Canon's 120MP 1.3x Sensor...

p0ss3s3d

p0ss3s3d

p0ss3s3d

Associate
Joined
30 Dec 2008
Posts
1,940
Canon successfully develops world's first APS-H-size CMOS image sensor to realize record-high resolution of 120 megapixels.(13,280 x 9,184 pixels)

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.
Click to expand...

http://www.imaging-resource.com/NEWS/1282626976.html

http://www.canon.com/news/2010/aug24e.html

Apparently diffraction starts at f/2.5? :D

:cool:
 
Last edited:
Ok so the 21mp camera of the 5d2 currently chucks out about 30mb images....so this, being 6 times the image capacity....180mb per image?!

Compression anyone? :p

This'll be delivered and people still ask for a full frame! :p
 
Last edited:
Mud said:
Hell, make it a medium format with a decent pixel pitch :cool:
Click to expand...

They'd then have to design new lenses with crazy optical quality around a new mounting system...

Whereas for this, they'll just have to design new lenses with crazy optical quality.
 
mrthingyx said:
They'd then have to design new lenses with crazy optical quality around a new mounting system...

Whereas for this, they'll just have to design new lenses with crazy optical quality.
Click to expand...

Of course you'd need new lenses, but as you said that's true anyway :p
 
I wonder what the noise will be like...

Whilst I admire the idea of 120mp I wish Canon would go the Nikon route and concentrate on noise reduction instead of bigger sensors. I'd rather a 12mp sensor with very low noise than an 18mp sensor with some...
 
Amp34 said:
I wonder what the noise will be like...

Whilst I admire the idea of 120mp I wish Canon would go the Nikon route and concentrate on noise reduction instead of bigger sensors. I'd rather a 12mp sensor with very low noise than an 18mp sensor with some...
Click to expand...

I doubt we'll see 120mp (or anything near that) camera or in many cameras for a while yet.

What on earth would you possibly need it for? You'd need a whole range of lenses to match it, it would cost an absolute fortune.

I'm willing to bet this was more of a scientific experiment to push the limits :)
 
Amp34 said:
I wonder what the noise will be like...

Whilst I admire the idea of 120mp I wish Canon would go the Nikon route and concentrate on noise reduction instead of bigger sensors. I'd rather a 12mp sensor with very low noise than an 18mp sensor with some...
Click to expand...

Are you a Nikon user perchance?
 
Phate said:
I doubt we'll see 120mp (or anything near that) camera or in many cameras for a while yet.

What on earth would you possibly need it for? You'd need a whole range of lenses to match it, it would cost an absolute fortune.

I'm willing to bet this was more of a scientific experiment to push the limits :)
Click to expand...

Well yeah, and an impressive one at that. It just seems to be following what is actually happening in the market at the moment.

Mr_Sukebe said:
Are you a Nikon user perchance?
Click to expand...

Nope, Canon.:p
 
That's totally mental.

I don't know what they have in mind for it, but for 99% of people, the images are simply going to be prohibitively large. The processing times for alterations, as well as storage (imagine a psd with layers or, god forbid, a stitched pano) are just going to make it too much effort for the returns that a larger image gives you over what a 1Ds can already do. That's quite aside from the optics required for such a system.

In a Canon medium format camera, I can see it, but in a dSLR, no. But then if it is going in some up and coming medium format line, then why make it APS-H?
 
Last edited:
Phate said:
Compression anyone? :p
Click to expand...
Have you noticed that all the images from your 5DII are different sizes? That's because they *are* compressed. Lossless compression helps to deal with the bottleneck writing to the memory card.

The uncompressed raw image on you 5D2 is:

14 bits x 5616 pixels x 3744 pixels / (8 bits per byte x 1024 x 1024 ) = 35MB.

Plus whatever goes in the EXIF.

Phate said:
This'll be delivered and people still ask for a full frame! :p
Click to expand...

Starting with me...

Why would you not want a sensor that can resolve as well as your best lenses? Particularly if they concentrate on getting the pixels to work together better. I'm expecting to see sensors where the sensor is able to group squares of 4, 9 or 16 pixels together to produce better sensitivity for lower resolution work. This would give you the choice of working at the diffraction limit of your fastest glass or working with big sensitive pixels in low light or for better colour.

Andrew
 
Gaffer said:
/// I'm expecting to see sensors where the sensor is able to group squares of 4, 9 or 16 pixels together to produce better sensitivity for lower resolution work. This would give you the choice of working at the diffraction limit of your fastest glass or working with big sensitive pixels in low light or for better colour...
Click to expand...

This was my thinking.
 
A.N.Other said:
That's totally mental.

I don't know what they have in mind for it, but for 99% of people, the images are simply going to be prohibitively large. The processing times for alterations, as well as storage (imagine a psd with layers or, god forbid, a stitched pano) are just going to make it too much effort for the returns that a larger image gives you over what a 1Ds can already do. That's quite aside from the optics required for such a system.

In a Canon medium format camera, I can see it, but in a dSLR, no. But then if it is going in some up and coming medium format line, then why make it APS-H?
Click to expand...

A number of things...

  1. Halo effect
  2. If they can deliver an image (even a rubbish one) at 120Mp, chances are it will be much better at 20Mp...
  3. Because it or a variant of it may well sit on Japan's equivalent of Hubble whenever (and if ever) that comes along...
  4. Because this may form the basis of a 'medium format' sensor...

There's not really any philosophical difference between MF/LF and 35mm, other than 35mm has been - historically - the cheapest to work with, most accessible and therefore received the most development from consumer-oriented companies like Canon/Nikon/etc.

If Sony suddenly decided it could do a better job of MF camera design than Hasselblad, you can bet that - in 5 years time - MF would be much cheaper (on average) than it is now.
 
Phate said:
Well didn't V-Spec say his Large format I think it was images equate to roughly 100mp?

so this would be along the lines on it :)
Click to expand...

Except you are diffraction limited even on a fast lens wide open.making it the most pointless invention of the 21s century.
 
mrthingyx said:
A number of things...

  1. Halo effect
  2. If they can deliver an image (even a rubbish one) at 120Mp, chances are it will be much better at 20Mp...
  3. Because it or a variant of it may well sit on Japan's equivalent of Hubble whenever (and if ever) that comes along...
  4. Because this may form the basis of a 'medium format' sensor...

There's not really any philosophical difference between MF/LF and 35mm, other than 35mm has been - historically - the cheapest to work with, most accessible and therefore received the most development from consumer-oriented companies like Canon/Nikon/etc.

If Sony suddenly decided it could do a better job of MF camera design than Hasselblad, you can bet that - in 5 years time - MF would be much cheaper (on average) than it is now.
Click to expand...

No, the fundamental problems is the cost of making the sensor and cost of making the lenses.

That is the difference been something like a D700 and D300, just the sensor size. Look at the price difference between a DX and FX lens.
 
I would like to remind people that the Diffraction limit for an APS-C/DX sized sensor (i.e 1.5X crop): For the green light of a landscape shot at a typical f/11 the maximum theoretical resolution ignoring some AA filter and colour issues is a mere 7MP. Those shoot on a Canon 1.6X wont even get 6.5Mp.For Micro 473rds you wotn get much more than 4Mp.

Who want a file of 120MP which only has something like 12MP of real data in it?

Lets keep to the 12-16Mp sensor and work on DR and noise.
 
What I don't understand is why Canon have gone to this effort for an APS-H size sensor - have they a particular purpose which perhaps they're not disclosing in the press release? Otherwise I don't understand why they wouldn't develop for the flagship range (i.e. full frame) and then work back. There may be a perfectly reasonable explanation, but I just don't see it yet! :p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom