exmor
Latest
Raspberry Pi gets an 8-megapixel Sony camera upgrade
Although the Raspberry Pi has undergone numerous refreshes since it launched three years ago, its first official accessory -- a 5-megapixel Omnivision camera module -- has remained the same. That's mostly due to the Raspberry Pi Foundation and its partners buying a huge amount of sensors, which not only kept the price low, but also enabled it to have plenty of stock for years to come. According to CEO Eben Upton, those reserves are now running very low, so it's time to show off the new merchandise: two new $25 (£19) cameras powered a Sony IMX219 8-megapixel sensor.
Sony's new smartphone camera sensor is smaller and cheaper
At this point, Sony's more famous for the components that it makes for other people's devices than their own phones. It's certainly the case for its image sensors, which are now used by Apple, Huawei and, if the rumors are to be believed, Samsung. Just in time for MWC, the firm is releasing a new Exmor RS, the IMX318, that's likely to pop up in plenty more devices in the next year or so. It's a 1/2.6-inch stacked CMOS that has a maximum resolution of 22.5-megapixels and a hybrid autofocus that'll focus in as little as 0.03 seconds. The sensor is a lot smaller than its predecessors, but now includes three-axis, electronic image stabilization that could do away with bulky OIS lenses.
Sony's Xperia Z5 family includes the world's first 4K smartphone
To say that Sony's mobile division has had a tough time lately would be an understatement. As the company puts out half-hearted efforts like the Z3 and Z3+, sales have been dropping steadily. We're now at the point where Sony is losing more than $1 million per day just keeping the division going. Something has to change. Sony has to take smartphones seriously, and this is its attempt to do just that. Meet the Xperia Z5 family, which includes the world's first 4K phone display, "next-generation" cameras and some tiny, tiny fingerprint scanners.
Sony Xperia ZR announced, allows underwater photography down to five feet of depth (video)
Sony's ratcheted up its water-resistant device tech a notch with the launch of the Xperia ZR, a new 4.6-inch, 720p Android smartphone that's waterproof to 1.5 meters (5 feet). Sony boasts that its new device will let you film your snorkeling adventures in full HD quality, with HDR in both video or 13-megapixel stills thanks to the Exmor RS image sensor -- there's also a dedicated camera button like the one on the Xperia ZL. The handset packs a Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core 1.5GHz CPU, 2GB RAM, LTE, NFC, Sony's Walkman album and movie apps and a notable OptiContrast OLED screen with Bravia tech to reduce glare "even in bright sunlight." There's no word yet on pricing or availability, but as soon as we hear more, we'll try to prep you ahead of that next beach-bound holiday. Meanwhile, you can check the galleries, PR and video after the break for more. Update: As Xperia Blog found out, the Xperia ZR is actually the international version of Japan's upcoming Xperia A SO-04E -- the one we saw popping up in the FCC database.%Gallery-188096%
Sony Cyber-shot RX1 sample images and video
When we first got our hands on Sony's full-frame compact camera, the Cyber-shot RX1, we were allowed to touch it, but we couldn't use it for its stated purpose. Today, however, we got to put its 35mm image sensor and Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2.0 fixed prime lens to the test at a Sony event in San Francisco. Join us after the break to see a bit more of the City by the Bay and learn how the RX1 performed shooting stills and video.
Engadget Giveaway: win a Sony Cybershot DSC-RX100, courtesy of IceMonkey!
The giveaways just keep coming and there's nothing you can do to stop it. But why would you want to? For this edition of your regularly scheduled contest, IceMonkey is handing out a Sony Cybershot DSC-RX100, complete with a 20.2MP Exmor CMOS sensor (valued at roughly $650). IceMonkey is a colorful site that offers discounted electronics and other home goods on a first-come / first-serve basis, and every order gets shipped free. If it sounds like your cup o' tea, head over to check them out -- but don't forget to leave a comment below first.
Sony's stacked Exmor RS phone camera sensors detuned over quality worries
Sony would still like you to get excited about its upcoming Exmor RS stacked CMOS image sensors -- just not too excited. Both the 8-megapixel IMX134 and 13-megapixel IMX135 are scaling back from their original RGBW (red, green, blue, white) coding to an ordinary RGB over concerns that they aren't meeting Sony's "image quality standards" as originally designed. Consequently, either sensor will be less sensitive to light and diminish some of that high dynamic range magic. The company also doesn't want to get our hopes up for a quick arrival on shelves and clarifies that there's a phased launch starting in January. Mobile shutterbugs may be crestfallen knowing that Sony won't have the best possible camera sensor in future Xperia phones, but the honesty at least guarantees that the company gets a timely return on its $994 million investment.
Sony's Cyber-shot RX1 compact camera packs a full-frame sensor, 'fits in your palm' (hands-on)
Would you believe us if we told you Sony packed a full-frame sensor in a Cyber-shot-branded camera? It's true! Say hello to the RX1, a "compact" digital camera for pros that's packing the same 24.3MP Exmor CMOS sensor introduced today with the A99. Calling the rangefinder-esque one-pound shooter small might seem off-base, especially considering the Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2.0 fixed prime lens protruding from its front, but it's not so huge (3-inches high by 4.5-inches wide) up against its tiny sibling, the RX100 -- taking into account how much larger the RX1's sensor is, well, that's when this editor's jaw basically dropped. While it's not a "pro-NEX" as many had hoped, Sony explained that it chose a fixed lens to avoid the bulk of a lens-mount. We were able to get some eyes-on time with an engineering prototype of the unit, so click past the break for more details, close-ups and a brief video overview. %Gallery-164840%
Sony announces new Exmor RS cameraphone sensor: upgraded signal processing, HDR video recording
That camera sensor in your smartphone is very likely to be a Sony-made module which means it's worth keeping an eye on the company's latest sensor developments. Your next phone could be packing one of its latest Exmor RS camera modules, a stacked CMOS image sensor that's currently being readied for future smartphones and tablets. At the moment, three components fall under the new RS label, with two eight-megapixel sensors (one with new camera signal processing tech) and a top-drawer 13-megapixel module. Alongside the new sensors, Sony's crafted new f/2.2 lenses alongside a refreshed auto-focus module and all of them will be capable of HDR video recording. The company's now working on improving sensor behavior, image quality and keeping it all tiny enough for that next pricey phone contract. The first products are expected to arrive in October, so we may not see it in Sony's very next tablet, but development could be done in time for next year's effort -- and help validate the manufacturer's imaging investment.
Sony Xperia ion coming to AT&T in Q2: offers 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 720p Reality display and dual HD cameras
AT&T and Sony Ericsson haven't exactly had the best of luck as Android partners -- we submit the Xperia Play 4G and the Xperia X10 as exhibits A and B -- but it appears that the two companies are blowing on the dice in Vegas and hoping that luck will change with their latest flagship. AT&T and Sony (that's right, not a hint of Ericsson in sight) took to the stage to announce the Xperia ion. It's packing some good specs, too: a 4.6-inch 1280 x 720 HD Reality display, a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, LTE, 16GB flash storage and a 12MP Exmor-R rear camera offering 1080p video capture that's paired up with a 1.3MP front-facing cam that offers 720p HD video. It'll also be Playstation-Certified, much like the Xperia Play before it. The ion's gearing up for a Q2 release, but we were disappointed to learn that it's going to launch with Gingerbread installed, especially given the fact that Sony's been very forthcoming about upgrading its Xperia lineup to ICS by the end of the first quarter. We suspect the delay will be at least in part due to additional carrier testing. Granted, it's a long time away and things are subject to change. No pricing has yet been announced, but it's quite likely we'll see the feature-laden smartphone starting out around $250, if not more. We should have a hands-on shortly.
Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S review
Xperia arc S up for order on Sony's site, could ship this week Sony Ericsson Xperia Nozomi LT26i caught by Mr. Not-so-blurrycam Samsung Galaxy S II first with MHL port for dual-purpose USB or HDMI out (video) It seems like nearly all the phone makers are doing it. Take the latest flagship release, add some welcome (but relatively minor) technical tweaks, slap an extra S on it and release to an adoring public not much more than six months after the original hit stores. Sony Ericsson's Xperia Arc is the latest (but certainly not the last) to undergo said refresh. The new Arc S appears identical on the surface, still carrying the stylish curvature that wooed us the first time round. Internally, most of the parts remain the same as its predecessor, aside from a bump to a new CPU, a 1.4GHz Qualcomm chip. Alongside the minor hardware change, this is the first Xperia handset arriving with Sony's 3D sweep panorama feature, capable of creating 3D stills for consumption on your compatible TV back home. Does the extra 400MHz make enough of a difference? Are sweeping panoramas enough to warrant a phone refresh at a time when dual-core, big-screened Android phones are the high-end standard? Read on to get the full picture. %Gallery-137374%
Sony DEV-5 Digital Recording Binoculars sample photos and video
We can't say that we were too keen on Sony's DEV-5 Digital Recording Binoculars at first look -- it really is hard to get past that $2,000 price tag. But after Sony finally allowed us to shoot photos and video (albeit for a mere three minutes) at the company's CEATEC booth, we were pleasantly surprised at the image quality, at least some of the time. The images we shot were in 16:9 format, and were roughly 5.3 megapixels in size (the camera's maximum resolution is 7.1 megapixels). With only a few minutes to play around, we didn't have time to switch the menu from Japanese to English (CEATEC is held just outside Tokyo), so we had no choice but to use the default settings. Still, images shot at f/1.8 appeared crisp, even with moderate shake (it's difficult to keep a heavy pair of binoculars steady when holding them at eye level), with accurate exposure and white balance. When zooming to 10x, however, still photos appeared very noisy, as you'll see in the gallery below. So are they worth the sky-high price tag? Well, it's safe to say that we're not ready to whip out the credit card, though they did perform better than we expected, based only on what we had initially seen through those dual high-res viewfinders. Jump past the break for an HD sample clip, or click the more coverage link below for the untouched samples.%Gallery-135896%
Sony DEV-5 Digital Recording Binoculars hands-on (video)
Sony Digital Recording Binoculars look like military night vision goggles, cost almost as much ARRI's ALEXA busts out native ProRes recording, plans for RED smiting New Sony Bloggie Mobile HD Snap camera gets bowed design, FCC inspection Sony's imaging wing has been on a roll lately, with the brilliant NEX-7 and equally impressive Alpha A77 DSLR simply blowing us away with brand new features and excellent image quality. But these $2,000 digital binoculars? Yeah, we're not so sure. We went hands-on with a pre-production sample of the 3D binocs, which replace the traditional optical finders with a pair of high-res LCD EVFs. But when you consider that high-end binoculars are a joy to use because of their excellent optical viewfinders, swapping in an electronic version puts the DEV-3 ($1,400) and DEV-5 ($2,000) in a completely new category -- if an excellent (and traditional) viewing experience is what you're after, these "cost-competitive" optics really won't hit the spot. Jump past the break for our impressions.%Gallery-133999%
Sony A77 24 megapixel camera teases with more specs and photos
After multiple spec and picture leaks, we seem to have finally hit the mother-lode with even more details of Sony's soon-to-be-released A77 DSLR. With a reported Exmor HD CMOS sensor, the camera is said to work at ISO 100-16000 with an expandable ISO 50 option and 1/8000 shutter speed. Rumors are swirling that the camera has a 19 point AF sensor and 12fps burst, rather than the previously leaked specs citing an 11 point AF and 10fps burst. It reportedly runs on a Bionz processor and has built-in flash and GPS as well, and has enough juice to capture 500 shots on a single charge. Word on the street is that there's a TrueBlack 921k swiveling display round back and a three million dot OLED viewfinder. Of course, we won't be able to separate fact from fiction until the camera launches later this week. If you can't hold your breath that long, check the source for more leaked pics of Sony's slick new shooter.
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%
Unreleased Sony Alpha A77 already nominated for Good Design Award, reveals several new features
Sony may have yet to officially announce its upcoming Alpha A77 camera, but thanks to a nomination page ahead of this month's Good Design Expo, we can finally get a glimpse of what this imager will pack internally. Indeed, the A77 will come with a 24 megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor, along with a translucent mirror that enables full-time continuous autofocus. Additionally, with the help of its new BIONZ engine, we have a "world's fastest" burst rate of 12 frames per second, which goes nicely alongside the camera's 60p and 24p video recording modes (presumably in AVCHD). What also caught our eyes was this "world's first" XGA OLED electronic viewfinder, while the A55 and A35 come with just LCD versions. Well, only time will tell whether this camera lives up to expectations -- by the sound of it, we'll probably be able to play with one within a few weeks from now. [Thanks, pontsuku.] Update: And just like that, the nomination page has promptly been taken down. Good thing we saved a copy, though -- check it out after the break, if you want to practise your Japanese.
Sony VAIO Z21 Series mentioned on various European sites, isn't actually for sale yet
Here in the states, Sony's 13-inch VAIO Z series has been missing from the company's online store for months, but in Europe, at least, it lives on -- a quartet of Z21 series laptops have surfaced on various e-tailers as the possible successor to last year's Z11. So far, we're seeing a pair of configurations with a Core i5-2410M processor and 128GB of solid-state storage and two more with a Core i7-2620M CPU and 256GB in storage. Judging by this sample, at least, 1600 x 900 resolution is standard, as is a backlit keyboard, 3G SIM card slot, fingerprint reader, 3D output, and an HD webcam with Sony's Exmor imaging technology. Alas, the available specs suggest Thunderbolt's a no-show, though rumor has it Sony's implementation of Intel's Light Peak technology will use USB connectors, of which this has three. Here's to wishful thinking, right? The peculiar thing is, you can't actually buy it yet. F2F lists staggering prices ranging from €1,809 ($2,642) to €2,839 ($4,146), though it's not, in fact, available. Meanwhile, search results turn up mentions on staticICE UK and Belgium's Execute, but they've been scrubbed from the actual pages. So, it looks like it's up to Sony to announce this already -- and dish up some pictures while it's at it. [Thanks, Ihor]
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's see-through Alpha DSLR gets the hands-on treatment, probably won't get a launch date
We've been teasing you with images of this see-through beauty since Sony announced plans to bring its translucent mirror to the A77. Unfortunately, we've still yet to get our dirty paws on its hard shell, but we're happy to live vicariously through Pocket-lint's hands-on of Sony's clear-bodied Alpha camera. According to its post, the concept DSLR is based on a heretofore unidentified mid-range camera that touts an Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor and "fast continuous autofocus." The camera is slated for a late 2011 release, but chances are it won't come with that sweet transparent body. So soak it up while you can, because this could be the last you see of the crystalline casing -- hit the source link for even more eye candy.
Sony outs world's first 16.41 megapixel cellphone sensor
Uh, wow, guess the megapixel race isn't over. Sony just announced the world's first 16.41 megapixel CMOS sensor for mobile phones putting today's 12 megapixel units to shame. The 1/2.8-inch back-illuminated Exmor R model IMX081PQ sensor packs an industry smallest 1.12μm unit cell size and is capable of shooting 1080p at 30fps or 720p at 60fps. Sony claims to have solved some of the issues related to those incredibly small pixel sizes by implementing a unique formation of photo diodes to achieve a sensor with high resolution, high sensitivity, and low noise. Expect it to begin sampling in January 2011 for ¥2,500 (about $30) per or ¥12,000 (about $145) when packaged with a 10.5 x 10.5 x 7.9 mm IU081F autofocus lens module that ships in March -- prices that will come down dramatically when purchased in bulk. A second, 1/3.2-inch 8.13 megapixel IMX105PQ sensor with IU105F2 lens module (pictured on the right) will be out in April for a lot less.
