full frame sensor on the right
After the 120 MP APS-H-size CMOS sensor, Canon announced today that they developed the largest CMOS sensor sized at 202 x 205 mm or 7.95 x 8.07 in.
Canon also announces XF Line of Pro camcorders, featuring 3D and infrared.
Canon Succeeds in Developing World's Largest CMOS Image Sensor, With Ultra-High Sensitivity
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., August 31, 2010 – Canon Inc. announced today that it has successfully developed the world's largest*1 CMOS image sensor, with a chip size measuring 202 x 205 mm. The sensor is capable of capturing images in one one-hundredth the amount of light required by a professional-model digital SLR camera due to its expanded size enabling greater light-gathering capabilities. Potential applications for the new high-sensitivity CMOS sensor include the video recording of stars in the night sky and nocturnal animal behavior.
At 202 x 205 mm, the newly developed CMOS sensor is among the largest chips that can be produced from a 12-inch (300 mm) wafer, and is approximately 40 times the size of Canon's largest commercial CMOS sensor.*2
In the past, enlarging the size of the sensor resulted in an increase in the amount of time required between the receiving and transmission of data signals, which posed a challenge to achieving high-speed readout. Canon, however, solved this problem through an innovative circuit design, making the realization of a massive video-compatible CMOS sensor possible. Additionally, by ensuring the cleanest of cleanroom environments during the production process, the sensor minimizes image imperfections and dust.
The increased size of the new CMOS sensor allows more light to be gathered thus enabling shooting in low-light environments. The sensor makes possible the image capture in one one-hundredth the amount of light required by a 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor, facilitating the shooting of 60 frame-per-second video with a mere 0.3 lux of illumination.
Through the further development of distinctive CMOS image sensors, Canon will break new ground in the world of new image expression, in the area of still images as well as video.
About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked fourth overall in the U.S. in 2009†, with global revenues of US $35 billion, is listed as number six in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies 2010 list, and is on the 2009 BusinessWeek list of "100 Best Global Brands." Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. At Canon, we care because caring is essential to living together in harmony. Founded upon a corporate philosophy of Kyosei – "all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future" – Canon U.S.A. supports a number of social, youth, educational and other programs, including environmental and recycling initiatives. Additional information about these programs can be found at www.usa.canon.com/kyosei. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.
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† Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.
All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.
Availability, prices, and specifications of all products are subject to change without notice. Actual prices are set by individual dealers and may vary.
*1 As of August 27, 2010. Based on a Canon study.
*2 The approximately 21.1 megapixel 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor employed in the company's EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR cameras
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18 Comments
Seems the Canon makes innovations in everything BUT glass.
What’s all the noise about ?
Well isn’t that just precious. In related news, I still don’t have an affordable full frame back for either my Mamiya 645AF or my Bronica SQAI and no digital version of the Fuji GA645 appears to be in development.
Since nothing digital even comes close to the quality I get from those platforms at the price I can afford (really, at any price), I guess I’ll be shooting film for a long time to come.
Medium format’s nice but the digital backs are just too crazily priced. I doubt Canon will make this new sensor in to a off-the shelf product. Considering the price of a new 36×48 back, I’m guessing this will be around the $160,000.
Which 35mm lenses and DSLRs have you used and ended up disappointed?
I run a minilab and see output from everything except the medium format stuff, so the answer to your question is “None, and all”.
Sorry.
At the moment, I’d rather shoot my Nikon N80 loaded with Velvia or Astia than any DX or FX camera from any manufacturer. When I’m serious I get the big guns out. Nothing compares to 6×4.5 or 6×6 slide film, except of course 4×5 or 8×10. View cameras are just too bulky to tote around, though.
Agreed.
Hmm… I’m in support for 8×10 but 120 isn’t worth bothering with, for me, because they can’t give the same DOF/focal length or have the low light capabilities as my FF DSLR lenses do.
Btw, since you said you run a minilab… I’m guessing people who take good photos with good 35mm DSLR gear go to more professional places? Do you get professional photographers coming there to have their shots printed?
All the time. Pro’s get FAR more prints from 1 Hour Photo labs than you know. I would say that at least 75% of my business is pro, or images sold by a pro to a client who wishes to do their own printing.
Hang out on pro forums long enough and you’ll start seeing references to “Lab C”, for instance, which is Costco. Since Costco color profiles all their printers through Dry Creek Photo, the pro can get very close to what they see on their computer screen in their prints. Costco is also guaranteed, so the pro can get their money back if they still aren’t satisfied.
Since the minilab I run is for Costco, yeah, I’ve seen output from a whole lot of cameras. Everything from Nikon D100′s to D3′s with everything in-between, the original Canon Digital Rebel to the 1Ds-Mk2 and everything in between, plus the occasional Pentax and Sony.
I’ve even got a regular that shoots on a real dinosaur, the Canon D60. Try finding one of those at your local camera swap!
But I can drop output from my Mamiya 645 loaded with Velvia 100 on the counter and every single person that sees it does the same thing: gasps out loud and asks what camera I shot it with.
I can drop output from my digital (Olympus E-PL1) that I actually like quite a bit on the counter beside it, get a few ooo’s and aaaah’s and the attention turns back to the slide film prints every single time.
There’s just something magical about medium format slide film.
Wow!!! But who need A4 sized or 120 мp sensor. Canon better give me more non circumcised fool frame sensors.
Hubble telescope? I really can’t think of any other application for this sensor.
Get it up there NASA.
I wan’t a review ASAP: Canons Hubble Telescope In-Depth Review.
Well, not quite true, is it?
While Nikon (video- and) photographers still wait for a proish body, shooting full HD the Canon crowd earns money, shooting tilt and shift videos (music clips, commercials and arty farty stuff) or using the 28-300 for impressive zooming for years now and from January on they move on doing music clips (and maybe some special commercials) with the new 8-15 mm fisheye zoom as well.
I guess it’s fair enough to conclude that Canon occasionally offers some new (play-) ground with their glass too – for both, video- and photographers.
And like it or not, but some of the ground will be burned when Nikon gets ready.
In one or two years nobody needs to place any suggestions in front of a client to do the 117th tilt and shift or to do the 113th video with a fisheye. Such things come and go as some kind of fashion. “Seen it, been there, bored now, done with it. You are late to the party.”
This was meant to be a reply at T1T4N1UM but got placed elsewhere.
Yawn. Canons’ great, Canons’ good, look at my Canon, it’s on TV, they make everything, they do everything, there’s Art Wolfe on TV with his Canon’s, look!!! it’s Canon’s PR machine!!! It’s HUGE!!!!
Resolution???
60 fps at what resolution? Total resolution of the sensor? My assumption is like 12MP total…, trying to beat the D3s in low light performance, hehe
It doesn’t take much to beat a D3s… Nikon’s sensors appear to do well in low light because of smart noise processing algorithms (pre-RAW). Sadly, no one thinks about the detail that’s lost. Can’t imagine why people are so gullible to think that Nikon can defy physics and gain 1 stop improvements from essentially the same sensor
As for how this sensor might compare… one like this could wipe the floor of an entire football field with a D3s’ sensor
Don’t forget that noise is proportional to the amount of light gathered. With the ~48x area we’re talking about an instant 11 stop advantage for a given magnification over a 35mm sensor.
As for this sensor’s video output, I don’t think it’s any more than 1080p. They have no reason to go beyond for a tech demo like this. Doubt it’s even 4K.