OmniVision announces 'world's smallest' 1080p camera module
By Donald Melanson 
posted May 17th 2010 4:51PM
posted May 17th 2010 4:51PM
Well, Samsung's had a nice one-month run, but it looks like there's a new company to claim the title of world's smallest 1080p camera -- OmniVision's just announced an in-bezel solution of its own with a z-height a full one millimeter smaller (3.5 mm compared to Samsung's 4.5 mm). To achieve that feat, OmniVision used its own 1.4 micron OmniBSI backside illumination technology, which the company says also helps to give its new OV2720 CMOS sensor low-light performance double that of similar-sized VGA sensors. Still no word on any specific products that will use the camera, but OmniVision says it's ideal for everything from netbooks to standalone webcams, and it's already slated to go into mass production this June. Full press release is after the break.
OmniVision Releases World's Smallest 1080p HD Camera Solution
New OV2720 Utilizes 1.4-Micron BSI Pixel to Enable Ultra-Compact HD Video Solutions for Notebook, Netbook, Webcam and Video Conferencing Applications
SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: OVTI), a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, today introduced the OV2720, the world's first 1/6-inch, native 1080p/30 high-definition (HD) CMOS image sensor designed for notebook, netbook, webcam and video conferencing applications. Based on OmniVision's 1.4 micron OmniBSI™ backside illumination technology, the new 1080p sensor delivers video conference quality HD video recording in a small enough form factor to meet the module size and height requirements of today's thin notebook designs. The OV2720 is currently sampling with multiple tier-one customers and is slated to go into mass production in June 2010.
"Increased broadband capability, inexpensive high-quality image sensors and the increasing availability of high-quality external and embedded PC web cameras will drive both consumer and business video conferencing," said Brian O'Rourke, principal analyst at In-Stat. "In 2010, we expect over 70 percent of mobile PCs to ship with embedded cameras, and the availability of sensors such as OmniVision's OV2720 will make high definition video conferencing more popular in the notebook and netbook PC segments."
"Consumer demand for HD video has never been greater. Display formats are moving to a 16 by 9 aspect ratio, TV broadcast is embracing HD, and social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook are supporting HD," said Nick Nam, product marketing manager at OmniVision. "With the OV2720, OmniVision continues to lead the industry in bringing to market innovative, high performance HD solutions, addressing the growing demand for the HD video-enabled devices of the YouTube generation. With the broadest portfolio of HD video products in the industry, we enable our customers to find the right solution for their price, performance and size requirements."
The OV2720 is the first 1/6-inch sensor to offer native 1080p HD resolution. Native HD enables full field of view video with optimized image quality, sensitivity, color reproduction and clarity because no scaling or cropping is required to achieve HD resolution. The 1.4-micron OmniBSI pixel achieves best-in-class low light sensitivity of 680-mV/lux-sec, while enabling extremely thin modules with a z-height of 3.5 mm. Moreover, the OV2720 can use binning to further increase its low-light performance to double that of similar-sized VGA sensors. The OV2720's outstanding low-light performance and slim form factor combine to make it an ideal choice for tier-one notebook manufacturers.
The OV2720 CMOS image sensor supports multiple platform architectures and controllers with both parallel and MIPI interfaces. It allows system designers to leverage the same opto-electrical design across various products and multiple market segments to reduce product development time. Exposure control, white balance and defective pixel canceling are programmable through the serial camera control bus interface. In addition, the OV2720 uses proprietary sensor technology to improve image quality. By reducing or eliminating common lighting or electrical sources of image contamination, such as fixed pattern noise and smearing, the sensor can generate a clean, fully stable color image.
About OmniVision
OmniVision Technologies (NASDAQ: OVTI) is a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions. Its award-winning CMOS imaging technology enables superior image quality in many of today's consumer and commercial applications, including mobile phones, notebooks, netbooks and webcams, digital still and video cameras, security and surveillance, entertainment devices, automotive and medical imaging systems. Find out more at http://www.ovt.com.
Safe-Harbor Language
Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding the expected benefits, performance, capabilities, and potential market appeal, as well as anticipated timing of mass production, of the OV2720 are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties, which could cause the forward-looking statements and OmniVision's results to differ materially, include, without limitation: potential errors, design flaws or other problems with OV2720, customer acceptance, demand, and other risks detailed from time to time in OmniVision's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including, but not limited to, OmniVision's annual report filed on Form 10-K and quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q. OmniVision expressly disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement.
OmniVision® is a registered trademark of OmniVision Technologies, Inc. The OmniVision logo and OmniBSI™ are trademarks of OmniVision Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
New OV2720 Utilizes 1.4-Micron BSI Pixel to Enable Ultra-Compact HD Video Solutions for Notebook, Netbook, Webcam and Video Conferencing Applications
SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: OVTI), a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, today introduced the OV2720, the world's first 1/6-inch, native 1080p/30 high-definition (HD) CMOS image sensor designed for notebook, netbook, webcam and video conferencing applications. Based on OmniVision's 1.4 micron OmniBSI™ backside illumination technology, the new 1080p sensor delivers video conference quality HD video recording in a small enough form factor to meet the module size and height requirements of today's thin notebook designs. The OV2720 is currently sampling with multiple tier-one customers and is slated to go into mass production in June 2010.
"Increased broadband capability, inexpensive high-quality image sensors and the increasing availability of high-quality external and embedded PC web cameras will drive both consumer and business video conferencing," said Brian O'Rourke, principal analyst at In-Stat. "In 2010, we expect over 70 percent of mobile PCs to ship with embedded cameras, and the availability of sensors such as OmniVision's OV2720 will make high definition video conferencing more popular in the notebook and netbook PC segments."
"Consumer demand for HD video has never been greater. Display formats are moving to a 16 by 9 aspect ratio, TV broadcast is embracing HD, and social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook are supporting HD," said Nick Nam, product marketing manager at OmniVision. "With the OV2720, OmniVision continues to lead the industry in bringing to market innovative, high performance HD solutions, addressing the growing demand for the HD video-enabled devices of the YouTube generation. With the broadest portfolio of HD video products in the industry, we enable our customers to find the right solution for their price, performance and size requirements."
The OV2720 is the first 1/6-inch sensor to offer native 1080p HD resolution. Native HD enables full field of view video with optimized image quality, sensitivity, color reproduction and clarity because no scaling or cropping is required to achieve HD resolution. The 1.4-micron OmniBSI pixel achieves best-in-class low light sensitivity of 680-mV/lux-sec, while enabling extremely thin modules with a z-height of 3.5 mm. Moreover, the OV2720 can use binning to further increase its low-light performance to double that of similar-sized VGA sensors. The OV2720's outstanding low-light performance and slim form factor combine to make it an ideal choice for tier-one notebook manufacturers.
The OV2720 CMOS image sensor supports multiple platform architectures and controllers with both parallel and MIPI interfaces. It allows system designers to leverage the same opto-electrical design across various products and multiple market segments to reduce product development time. Exposure control, white balance and defective pixel canceling are programmable through the serial camera control bus interface. In addition, the OV2720 uses proprietary sensor technology to improve image quality. By reducing or eliminating common lighting or electrical sources of image contamination, such as fixed pattern noise and smearing, the sensor can generate a clean, fully stable color image.
About OmniVision
OmniVision Technologies (NASDAQ: OVTI) is a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions. Its award-winning CMOS imaging technology enables superior image quality in many of today's consumer and commercial applications, including mobile phones, notebooks, netbooks and webcams, digital still and video cameras, security and surveillance, entertainment devices, automotive and medical imaging systems. Find out more at http://www.ovt.com.
Safe-Harbor Language
Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding the expected benefits, performance, capabilities, and potential market appeal, as well as anticipated timing of mass production, of the OV2720 are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties, which could cause the forward-looking statements and OmniVision's results to differ materially, include, without limitation: potential errors, design flaws or other problems with OV2720, customer acceptance, demand, and other risks detailed from time to time in OmniVision's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including, but not limited to, OmniVision's annual report filed on Form 10-K and quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q. OmniVision expressly disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement.
OmniVision® is a registered trademark of OmniVision Technologies, Inc. The OmniVision logo and OmniBSI™ are trademarks of OmniVision Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
Question is how much noise you get...
(And I know there is more than just the sensor that affects noise)
@DetlevCM : dang, need this thing in da Evo.... as long as noise is minimal, as stated above.
@blenderman345
I'm the exact opposite...
Noise won't beat an SLR (e.g. 5D MK II) or dedicated video camera.
And Webchat... can't see why it would be useful, VGA resolution is enough - at least for me... if I use it in the first place...
And you'll most likely get a bandwidth problem too.
But everyone to his/her own...
@DetlevCM
Yeah, I don't get it. Seems that phones should go in two directions now - smaller high quality lower resolution sensors or much larger higher quality sensors. Pick one or the other.
@DetlevCM What's with "Company makes smallest xxxxx", if it works, get it to our phones already!
Thats all I want. 1080p zoomed in while I skype. Not everyone I talk to is a model, you know.
@Victory. I have a 300 year old shrivelled up sith lord and and a 600 year old green Jedi on my Skype contacts. Be thankful for what you have got, Victory
@Lord Vader
600 Years Old? Wasn't he over 800?
@kapanak. Ugh, I've lost count, fact is he's OLD
Radda tap tap There now you're watching The Lost Boys.
put that in iphone 5g.
I want one now
@lakersin2025 Holy shit! I want yours now!
@vishal1082
lame
@lakersin2025 thanks :D
What's the pixel count for the stills? Also, how much noise do you get? And low-light performance?
Sweet...let's hope this actually gets used in phones a few months from now.
@vishal1082
Wow. What a failure.
This could be awesome, I want to see some pictures taken with it though.
World smallest? That's what she said...
Seriously though, in sensors, smaller is not usually better.
Homegrown pr0n in HD?
...sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet
@vishal1082 Wow this is so "fml"
yay :D
Lets hope this does flash/light, unlike the Samsung 720p one (that's eg. in the Galaxy S)
Its not a camera as such, just a sensor (Bayer output, needs an ISP).
@DoctarPeppar you are better off with a 1/4" or 1/5" format sensor (this one is 1/6") like you find in most decent phones, because bigger sensor = more photons = better pictures (assuming the sensors were designed within a year or two of each other by a decent manufacturer).
As a rule of thumb, a given f number is the blur circle in microns. To be detector limited, this will require optics f 1.4 or smaller. Typical camera phone optics are f3.5 or larger. The resolution will be about 2.5 pixels or about 300 lines, which is worse than NTSC! LOL
pixel density; sick!
I rather have a quality VGA camera. What is the point in poor quality 1080p other than requiring more bandwidth? I assume the quality isn't that impressive since they haven't put up any sample images.
What netbook could actually record 1080p video? I mean, that must be CPU intensive, right?
@Znarkus Depends if the camera has some hardware endcoding rather than it done in software.
something about those solder traces...
I'm going to need one of those 3TB hard-drives in my phone, for this!