Micron Technology's new CMOS enables 30 shots a second, 720p video

A new CMOS imaging chip being developed by Micron Technology will allow digital cameras to capture as many as 30 shots a second, and will also enable video capture at an unprecedented 720p. The eight megapixel sensor -- whose pixels are only 1.75-microns across -- needs to be throttled down to two megapixels in order to achieve that 30 shot figure, but even at maximum resolution it is able to capture an impressive 10 shots per second. Don't expect to see cameras sporting the new chip right away, though, as mass production is not scheduled to begin until the first half of next year, meaning consumer products may not be available until as late as 2008.

[Via Cnet]

[[e-mail] @ May 18th 2006 11:04AM]

Nice, and it's only a matter of time when a 720P camcorder with 8MP CMOS is cosidered a standard.

[Business Cards @ May 18th 2006 12:20PM]

Why do they announce this stuff that is 2 years away...they will probably sell to another company, or BK before production...

[Brian from Texas @ May 18th 2006 3:24PM]

Right! While it sounds impressive now, it's going to be ancient history by 2008 when some other major players swoop down and take the profits from them.


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[nemi @ May 18th 2006 3:29PM]

this is what I have been waiting for. A digital cammera that can record HDTV.

Hopefully the support hardware in future cammeras can take this 2.0 mp at 30fps and anti-alias it down to the ~0.9 mp of 1280x720 (p) to reduce noise and give us a great picture.

[Twist @ May 18th 2006 5:09PM]

Sounds nice but it isn't the sensor speed that is holding most digital cameras back these days it is the speed of the image processor and the size of the buffer. What is the use of being able to shoot at 10 FPS when there is only enough buffer space for 14 JPEGs on a lower end DSLR like the Rebel XT or 30 on one like the 30D.

[furtim @ May 18th 2006 7:43PM]

Because buffer sizes will undoubtedly increase by the time they ramp up production on these and the sensors hit market?

[Geir E @ May 19th 2006 10:30AM]

Nice,

Sony has both high density sensor technology,
http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/24/new-sony-cmos-promises-higher-resolution-on-smaller-sensor/

and is working in the same lines (high framerate with high res video)
http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/21/sony-working-on-60fps-cmos-sensor-for-high-res-still-frames/

So with competitors also doing the same it's looking good for the future of digital photography and video.