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Samsung's NX200 camera: 20.3 megapixels, interchangeable lenses, full HD video
Samsung continues its camera announcements today with the NX200, a 20.3 megapixel interchangeable lens system using the company's proprietary APS-C CMOS sensor. It also features a high-speed continuous mode that shoots up to 7fps and full HD video recording, 1920x1080 at 30p. If those specs aren't enough, notice the wide ISO range, from 100 to 12800, covering seven stops. Availability hasn't been announced yet, but pricing should run about $900 with an 18mm-55mm zoom lens and on-camera flash -- a number of other lenses will roll out in the coming months. Give your eyes a feast with the gallery below, and check out the full PR after the break. %Gallery-132210%
Sony Digital Recording Binoculars look like military night vision goggles, cost almost as much
How does $1,399 for a pair of binoculars sound? When they also shoot 1080p HD video and 7.1 megapixel stills -- perhaps slightly less ridiculous. Sony's launching a new category of high-end binoculars with its new DEV-3 and DEV-5, which offer camera-like features and are priced at $1,399 and $1,999, respectively. Each pair includes two Exmor R CMOS sensors for native 3D video capture, dual f/1.8-3.4, 0.5-10x optical zoom lenses, and a pair of 1,227-dot viewfinders. While the pricier model adds a 10x digital zoom, GPS, and accessories like a carrying case and neck strap, those features don't really justify a $600 jump in price -- if you can live without GPS, it probably makes sense to skip the DEV-5. There's also Memory Stick Pro Duo and SDXC support, stereo microphones with an audio input jack, and HDMI out. Coined as the world's first binoculars with HD video recording, we wouldn't expect there to be a terribly huge market for these pricey specs at launch, but if you've been looking for a way to record while bird watching, catching close-ups of the action at a game, or whatever it is you look at through your apartment window, then look for these to hit stores in November. %Gallery-130944%
Toshiba unveils new CMOS sensor, flaunts smaller pixels
Hoping your next smartphone will have more megapixels while being even thinner than the last? Us too, but we're not known to skimp on image quality -- an unfortunate conundrum of squishing more pixels into a tighter space. Enter Toshiba's new CMOS sensor, advancing on both fronts, with 8 megapixels and what the firm reckons is the smallest pixel size in the industry at 1.12 micrometers. Also present is backside illumination, helping maximize photon accrual -- which should make a certain Steve oh-so proud. Currently being sampled, the teensy gizmo plans to go into mass production later this year. Interested? Peep the full release after the break.
OmniVision, Avago reported iPhone 5 parts suppliers
A rumor from Digitimes suggests Apple is tapping OmniVision for CMOS image sensors and Avago Technologies for power amplifiers (PA) to be used in the iPhone 5. OmniVision will be the main supplier for 8-megapixel camera sensors, with Sony picking up any slack. Avago will supply two-thirds of the PAs while long-time supplier TriQuint Semiconductor will supply the rest. This is good news for the suppliers involved as they will likely see a boost in revenue due to the expected staggering demand for the iPhone 5. This is even better news for Apple fans as it suggests production of the iPhone 5 is moving along smoothly. Yes, it may be slower than some prefer, but it's possible Apple may still hit that rumored September target launch date.
Is this Samsung's first medium format digital camera?
Look closely at that photo above. Those, friends, are digital cameras from Samsung. That's right, even that boxy one that looks quite a bit like an old-school medium format film shooter. This photo was quietly inserted into a blog post from Sammy about lens design, without so much as a caption to clarify what our curious eyes were seeing. Might this be a future model meant to compete in the highest-ends of the digital camera market? Or is it something cooked up in the lab and abandoned for a more practical and mainstream design? There was a rumor kicking around last summer that Samsung was working on a medium format CMOS sensor and this could be a test rig for just such a slice of silicon. Whatever it is, we're intrigued and we'll be keeping an ear out for more info on what the Korean company has brewing.
Sigma SD1 starts shipping in June for $9,700, has its sights set on medium format lovers
Sigma knows that $9,700 is a lot of money to pay for, well, anything, so it's couching the hefty price tag on its new flagship DSLR, the SD1, in the context of it competing against medium format digital cameras -- whose prices don't generally fall below five figures. Trouble is, as professionally inclined, well designed, and durably built as the SD1 may be, it still only packs a 15.3 megapixel CMOS sensor that spans 24mm x 16mm (or APS-C size). That means it'll have to earn its stripes on the battlefield of image quality, which it'll be ready to march onto in less than a month's time. Sigma promises to start shipping units in early June, so if you have the cash to spare (plus a little extra to fund a suitably awesome lens), you can start building up your anticipation today. Full PR and camera specs can be found after the break.
OmniVision's new 5 megapixel CMOS sensor shoots 1080p video, is built for 'slimmer' devices
Apple might be poised to ditch OmniVision for its next round of iPhone / iPod Touch cameras, but that hasn't stopped the company from trotting out a fresh crop of sensors. Weeks after unveiling a beastly 12 megapixel number, it's announced the OV5690, a 5 megapixel chip, and the first to use the company's second-generation OmniBSI-2 pixel architecture. In addition to shooting 5 megapixel stills, it records 1080p video at 30 frames per second and 720p movies at 60fps. And, most notably, OmniVision cut the sensor's height by 20 percent in the hopes that it'll find a home in "slimmer" smartphones and tablets. So far, it's unclear what devices will incorporate it -- the company says key vendors are sampling the sensor at the moment, with mass production expected to begin in the second half of this year. Full PR after the break.
World's biggest CMOS sensor could help doctors detect and treat cancer
Move over, Canon, because scientists at the University of Lincoln have just seized the crown for world's biggest CMOS image sensor with their new Dynamic range Adjustable for Medical Imaging Technology microchip -- or 'DyNAMITe,' for short. Measuring a hefty 12.8 square cm (or about five square inches), DyNAMITe is roughly 200 times bigger than the chips you'd find in most PCs, making it the largest imager ever made on a wafer of standard, eight-inch diameter. This extra girth allows the active pixel sensor to capture images in high detail, with a 100-micrometer pitch boasting 1280 x 1280p aligned next to a 50-micron layer, carrying 2560 x 2560p. DyNAMITe can also run at up to 90fps and withstand high levels of radiation for several years, making it ideal for medical imaging, including radiotherapy and mammography. Researchers say these enhanced images could help doctors detect cancer in its earliest phases, while allowing them to monitor radiotherapy treatments more closely. No word on when we should expect to see DyNAMITe pop up in hospitals (or a Hasselblad back), but physicists at the Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden Hospital are busy looking for other, potentially life-saving applications. Full PR after the break.
OmniVision's new 12MP CMOS sensor shoots RAW pics and 1080/60p video, looks for smartphone home
So what if Apple looks set to abandon OmniVision in favor of Sony with its next round of portable device cameras? The company that currently provides the none-too-shabby 5 megapixel imager inside the iPhone 4 has just announced a new 12 megapixel sensor and it's a bit of a beast. The OV12825 pairs the goodness of backside illumination with the ability to shoot RAW stills and 1080p video at a bodacious 60fps. Funnily enough, neither feature is a novelty for OmniVision, which has already given the world the option to shoot RAW and to crank Full HD video at 60fps, but nobody has yet been willing to maximize the previous sensors' capabilities. Now that we're finally seeing efficient dual-core solutions making it to smartphones, maybe the time has come? After all, there's gotta be something else to look forward to after 1080/30p, right? OmniVision is offering samples to interested companies right now and expects volume production in the second quarter of the year. Full PR after the break.
Sony shoots out CineAlta F65 4K camera and PMW-TD300 3D camcorder at NAB
The current trend in the world of home theater may seem like 3D cinematography is all the hype these days, but Sony's latest imager in its CineAlta family begs to differ. Unveiled at the 2011 NAB Show, this F65 mammoth camera (pictured right) packs one beastly 20.4 megapixel, Super 35mm CMOS sensor -- a huge leap from the F35's 12.4 megapixel 1080p CCD. Aside from the obvious quantitative difference, what's special about this new chip is that unlike the Bayer BG-GR subpixel matrix on conventional 4K sensors, here we have green pixels forming the 4K grid while an RB-BR matrix fills in the space, thus doubling the number of horizontal pixels to 8K for a finer 4K picture (see illustration after the break), as well as allowing better visual effects editing using the extra data. What's more, this sensor is fast -- not only can it capture up to 72fps on 4K, but it can also crank up to a smooth 120fps on 2K. As for those seeking to squeeze out every bit of detail from their clips, don't worry: the F65's got you covered with a 16-bit RAW output (19Gbps) at 4K resolution, or it can be compressed to 5Gbps for the convenience of recording onto the new SR-R4 portable 4K recorder. Looks like Sony's finally found a candidate that'll put a lid on film stock, but then again, at the end of the day it'll depend on the price tag when it comes out in Q3 this year. Of course, Sony isn't going to just ignore the 3D scene here. Also announced at NAB is the PMW-TD300, which will be the first professional 3D camcorder sporting a shoulder mount. Featuring a pair of Exmor 3CMOS sensors, hardcore cameramen will finally be able to go mobile with this new toy while filming 3D in 1080p. Not sure how the videos will turn out, though -- we're not keen on the idea of watching shaky and potentially nauseating 3D captured by someone running along the sideline. Anyhow, this camera will be up for grabs in Autumn this year. [Thanks, Blackjack]
Sony CEO casually mentions he's supplying cameras to Apple
We were tempted to call it an April Fools' joke, but it seems the story's true: Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer reportedly let slip that his company is producing cameras for the next batch of iPhones and iPads during a public interview with the Wall Street Journal. Traditionally, Apple's sourced its sensors from OmniVision, including the delightfully backside-illuminated 5 megapixel CMOS unit you'll find in the iPhone 4, but since Sony too has BSI tech and OmniVision has reportedly encountered delays, your next portable Apple product might house a Sony Exmor R sensor like the one we admired on the Xperia Arc. Mind you, that may not end up actually happening, because of the context in which Sir Howard revealed the news -- according to 9 to 5 Mac, he said that the factory producing sensors for Apple was affected by the Japanese tsunami. Oh well.
Olympus SZ-30MR shoots 1080p video and 16MP stills simultaneously; Tough TG-810 is 'crushproof'
Olympus just loosed a trio of compact cameras. Let's start big with the €329 SZ-30MR. According to Olympus, the 30MR packs a backlit CMOS sensor with 24x (25-600mm) optical zoom and Dual Engine TruePic III+ processing. It also lays claim to being the first to simultaneously record 1080p video while shooting 16 megapixel stills -- a feature Oly dubs, Multi Recording. The SZ-20 lacks the MR and dials back the zoom to 12.5x but costs a relatively modest €219. Olympus also announced a silver or black TG-810 compact for €299. First and foremost is the cam's claim for ruggedness: crushproof at a weight of 100kg (220 pounds); waterproof to 10 meters (32.8 feet); shockproof at a distance of 2 meters (6.56 feet); and freezeproof a temps to -10 degree celsius (14 degrees F). Otherwise, it boasts a 14 megapixel CCD sensor, a 5x (28-140mm) optical zoom, 720p movie mode, TAP control (for gloved use), GPS, and an electronic compass. All three cameras feature a 3-inch LCD; HDMI; high ISO and sensor-based mechanical image stabilization; smart panorama, 3D photo, pet detection, and beauty modes; and SDXC and Eye-Fi card compatibility. Look for them to hit retail in March.
Sony touts high-speed 17.7 megapixel CMOS sensor for cellphones
It's been over a year since Sony introduced the world's first 16.41 megapixel CMOS sensor for cellphones (pictured at right), but the company's now finally back with another entrant in the megapxiel race: a 17.7 megapixel sensor. This one delivers more than just a higher resolution, though, as it's also Sony's first sensor with a bandwidth of 34.8Gbps (or about five times faster than previous CMOS sensors), which promises to allow for 120 fps video at full resolution -- assuming the phone's processor and storage are able to keep up, of course. What's more, the new sensor is also said to boast some improved consumption and, according to Nikkei, it seems that Sony is planning to use it in digital cameras in addition to cellphones, although there's no word as to when either of those will be available.
Samsung releases 8 and 12 megapixel CMOS smartphone sensors, shoots 1080p on the go
What the world needs now is more pixels up in your phone, and Samsung has a selection of new offerings that offer just that for stills and vids. It's released details on two new sensors, one, the S5K3H2, clocking in at eight megapixels and the other, the S5K3L1, at 12. Both will record 1080p video, with the 12 megapixel offering doing it at up to 60 fps -- the lesser model makes do with a mere 30. Both can capture full-res stills at 30fps and, naturally, both are really tiny for fitting into things like smartphones.
Nikon Coolpix S9100 extends an 18x zoom from a compact body capable of 1080p video
Last we heard from Nikon on the topic of high-end point-and-shoot cameras, it was touting Full HD video and a backside-illuminated 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor on its S8100. Well, here comes the S9100, still possessing those goodies, but now it's attaching them to a lens capable of 18x optical zoom -- a feature you'd usually expect to find on shooters far bulkier than this pocket-friendly portable. ISO sensitivity can stretch up to 3200 (only 800 in automatic mode), there's a 1050mAh battery helping power the 3-inch, 920k-dot rear-mounted display, and you'll also probably want to know that the 1080p movie mode records sound in stereo and ticks along at a healthy 30fps. Our brief time with the S9100 revealed it to be a typically well built little shooter, although we did notice zooming it backwards and forwards is a fairly slow affair -- which can grow into something of a nuisance when you've got such a massive zoom range -- while the tripod mount is way off to the left of center. We're sure Nikon has thought that decision through and balanced the camera's weight appropriately, however. Sales around the world begin on March 17th, with local pricing set at $330, €348 and £300 in the major markets. %Gallery-115974% %Gallery-115973%
OmniVision's OV10810 image sensor handles 1080p video recording, 10 megapixel image capture
OmniVision has just let loose its OV10810, hailed as the first native 16:9 CMOS image sensor to enable simultaneous 1080p HD video recording and ten megapixel image captures. The chip is built upon the company's 1.4-micron OmniBSI pixel architecture, and it's obviously aimed at digicams, camcorders and higher-end smartphones. Generally speaking, any camcorder that can snag stills on the side does so at a terribly low resolution, but this bantam slab of silicon would obviously serve as a solution. The technobabble's there after the break if you're interested, and you can commence waiting for this to make it to your favorite smartphone / camera maker... now.
Fujifilm's 16 megapixel CES debutants leaked early: 30x superzoom and 1080p-recording compact
Nobody is immune from a CES leak, it seems, as even the relatively tame waters of high-end compact and superzoom cameras have been ruffled up today with the emergence of two 16 megapixel Fujifilm models. Both sport an EXR-CMOS sensor, with the bigger brother HS20EXR boasting a 30x zoom (equivalent to covering the 24mm to 720mm range in old school photography parlance) zoom lens along with a 3-inch LCD on the back and an electronic viewfinder. Joining it at the CES unveiling this week will be a FinePix F500EXR number that offers a highly respectable 15x zoom of its own, along with a 3-inch LCD, geotagging, and 1080p video recording. If this leak turns out to be the real deal, we should have confirmation and more details very soon indeed.
Sony buys back Toshiba's Cell plant for 50 billion yen, makes a killing and plans a CMOS fab
Looks like Toshiba's Cell processor ambitions didn't quite pan out -- Japanese news sources are reporting that the company's selling its Nagasaki manufacturing plant back to Sony for 50 billion yen, or roughly $597 million in US money. Considering that Toshiba originally purchased the semiconductor facility for 100 90 billion yen (then $835 million) back in 2008, it seems like Sony's making out like a bandit here -- and it may have just found the perfect place to build more CMOS chips for its high-end camera lineup, too. Sony reportedly told the Nikkei Business Daily that it may repurpose the facility to produce HD image sensors for cameras and smartphones. What will happen to the chip that launched 40 million PS3s and a graphics co-processor or two? With any luck, we'll find out at CES 2011 quite soon.
IBM breakthrough brings us one step closer to exascale computing, even more intense chess opponents
The path to exascale computing is a long and windy one, and it's dangerously close to slipping into our shunned bucket of "awesome things that'll never happen." But we'll hand it to IBM -- those guys and gals are working to create a smarter planet, and against our better judgment, we actually think they're onto something here. Scientists at the outfit recently revealed "a new chip technology that integrates electrical and optical devices on the same piece of silicon, enabling computer chips to communicate using pulses of light (instead of electrical signals), resulting in smaller, faster and more power-efficient chips than is possible with conventional technologies." The new tech is labeled CMOS Integrated Silicon Nanophotonics, and if executed properly, it could lead to exaflop-level computing, or computers that could handle one million trillion calculations per second. In other words, your average exascale computer would operate around one thousand times faster than the fastest machine today, and would almost certainly give Garry Kasparov all he could stand. When asked to comment on the advancement, Dr. Yurii A. Vlasov, Manager of the Silicon Nanophotonics Department at IBM Research, nodded and uttered the following quip: "I'm am IBMer, and exascale tomfoolery is what I'm working on."* *Not really, but you believed it, didn't you?
Sony's 'affordable' PMW-F3 Super 35mm camcorder announced, still not priced
When Sony announced it was working on an "affordable" pro-level 35mm camcorder, we knew that would be a very relative term. Now the company has finally unveiled the thing, though it's apparently still deciding just how affordable it's going to be. A price is not yet set, said to be low enough for "indie" filmmakers and others lacking major production house funding, but we have other details on the upcoming PMW-F3, like its 35mm CMOS sensor with recording modes of 1080p at frame rates ranging from 1 up to 60, with stops at important speeds like 23.98 and 59.94. The body can be purchased alone or there's a PL kit that includes 35, 50, and 85mm prime lenses. Again, no cost is known at this point, but expect the MSRP to be closer to Volkswagen than Vaio. %Gallery-107112%
