Omnivision Announces Improved Version of OmniBSI-2

PR Newswire: OmniVision announces the OV8835, a 8MP 1.4um pixel sensor for smartphones and tablets, an improved version of similarly speced OV8830. The 1/3.2-inch OV8835 is built on a newly improved 1.4um OmniBSI-2 pixel that delivers dramatically improved sensitivity of 1000 mV/(Lux-sec), a 20% improvement over the previous-generation OV8830 (however, the product brief doc gives 824mV/(Lux-sec), same as the older OV8830). Other performance improvements over the OV8830 include a 20% improvement in low-light performance and a 25% improvement in full-well capacity. (Note that the older OV8830 was said to deliver 20% improvement in peak QE in all color channels, 35% improvement in low-light sensitivity, and 45% increase in full well capacity over the first generation OmniBSI). The dark current of the new sensor is 10e/s at 50C.

The new OV8835 sensor delvers 30fps at full 8MP resolution for zero shutter lag (was 24fps in the older OV8830). The current consumption at that speed is 152mA, the power is 265mW. It is capable of capturing full 1080p30 video with EIS, or 720p60 video with full horizontal FOV. The sensor's 2 x 2 binning functionality with post-binning resampling filter minimizes special artifacts and removes image artifacts around edges.

The OV8835 fits into an industry standard 8.5 x 8.5 mm package. It is currently available for sampling and is expected to enter volume production in the Q4 2012.