Aptina intros 8MP sensors that bring 60 fps, pro-grade video to phones, action cameras
Smartphones and action cameras are no strangers to high-speed video: devices like the HTC One X make it a selling point. They've usually had to crop the frame from a much larger sensor, however, cutting into the final image quality and the field of view. Aptina's new AR0835 and AR0835HS sensors might be the ticket to no-compromise, fast footage. Both 8-megapixel, backside-lit CMOS imagers occupy as much of the sensor as they can when capturing widescreen video at 60 frames-per-second, oversampling HD video at six megapixels; the result is supposedly professional-level video sharpness and viewing angles without the professional-level pricing. Either sensor can also capture 6-megapixel stills mid-video, and they can combine pixels to record 720p video at an even brisker 120 fps. Aptina won't have the action camera-focused AR0835HS in production until first quarter of 2013, but it's already mass-producing the smartphone-oriented AR0835. As such, it shouldn't be long before there's brag-worthy, high-speed home movies sitting in our pockets.
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Aptina Introduces High-Speed, Broadcast Quality HD Video in New 8-Megapixel Smartphone and SportsCam Sensors
New Aptina 8MP image sensors are the first in a new family of products focused on video performance, readout speed and HDR excellence
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today Aptina launched two ultra-fast 8-megapixel (MP) image sensors for mobile devices and sports cameras. The AR0835 sensor meets the accelerating demand within the mobile devices market, and the AR0835HS takes on the challenging sports camera markets for very fast, high performing cameras with still and video capabilities.
The new high-speed sensors enable the full-width 16:9 HD video window to be readout at 60 fps without pixel binning or cropping the field-of-view. This 6-megapixel data stream oversamples the target image by 3x resulting in video 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 6-megapixel 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 AR0835 and AR0835HS sensors incorporate sophisticated innovation for two smart imaging solutions."
The sensors' other features include high dynamic range capabilities for capturing natural high-range still and video scenes; 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.
Availability
The AR0835 is in mass production now. Available in both die form as a stand-alone sensor, and with Aptina's mobile imaging co-processor 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 CY Q1 2013.
