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Mobile Technology

OmniVision details its highest resolution 1/3.2-inch optical format sensor to date

By Paul Ridden
June 06, 2012
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OmniVision has unveiled a new 12.7 megapixel camera chip sensor capable of full resolution image capture at 24 frames per second
OmniVision has unveiled a new 12.7 megapixel camera chip sensor capable of full resolution image capture at 24 frames per second

While smartphone cameras may never be able to fully replace a high end digital camera, they're definitely giving it a darn good try. We've already seen the first 8-megapixel camera phones hitting the streets, and now OmniVision has announced the development of a 12.7 megapixel camera chip sensor capable of full resolution stills at 24 frames per second. As well as helping ensure that mobile photographers are able to grab all the action by minimizing shutter lag between shots, the new sensor also caters for in-device image editing and high dynamic range photography.

The new OV12830 camera chip sensor is built on the same 1.1-micron OmniBSI-2 pixel architecture as last year's OV8850 module, but has been designed for mobile devices moving beyond 8 megapixels. It features an active array of 4,224 x 3,000 pixels and is OmniVision's highest resolution 1/3.2-inch optical format sensor to date, and fits into the industry-standard module size of 8.5 x 8.5 mm currently housing 8-megapixel sensors.

In addition to the impressive 24 fps at 12.7 megapixels stills capture capability, the sensor can also shoot 10-megapixel images at 30 fps, and there's support for 10-bit RAW RGB output. Full resolution alternative row output at two different exposures offers HDR video/image possibilities and there are programmable controls for frame rate. Image quality controls like defective pixel correction, lens shading correction and black level calibration are also programmable through a standard serial SCCB interface. On the editing front, in-device cropping, mirror and flip, windowing and scaling, and horizontal/vertical sub-sampling are all supported.

While not quite as impressive as the 4K2K video capabilities offered by OmniVision's 16- megapixel 1/2.3-inch OV16820 and OV16825 sensors unveiled late last month, the new OV12830 is capable of capturing full 1080p video at 60 frames per second in low lighting conditions, with additional pixels for electronic image stabilization.

The new sensor is currently in sampling ahead of anticipated volume production in Q4 2012

Source: OmniVision Technologies

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Mobile TechnologySmartphonesHigh DefinitionSensorsPhotographyCamera Phone
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Paul Ridden
While Paul is loath to reveal his age, he will admit to cutting his IT teeth on a TRS-80 (although he won't say which version). An obsessive fascination with computer technology blossomed from hobby into career before hopping over to France for 10 years, where he started work for New Atlas in 2009. Now back in his native Blighty, he serves as Managing Editor in Europe.
2 comments
Danny Rose
Err, My Nokia N8 2010 12Mp lens. (Not with the latest bells and whistles though.)
Jerry Peavy
It might be useful to note that there is no such thing as a standard pixel. Saying that the phone has X number of pixels is meaningless when compared to a digital camera, which also vary in size depending on the quality of the camera for example point and shoot models as compared to semi-professional and professional cameras. Please don't give the impression that a cell phone camera is in any way is a substitute for anything other than a point and shoot camera!
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