Business Wire: Aptina launches two fast 8MP sensors for mobile devices and sports cameras. The AR0835 targets the mobile device market, while the AR0835HS is aimed to sports camera market for very fast cameras with still and video capabilities.
The new high-speed sensors enable the full-width 16:9 6MP video window to be readout at 60 fps without pixel binning or cropping the field-of-view. This 6MP data stream oversamples the target image by 3x resulting in video that is said to be as sharp as that of the high-end multi-sensor video cameras used in television studios. In addition, camera designers can take advantage of this speed to enable the capture of 6MP still images without interrupting the video stream and with zero shutter lag.
"Aptina’s advanced A-PixHS technology takes the 1.4-micron BSI pixel to the next level with a high speed architecture that provides uncompromised image quality and very fast frame rate video," said Roger Panicacci, VP of Product Development at Aptina.
The sensors’ other features include HDR capabilities in still and video modes; on-chip binning to provide 720p120; an optional on-chip scaler to reduce data transmission rates to enable operation with a wide range of image coprocessors, and slow-motion playback. Unique to the AR0835 mobile sensor is pin-to-pin compatibility along with a shared lens and lens placement to accommodate standard modules with Aptina’s 8MP AR0833. The video camera AR0835HS sensor uses a proprietary extremely fast (up to 32-lanes) HiSPi data interface while the AR0835 uses a 4-lane MIPI interface.
The AR0835 is in mass production now, available in both die form as a stand-alone sensor, and with Aptina’s mobile ISP for a fully tuned, complete camera solution. The AR0835HS is currently sampling in a new 10mm x 10mm CLCC package and will be available in mass production in Q1 2013.
Why don't they offer a Pixel Binning in 1080p mode?
ReplyDeleteI guess they offer the binning too. However, the true 6MP video stream provides much better resolution and can be digitally downsampled to 1080p with much less artifacts.
DeleteBinning is offered in this sensor, and has the advantage of a 2x increase in frame rate. However, 2x2 binning in a 4:3 8M sensor does not output enough pixels for 1080p video.
ReplyDelete8M (3264Hx2448V) is the resolution of the full 4:3 window. When vertically cropped to the 16:9 HD window (3264Hx1836V) and then binned, resolution is 1632Hx918V, which is insufficient for 1080p video. This problem has prevented 1080p60 solutions in sensors of this resolution to date.
By offering the full 16:9 window at 60fps, we are enabling a sophisticated ISP to produce full 1080p60 video. We also offer an on-chip scaling capability to reduce the output resolution in the digital domain to enable a broader range of ISP’s to take advantage of this capability, with some loss of sharpness.
The binning mode output (1632x918) does enable a high quality 720p video stream at 120 fps, with a surrounding region of pixels for electronic image stabilization.
1080P60 and 720P120 for cellphone is nice.
ReplyDeleteWhat products use Aptina's BSI image sensors? They have been talking about BSI image sensors in mass production for a long time but there are never any product win announcements?
ReplyDelete