Canon's latest 120 Megapixel sensor!!!

[haring]

Look at this:

TOKYO, August 24, 2010—Canon Inc. announced today that it has successfully developed an APS-H-size*1 CMOS image sensor that delivers an image resolution of approximately 120 megapixels (13,280 x 9,184 pixels), the world's highest level*2 of resolution for its size.

Compared with Canon's highest-resolution commercial CMOS sensor of the same size, comprising approximately 16.1 million pixels, the newly developed sensor features a pixel count that, at approximately 120 million pixels, is nearly 7.5 times larger and offers a 2.4-fold improvement in resolution.*3

With CMOS sensors, while high-speed readout for high pixel counts is achieved through parallel processing, an increase in parallel-processing signal counts can result in such problems as signal delays and minor deviations in timing. By modifying the method employed to control the readout circuit timing, Canon successfully achieved the high-speed readout of sensor signals. As a result, the new CMOS sensor makes possible a maximum output speed of approximately 9.5 frames per second, supporting the continuous shooting of ultra-high-resolution images.

Canon's newly developed CMOS sensor also incorporates a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) video output capability. The sensor can output Full HD video from any approximately one-sixtieth-sized section of its total surface area.

Images captured with Canon's newly developed approximately 120-megapixel CMOS image sensor, even when cropped or digitally magnified, maintain higher levels of definition and clarity than ever before. Additionally, the sensor enables image confirmation across a wide image area, with Full HD video viewing of a select portion of the overall frame.

Through the further development of CMOS image sensors, Canon will break new ground in the world of image expression, targeting new still images that largely surpass those made possible with film, and video movies that capitalize on the unique merits of SLR cameras, namely their high mobility and the expressive power offered through interchangeable lenses.


*1 The imaging area of the newly developed sensor measures approx. 29.2 x 20.2 mm.
*2 As of August 20, 2010. Based on a Canon study.
*3 Canon's highest-resolution commercial CMOS sensor, employed in the company's EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR cameras, is equivalent to the full-frame size of the 35 mm film format and incorporates approximately 21.1 million pixels. In 2007, the company successfully developed an APS-H-size sensor with approximately 50 million pixels.

Can you imagine to deliver 120 Megapixel wedding photos to clients?

[OsmosisStudios]

The images would be huge, but otherwise soft. No lens can resolve that. Canon has been doing this for years: it's a technical exercise.

Even the absolute BEST dSLR lenses right now can only resolve about 40mp of resolution: beyond that the pixels start to "bleed" into one another. Until we have lenses that can do 120mp, it's useless for anything beyond very very very specialized (medical, military) use.

[vandergus]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

The images would be huge, but otherwise soft. No lens can resolve that. Canon has been doing this for years: it's a technical exercise.

Even the absolute BEST dSLR lenses right now can only resolve about 40mp of resolution: beyond that the pixels start to "bleed" into one another. Until we have lenses that can do 120mp, it's useless for anything beyond very very very specialized (medical, military) use.

The image doesn't lose sharpness just because it is rendered by more pixels. Sure the additional pixels may not be recording any significant information about subject detail but that's different from saying that they make the image softer. It just may not make it any more sharp.

But, yeah, I have to wonder if DSLR's are really the target application for this technology.

[sabianq]

i would be more inclined to think that the target demographic for this high density pixel populated sensor would be the medium format shooters.

i have a friend with an old Hasselblad camera, she uses a 60MP sensor back on the camera. the images she produces can be enlarged to poster size @300 lines per inch (photo quality)..

while the pixes density can absolutly give amazing images with huge detail, i would venture to guess that the future of image sensors will come as shape changes. currently the production type image sensors are flat. an ideal sensor shape would be aspherical. such a shape would compleatly elimate optical aberations caused by light differences in frequency defraction of the lens.

in theory, an aspherical sensor would allow for far better sharpness even in cheap lens.

[sabianq]

with current computer technology, especially with the move toward slower "netbooks" having an image of such a magnitude would be impractical for many clients. while such a huge image is great to look at, the print would have to be the sixe of a poster or life size before the human eye can discern the detail embedded in the print otherwise the a typical 8x10 would have dots to small for the human eye to get any use of the photo.

the biggest advantage of having such a large image would be for the photographer, he or she would be able to take a single photo and crop as many tiny faces from it as they need and deliver many different 8x10 print quality images from a single photograph.

[vandergus]

Originally Posted by sabianq

the biggest advantage of having such a large image would be for the photographer, he or she would be able to take a single photo and crop as many tiny faces from it as they need and deliver many different 8x10 print quality images from a single photograph.

Except that the pixel density isn't the only limiting factor to resolution in the overall imaging chain. As OsmosisStudios alluded to earlier, the quality of the lens will also limit the resolution in your image file. So even though you may have the necessary pixels to make significant crops, your lens may not have given you enough detail in the first place.

[sabianq]

Originally Posted by vandergus

Except that the pixel density isn't the only limiting factor to resolution in the overall imaging chain. As OsmosisStudios alluded to earlier, the quality of the lens will also limit the resolution in your image file. So even though you may have the necessary pixels to make significant crops, your lens may not have given you enough detail in the first place.

that may be true, however, i would also point out that some very high resolution large format images with amazing detail were produced back in the 40's and 50's using lens technology nowhere near as good as today.

while glass may be a limiting factor, i am not sure if pixel density is tight enough at todays technology to resolve the aberations found in modern lenses.

the 35mm film with a chemical density of 150 lines per milimeter is still arguably at minimum 3 times higer in resolution than even a 20 megapixel full frame sensor.

(given that the individual chemical element in a film negative can reflect (or absorb depending on how you look at it) any frequency of light within its spectrum response curve. as compared to a 20megapixel density sensor, it takes 3 different colored pixels to produce a color)

with proper focus and even a decent quality older lens, a 35mm film negative can have far more detail in it than even the highest current full frame (35mm) digital sensor with a top of the line lens.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by sabianq

that may be true, however, i would also point out that some very high resolution large format images with amazing detail were produced back in the 40's and 50's using lens technology nowhere near as good as today.

while glass may be a limiting factor, i am not sure if pixel density is tight enough at todays technology to resolve the aberations found in modern lenses.

the 35mm film with a chemical density of 150 lines per milimeter is still arguably at minimum 3 times higer in resolution than even a 20 megapixel full frame sensor.

(given that the individual chemical element in a film negative can reflect (or absorb depending on how you look at it) any frequency of light within its spectrum response curve. as compared to a 20megapixel density sensor, it takes 3 different colored pixels to produce a color)

with proper focus and even a decent quality older lens, a 35mm film negative can have far more detail in it than even the highest current full frame (35mm) digital sensor with a top of the line lens.

As I've explained in another thread, this is faulty thinking. And is starting to smack of trolling.

The "High resolution" large format images from 40-50 years ago werent from 35mm (or, as this sensor is, APS-H) format, but from MF, 4x5 or large format cameras. That becomes a totally different animal.

[look_yau]

The main point is that Canon just want to show cast their R&D power.

And by having the technology/technique to pack that many pixel in one sensor, I would think, if using the same technology/technique on "normal" sensor, there will be less noise on high ISO.