OmniVision unveils 5MP BSI sensor that takes low light cameras further into the entry level
It's almost a truism that starter smartphones have poor cameras that struggle just to get pristine photos in broad daylight, let alone dim interiors. Thankfully, OmniVision's new OV5645 sensor could lead newcomers out of a very literal darkness. The 5-megapixel imager includes backside illumination, support for 1080p30 (or 720p60) video and its own internal autofocus system, but no dedicated JPEG compression engine -- in short, a lot of the low-light performance of more sophisticated smartphones without the usual attached costs. Its cost-cutting even extends to front cameras, as a forward-facing sensor can share resources with the back camera to scale back on redundant hardware. We're looking forward to when mass production starts in the first quarter of 2013; we might not have to excuse our photo quality for a long, long time afterwards.
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OmniVision Launches Cost-Optimized 1/4-Inch 5-Megapixel CameraChip™ Sensor For Mainstream Mobile Applications
OV5645 Brings High-Quality Photography and HD Video to Low-Cost Handset Markets
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: OVTI), a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, today introduced the OV5645, a system-on-chip (SOC), 5-megapixel CameraChip™ sensor that targets the exploding cost-sensitive segment of the mobile handset market. As the successor to OmniVision's very popular OV5640, the new OV5645 has retained only a MIPI port, eliminating both the bandwidth-limited DVP interface and the costly embedded JPEG compressor. The newly updated sensor thus saves costs by reducing significant amounts of silicon, yet maintains full compatibility with most baseband processors today. Additionally, with an embedded autofocus control with voice coil motor driver, the OV5645 offers further cost savings for manufacturers, making it a highly attractive alternative to other 5-megapixel sensors currently on the market.
"Industry analysts predict 5-megapixel image sensors will remain highly popular for mobile devices for the next few years. Consequently, there is an increased need for cost-effective 5-megapixel cameras that meet the requirements of mainstream mobile markets," explained Per Rosdahl, senior product marketing manager at OmniVision. "The OV5645 SOC sensor provides handset manufacturers with a fully-featured yet extremely cost-effective solution that delivers the high-quality image capture and HD video currently required in the mainstream handset market. In addition, the OV5645's increased CRA enables ultra-thin camera modules with z-heights of approximately 4 mm, which is a key requirement for many OEMs' future products."
The OV5645 also features a new picture-in-picture (PIP) architecture that offers an easy-to-implement, low-cost dual camera system solution for mobile handsets and smartphones. The feature is based on a master/slave configuration where a secondary camera (e.g., one based on the OV7965) can be connected to a master camera (OV5645). This feature enables PIP functionality on mobile devices without the need for an additional MIPI interface into the baseband processor. By utilizing this feature, manufacturers can convert existing single-camera smartphone designs to dual camera systems without the need for more expensive baseband processors.
Built on OmniVision's latest 1.4-micron OmniBSI™ pixel architecture, the new OV5645 offers high performance 5-megapixel photography and 720p high definition (HD) video at 60 frames per second (FPS) and 1080p HD video at 30 FPS with complete user control over formatting and output data transfer. The sensor's 720p HD video is captured in full field-of-view (FOV) with 2 x 2 binning, which doubles the sensitivity and improves the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Additionally, a unique post-binning, re-sampling filter function removes zigzag artifacts around slant edges and minimizes spatial artifacts to deliver even sharper, crisper color images.
The OV5645 comes in CSP and RW packaging options and is now available for sampling, with mass production expected to begin in the first quarter of 2013.
