Omnivision Launches 8MP 1.12um Pixel PureCel Sensor

PR Newswire: Omnivision announces the fourth sensor in 4 days, and the second one in PureCel family - the OV8858, a 1/4-inch 8MP, 1.12um pixel sensor for mainstream smartphone and tablet market. Compared to OmniVision's previous-generation 1/4-inch 8-megapixel sensor, the OV8858 has improved FWC and sensitivity, and also offers a significant reduction in power consumption and form factor.

The OV8858 has an active array of 3264 x 2448 pixels operating at 30fps. The sensor is capable of recording 1080p60 or 720p90 video, each with additional pixels for EIS. The OV8858, when paired with OmniVision's latest 2MP sensors, can provide full resolution picture-in-picture (ViV) snapshot images at 15fps and preview ViV video at 30fps. The OV8858 fits into an 8.5 x 8.5 mm camera module with a build height of approximately 4 mm. It is currently available for sampling and is expected to begin volume production in Q2 2014.

"Industry analysts expect the 8-megapixel sensor market to grow to about 440 million units in 2014, reflecting year-over-year growth of 20 percent[ according to TSR]. While there are a number of factors that contribute to this anticipation, the main driver is 8-megapixel cameras for mobile devices transitioning from a 1/3-inch optical format to a 1/4-inch optical format to meet consumers' demand for thinner and more cost-effective phones and tablets. On top of that, mainstream mobile devices are expected to upgrade from 1/4-inch 5-megapixel sensors to 1/4-inch 8-megapixel sensors in order to benefit from increased resolution while maintaining the same optical format," said Kalairaja Chinnaveerappan, senior product marketing manager at OmniVision.