OmniVision Announces 40MP Smartphone Image Sensor

OmniVision has announced the release of OV40A, a 40MP, 1.0 micron pixel image sensor that features super high gain and denoise technologies for low-light camera performance in the 1/1.7” optical format. This sensor also offers multiple high dynamic range (HDR) options for the stills and video captures. Additionally, it supports 1080p slow-motion and high-speed video captures at 240 frames per second (fps) with phase-detection autofocus. The OV40A supports super high gain of up to 256x, and is embedded with multi-sampling de-noise functionality for enhanced low-light performance. It also offers HDR through selective conversion gain for the optimum balance between low-light image quality and HDR, along with 2- and 3-exposure staggered HDR timing. Built on OmniVision’s PureCel Plus-S stacked die technology, the OV40A integrates an on-chip, 4-cell (4C) colour filter array and hardware remosaic, which provides high quality, 40MP Bayer output in real time. For low-light conditions, this sensor can use near-pixel binning to output a 10MP image, as well as 4K2K and 1080p video, with four times the sensitivity, yielding 2.0 micron pixelequivalent low-light performance. Output formats include 40MP at 30 fps, 10MP with 4C binning at 120 fps, 4K2K video at 60 fps and 1080p video at 240 fps. All of these formats can be captured with phase-detection autofocus. Other features include a CPHY interface, multi-camera sync and a 34.7 degree chief ray angle. As of now, no information is available regarding which smartphone manufacturers would use the OV40A sensor.