Sony next-gen CMOS: 17.7MP video @120 fps

S

Steve Castle

Well-known member
Sony has shown their next-gen CMOS sensor at ISSC. As reported by Nikkei, it will be able to do 17.7MPs at 120 fps. The sensor can “convert multiple pixels into signals simultaneously”, which results in a reduction of the conversion time by up to 75% when compared to existing sensors. The new sensor boasts a processing speed of 34.8Gbps (which is five times faster than previous Sony sensors) that allows it to achieve 120 frames a second with such high resolution. This sensor technology will be used in consumer, broadcast, and their digital still cameras.

UPDATE (English Article from Image Sensors World):
http://image-sensors-world.blogspot.com/2011/02/sony-talks-about-super-fast-177mp120fps.html

UPDATE 2: More from Image Sensors World:

Takayuki Toyama (Sony) "A 17.7 Mpixel 120 fps CMOS image sensor with 34.8 Gb/s readout" - this is probably the same sensor that Sony talked about last week, so I'll quote Albert's impressions from the presentation:

"The sensor reported was on based on the “classical” Sony concept of column parallel ADCs based on up-down counters. But because of the extremely high bitrate of the overall chip, the 14 counters in the column are split into two parts:

The lower 5 bit counters, which are driven with 248 columns in parallel, in such a way that the columns do not contain the real counters, but contain memory cells,
The upper 9 bit counters, which are based on real counters as before.

This hybrid construction allows to maintain the high accuracy of 14 bits with the extremely high speed of 34.8 Gb/s overall. The device runs at 120 fps at 12 bits and 60 fps at 14 bits. The chip is realized in 90 nm technology, 1P4M and consumes a total power of 3W at 120 fps."
Click to expand...

Nikkei (subscription required+Japanese):
http://www.nikkei.com/news/category...39C9C91E2E2E2;at=DGXZZO0195165008122009000000

Google translation of original article:
Sony 16 times High Definition Full HD video sensor development
120 frames per second handled 17.7 million pixel images

Sony's high-quality video capture much more conventional image sensors for camera (imaging device) was developed. The sensor can handle 120 frames per second 17.7 million pixel images, full high definition (HD) has 16 times the amount of information. Handle high-definition video. For professional cameras, including broadcasters, consumer cameras and digital SLR
Expected to be applied.

The newly developed CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) image sensors. Required to convert the signal received by the pixel. Such as one-fourth time ever, raised the efficiency of the signal reads. The signal is read simultaneously from a plurality of pixels
Try to let out, the speed of 34.8 gigabytes per second (10 billion gigabytes), and bit more than five times the sensor has been developed in the past. Increased. Inhibited the ingenuity of the circuit power consumption.

The current full HD video, 60 frames per second was taken 2-megapixel images. Using sensors developed by the pixel 8 times the number that can capture video frames double counting. Broadcasters as well as for the camera, and mobile digital SLR. And are expected to be applied to camera phones. Semiconductor International Society being held in the United States "ISSCC" 24 Sun announced.
Click to expand...
 
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yep...this confirms the obvious ....sony will conquer the world by 2013 - can´t stand in the path of 17mps/120p and survive !
 
Perhaps this is a coincidence, but I've noticed that Sony has announced in their 4K road map that their 4K camera will be a 17.7 megapixel 6K sensor that will be a Q67 global-shutter sensor.

Being that 17.7MP is a fairly arbitrary number, this recent news may indicate that Sony's new 4K camera will be able to do 120 fps natively.

sony_4K_S35mm_digital_comparison.jpg
 
If they make it price competitive with Epic and not $250,000, maybe that there's a chance Sony isn't evil.

We all know that's not gonna happen.
 
Based on Imaging Sensors World this sensor will be a 27.5mm sensor. Which is basically S35. The sensor in the F3 is 27.1mm for comparison.

Bassman2003 said:
I agree. Forget about 6k, give us a "normal" video camera with a global shutter and 120 fps.
Click to expand...

Lee Saxon said:
If they make it price competitive with Epic and not $250,000, maybe that there's a chance Sony isn't evil.

We all know that's not gonna happen.
Click to expand...

We should see the same technology being implemented on all Sony sensors; even their sensors that will be going into mobile phones. Sony is even rumored to be a sensor supplier for the iPhone 5 so we might see this CMOS technology in our cellphones.

The main technical feat within this sensor is the new ADC. Sony has hitherto used a column-parallel ADC for their CMOS sensors, this new design seems to be able to designate the signals from a group of photosites to be combined, something akin to pixel binning; which may fit in with the Q67 design; that is, if my speculation is correct about the 4K camera. Moreover, this new ADC design is incredibly fast allowing for high speed frame rates.

I wouldn't be surprised if the 1/2.3" sensor in the other thread was using this same technology. The sensor does capture 4K images at 42 frames a second, for what we can presume to be a very affordable and consumer oriented product.
 
Jon Fauer (Film & Digital times) on the new Sony >4K motion picture camera

Jon Fauer (Film & Digital times) on the new Sony >4K motion picture camera

"Sony is planning to show the prototype of a new >4K motion picture camera at NAB 2011 [...] It is not a mere 4K motion picture camera. Behind the PL mount, there’s an 8K sensor: 8768 x 2324 pixel single CMOS sensor (that’s 20.4 Megapixels) — Super35 3-perf size, 16-bit RAW output, 16:8:8. In normal mode, the new Sony 4K camera will shoot from 1-72 fps. In HFR (High Frame Rate) mode, it will go from 1-120 fps [...] What does the image look like? The pictures from the prototype, on a large 4K monitor, were stunning. Rich blacks, incredible detail, superbly sharp [...] I think what makes this new camera possible is the fact that Sony manufactures the five secret sauces essential to practical 4K: sensor, storage, software, station, and screening. " Jon Fauer (Film & Digital times)

http://www.fdtimes.com/news/sony/new-sony-camera-4k-and-beyond/
 
I'm confused by all this bayer-pattern accounting...

I thought we didn't call "pixels" to the single-color microsensors on a bayer pattern, or do we?

I mean: how many red, green and blue microsensors are there on the 18MPix sensor of a 7D/60D/600D/550D? I though it was 18m+36m+18m, but maybe it is just 4.5m+9m+4.5m?

if that second option is the right one, then
* I wouldn't call them all "liars" but I'd certainly call them "marketing people"
* for a super-nice 2K image, I need a 4K sensor!!
 
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lexicon said:
"Sony is planning to show the prototype of a new >4K motion picture camera at NAB 2011 [...] It is not a mere 4K motion picture camera. Behind the PL mount, there’s an 8K sensor: 8768 x 2324 pixel single CMOS sensor (that’s 20.4 Megapixels) — Super35 3-perf size, 16-bit RAW output, 16:8:8. In normal mode, the new Sony 4K camera will shoot from 1-72 fps. In HFR (High Frame Rate) mode, it will go from 1-120 fps [...] What does the image look like? The pictures from the prototype, on a large 4K monitor, were stunning. Rich blacks, incredible detail, superbly sharp [...] I think what makes this new camera possible is the fact that Sony manufactures the five secret sauces essential to practical 4K: sensor, storage, software, station, and screening. " Jon Fauer (Film & Digital times)

http://www.fdtimes.com/news/sony/new-sony-camera-4k-and-beyond/
Click to expand...

An 8k sensor is different from what they announced in the past. Their previous 4K roadmap had a 6K sensor, whether this 17.7mp sensor shown at ISSC is related to the 17.7mp sensor they have in their roadmap is mere speculation, but they did announce a 6K sensor.

Unless Sony are planning on having two 4K+ cameras (one priced closer to the F35 and another 'affordable'), it may mean they are changing their strategy.

What is somewhat interesting isn't the 8K sensor (not impressive from a pixel-density standpoint), its the 16-bit RAW, this could mean that this sensor has a 16-bit ADC. Which is rare, Kodak uses them in their medium-format CCD sensors in the Hasselblad, Phase One, Mamiya, etc. but most sensors usually stick with 14-bit ADC. This would also mean a ton of data.

NormanBates said:
I'm confused by all this bayer-pattern accounting...

I thought we didn't call "pixels" to the single-color microsensors on a bayer pattern, or do we?

I mean: how many red, green and blue microsensors are there on the 18MPix sensor of a 7D/60D/600D/550D? I though it was 18m+36m+18m, but maybe it is just 4.5m+9m+4.5m?

if that second option is the right one, then
* I wouldn't call them all "liars" but I'd certainly call them "marketing people"
* for a super-nice 2K image, I need a 4K sensor!!
Click to expand...

For bayer CFA 1, photosite=1 pixel due to interpolation. Which is the attraction of bayer from a marketing standpoint. When you want to market outright resolution than bayer is near unbeatable, which is why its popular with dSLRs during the 'megapixel wars' and more recently RED which likes to tout resolution.

As its been discussed here before ad nauseum, it doesn't need repeating, but with bayer CFA the actual resolving resolution is much lower than the actual effective pixel count. Which is why RED has a 5K sensor to target 4K, and Arri is using a 3.4K sensor for their 2K target resolution, and why Sony is using a 6K sensor to resolve 4K (and possibly even an 8K sensor).
 
NormanBates said:
I'm confused by all this bayer-pattern accounting...

I thought we didn't call "pixels" to the single-color microsensors on a bayer pattern, or do we?
Click to expand...
Yes. Each individual photosite on the sensor is a pixel. The sensor is a monochrome sensor, with a color filter stuck in front of it. Each pixel on the sensor is equal to any other pixel, but the Bayer filter sticks a single-color filter over each one.

I mean: how many red, green and blue microsensors are there on the 18MPix sensor of a 7D/60D/600D/550D? I though it was 18m+36m+18m, but maybe it is just 4.5m+9m+4.5m?
Click to expand...
Your second guess is accurate. 4.5 megapixels of red, 4.5 megapixels of blue, 9 megapixels of green.

if that second option is the right one, then
* I wouldn't call them all "liars" but I'd certainly call them "marketing people"
* for a super-nice 2K image, I need a 4K sensor!!
Click to expand...
Largely correct. But you don't truly need 2x as much to get a good downres, you can get there with about 1.4x as much. So a 3K sensor can make for a pretty good 2K image after demosaic and downscale.
 
"Sony has shown their next-gen CMOS sensor at ISSC. As reported by Nikkei, it will be able to do 17.7MPs at 120 fps. The sensor can “convert multiple pixels into signals simultaneously”, which results in a reduction of the conversion time by up to 75% when compared to existing sensors. The new sensor boasts a processing speed of 34.8Gbps (which is five times faster than previous Sony sensors) that allows it to achieve 120 frames a second with such high resolution."
Click to expand...

Yeah but if it doesn't explode it'll probably burst into flames after about 90 seconds of continious recording . . .

Perhaps they'll offer a NOMEX flight suit and gloves accessory? . . . <g>.
 
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