# Canon Develops World's Largest CMOS Sensor



## Canon Rumors Guy (Aug 31, 2010)

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<div id="attachment_4917" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 585px"><img class="size-full wp-image-4917" title="cmos" src="http://www.canonrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/cmos.jpg" alt="" width="575" height="360" /><p class="wp-caption-text">The new sensor beside a 35mm Full Frame Sensor</p></div>
<p><strong>Canon succeeds in developing world’s largest CMOS image sensor, with ultra-high sensitivity</strong></p>
<p><strong>TOKYO, August 31, 2010</strong>-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. Because its expanded size enables greater light-gathering capability, the sensor is capable of capturing images in one one-hundredth the amount of light required by a professional-model digital SLR camera.</p>
<p>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</p>
<p>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 possible the realization of a massive video-compatible CMOS sensor. Additionally, by ensuring the cleanest of cleanroom environments during the production process, the sensor minimizes image imperfections and dust.</p>
<p>Because the increased size of the new CMOS sensor allows more light to be gathered, it enables 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.</p>
<p>Potential applications for the new high-sensitivity CMOS sensor include the video recording of stars in the night sky and nocturnal animal behavior.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">c</span>r</strong></p>
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## AprilForever (Aug 31, 2010)

Do we have a large format capture back here in the makings?


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## kubelik (Aug 31, 2010)

this could be really amazing for applications in telescopes or satellite-based imaging of planet earth... don't think I'd want to lug around a camera body built around that thing


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## Sebastian (Aug 31, 2010)

Strange that Canon doesn't give any information on the MP count or on pixel density... ???


Regards,

Sebastian


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## Jon Gilchrist (Aug 31, 2010)

Although no ISO sensitivity is stated, we can make some assumptions and get an idea of where it may be. They say that it will shoot in 1/100th the light of the 5DII. If we take that as ISO 6400, the highest standard setting on the 5DII, then 1/100th would be about 6.5 stops faster or somewhere above 409,600.

6400
12,800 (1-stop)
25,600 (2-stops)
51,200 (3-stops)
102,400 (4-stops)
204,800 (5-stops)
409,600 (6-stops)
(this sensor)
819,200 (7-stops)


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## NormanBates (Aug 31, 2010)

ok, I know I want bigger sensors with more pixels, but this is INSANE


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## unruled (Aug 31, 2010)

rolling shutter must be pretty bad on it


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## that1guy (Aug 31, 2010)

That is totally awesome! Quick, someone grab a Sinar  Or maybe digital IMAX?

Now before someone goes and tells me that there is no way this will ever make it into production...I know...and I don't care. Canon seems to enjoy design excercises (50 or 120mp sensor anyone?), and I just think that it is cool that they are pushing the limits. Wow, that is really neat!


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## afrank99 (Aug 31, 2010)

Jon Gilchrist said:


> Although no ISO sensitivity is stated, we can make some assumptions and get an idea of where it may be. They say that it will shoot in 1/100th the light of the 5DII. If we take that as ISO 6400, the highest standard setting on the 5DII, then 1/100th would be about 6.5 stops faster or somewhere above 409,600.
> 
> 6400
> 12,800 (1-stop)
> ...



Hm, let me make a guess... Should that be 640,000 maybe? (6400 * 100) :


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## MadButcher (Aug 31, 2010)

Is this the "*BIG* Anouncement that Vincent Laforet meant?


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## that1guy (Aug 31, 2010)

Whoa, just did the math and realized that is over 8" across! Forget the 4x5, where did you put the 8x10 view camera


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## epsiloneri (Aug 31, 2010)

You would need a monster lens to supply that sensor with a big enough image circle. Sounds perfect for wide-field telescopes, but I'm curious what other applications. Probably just a technical demonstration with no plans to put it into production.

I find it annoying, though, that they keep perpetuating the myth that larger sensors are more light sensitive, when it's (almost) all in the aperture of the optics. Larger sensors merely samples a larger field of view.


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## /dev/null (Aug 31, 2010)

Wow! 
But I am almost certain that this sensor will never go into any consumer product. Maybe professional astronomy, medial x-ray sensors and the like, where up to now very expensive CCD sensors are used - although I am not aware of one *that* big.
I wonder what the readout time is like...


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## lotus (Aug 31, 2010)

Great news! This is a new milestone for Canon. They are leaders in making sensors and not just cameras!


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## unexposure (Aug 31, 2010)

epsiloneri said:


> ..., but I'm curious what other applications.


As people always complained that xxxD bodys beeing too tiny for their hands, and that 1000D-body is even smaller, canon decided to make 2000d a camera for people with big hands. that's what this sensor is for. ;-)


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## Cyrax (Aug 31, 2010)

I had one geeky reaction when reading this. Especially after looking at that picture...

LOL ;D


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## that1guy (Sep 1, 2010)

epsiloneri said:


> You would need a monster lens to supply that sensor with a big enough image circle. Sounds perfect for wide-field telescopes, but I'm curious what other applications. Probably just a technical demonstration with no plans to put it into production.
> 
> I find it annoying, though, that they keep perpetuating the myth that larger sensors are more light sensitive, when it's (almost) all in the aperture of the optics. Larger sensors merely samples a larger field of view.



Actually, lenses from 8x10 view cameras would work quite nicely on that. They aren't as huge as you might think...of course, they aren't point and shoot lenses either :


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## Jon Gilchrist (Sep 1, 2010)

epsiloneri said:


> Sounds perfect for wide-field telescopes, but I'm curious what other applications. Probably just a technical demonstration with no plans to put it into production.



The application is moving large quantities of data off the sensor. I can see that trickling down to most every camera they make.

Or maybe they'll actually make an 8" square view camera sensor. The news release says it's 40x the size of the 5DMKII sensor. Anyone have an idea of the cost of that sensor? Not the replacement cost, the part cost. Some rough numbers: Camera cost=$2500. Profit of 50%, make the sensor 25% of the remaining cost and you have a sensor cost of about $312.50, probably way high. Multiply that by 40 and you have $12,500 in sensor cost. A Hassy 39MP back currently sells for $13,995 on B&H, so an 8" square back that sold for $50k+ would not be out of line. Hmmm....


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## NormanBates (Sep 1, 2010)

@Jon:

I think you're not too far off... except you didn't include yields in your calculation, and that makes a HUGE difference: for such a big chip, it has to be the main cost-driving factor

a 12" wafer on a high-end CMOS process costs $3K to $5K; maybe this one is not so high-end, but still: the problem here is how many working chips you get out of a wafer

if your numbers are correct and they pay $5K per wafer, that means only 40% of the chips actually work (if they pay $3K, it's 24%); if that's your yield and you try to build a chip that is 40 times larger, you can expect to get one that works out of every 10^16 chips you manufacture

I think they have vastly better yields, but even at 90% (which would be my guess here) that gives you only 1.5% working chips when you build a chip that is 40 times larger (=0.9^40); at 95%, it goes to 13%

bottom line: this thing is massively expensive to produce, unless you can make it with enough redundancies that you get super-high yields


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## Jaszek (Sep 2, 2010)

afrank99 said:


> Jon Gilchrist said:
> 
> 
> > Although no ISO sensitivity is stated, we can make some assumptions and get an idea of where it may be. They say that it will shoot in 1/100th the light of the 5DII. If we take that as ISO 6400, the highest standard setting on the 5DII, then 1/100th would be about 6.5 stops faster or somewhere above 409,600.
> ...


It doesn't work that way. The previous post is correct.


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## epsiloneri (Sep 2, 2010)

> > Hm, let me make a guess... Should that be 640,000 maybe? (6400 * 100) :
> 
> 
> It doesn't work that way. The previous post is correct.



Of course it works that way. Both are correct. And btw, log2(100) = 6.639 stops. But note that this doesn't make the large sensor more sensitive (as in more signal per photon).


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## epsiloneri (Sep 2, 2010)

that1guy said:


> Actually, lenses from 8x10 view cameras would work quite nicely on that. They aren't as huge as you might think...of course, they aren't point and shoot lenses either :



Interesting. It seems to me that sensors get cheaper faster than lenses, so I predict that we at some point will see inexpensive medium format camera systems that produce the same or better IQ as much more expensive FF/APS systems, with their only drawback that they are bulkier


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## AprilForever (Sep 3, 2010)

Digital Crown Graphic, here we come!!! 8)


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## Jaszek (Sep 3, 2010)

BTW, here's another shot of them side by side




Canon Expo by Jaszek PL, on Flickr


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## epsiloneri (Sep 3, 2010)

Jaszek said:


> BTW, here's another shot of them side by side



Crazy big! Thanks for the pic. Hope you're having fun at the expo.


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## Jaszek (Sep 3, 2010)

It was pretty fun there. I have some shots on my flickr if you want to see. CLICKY!!!


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## dr croubie (Oct 11, 2011)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15242383 When i first saw it I thought maybe they'd actually put this sensor to use, the title sucked me into reading by claiming a "1-Gigapixel CCD".
But then it's only later in the story you find out that it's 106 x 8 Megapixel Medium Format sensors (60x45mm).
Took them 5 years to make them all.
They could just as easily have bought a few Phase One IQ-180 80 Megapixel Backs off the shelf, and made an 8-Gigapixel camera in a fraction of the time...


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