p60 into a revised DSC-R1 is sensible, but say 1280x720p24/25/30 at a minimum would be a welcome addition.