Sony's next-gen sensors: A glimpse into the future of camera technology
Sony’s recently released Imaging & Sensing Solutions (I&SS) Report offers an interesting glimpse into the future of camera technology. It outlines several mid- to long-term business directions and upcoming technologies, including multi-stacked sensors that promise to deliver significant gains in dynamic range, sensitivity, noise performance, efficiency, and readout speed.
Sony's dominance in the sensor market
It's no surprise that many new sensor innovations are coming from Sony. The company is the undisputed leader in the image sensor market, holding a dominant share of over 50%. This includes sensors for everything from smartphones and security systems to industrial applications. Many of the most respected camera brands, including Nikon, Fujifilm, and Hasselblad, utilise Sony-made sensors, making Sony's technology the engine behind a vast number of today's best cameras.
The next generation of sensors – multi-stacked technology
One of the most significant revelations from the report is the upcoming development of a multi-stacked sensor. Currently we may have dual layer sensors, but tri-sensor technology is on the horizon. This next-generation technology promises substantial gains across the board, including:
- Expanded Dynamic Range: Capturing a wider spectrum of light from deep shadows to bright highlights.
- Enhanced Sensitivity and Noise Performance: Delivering cleaner images, especially in challenging low-light conditions.
- Improved Efficiency and Readout Speed: Enabling faster performance and new possibilities for high-speed capture.
- Higher Resolution: Providing incredible detail for both stills and video.
While multi-stacked sensors will help conventional cameras – it's the phone cameras that will benefit greatly from this technology.
The physical size of a smartphone's sensor (1/1.28 inches) is limited by the phone's thin design, which also severely restricts the lens flange distance (lens to sensor distance). While a multi-stacked sensor does not change these physical limitations, its faster processing and memory are an ideal solution for smartphones, enabling advanced features and computational photography that overcome the drawbacks of a tiny sensor.
Global shutter vs. rolling shutter?
The Sony Alpha 9 III currently holds the unique distinction of being the only full-frame camera with a global shutter.
This technology simultaneously captures all pixels at once, eliminating motion artifacts like the "jello effect" and distorted subjects common with rolling shutters. It also allows for flash synchronisation at any shutter speed, giving photographers unprecedented creative control.
However, the I&SS report acknowledges the existing trade-offs and distinctions between the two types of sensors. While the global shutter is a technological marvel, rolling shutter sensors still have major advantages: higher resolution, superior low-light performance, greater dynamic range, and a lower production cost.
The question remains whether these limitations of global shutter technology can be fully conquered in the near future. The development of multi-stacked sensors may suggest Sony is already working on solutions to bridge this gap to get the best of both rolling and global shutters.
The evolution of sensor technology: from CCD to CMOS
To truly appreciate these new advancements, it's worth looking back at how far we've come. The digital camera revolution began with the charge-coupled device (CCD), invented in 1969. These sensors captured light and converted it into an electrical charge, reading out the data pixel by pixel. While slow, CCDs were the gold standard for quality in early digital cameras.
The landscape shifted with the rise of CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) sensors in the 1990s. Unlike CCDs, CMOS sensors process light and convert it into a digital signal at each individual pixel. This parallel processing makes them far faster, more power-efficient, and cheaper to manufacture. Today, CMOS sensors are the workhorse of modern cameras, from the smallest smartphone to the most advanced professional equipment.
Cars like the Tesla Model 3 have eight cameras while the latest NIO ET7 has 11.
With over 74 million cars sold globally each year, the automotive industry represents a massive market for cameras, far surpassing the approximately 7 million dedicated cameras sold annually. From I& SS Report Sony
Expanding beyond the photography camera market
The I&SS report also highlighted the expansion of the 'camera' market itself in ways that don't seem so obvious. The trend of using multiple cameras in automobiles is on the rise, and new markets are emerging for specialised devices like drones, 360-degree cameras, and action cameras. The report suggests that the widespread use of image sensors, particularly those originally developed for mobile phones, will be a key driver of this market growth.
It's interesting to note that most new cars (around 90%) use cameras for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for cruise control, situational awareness and safety, while possibly in the near future – full automated driving.
Having cameras that can operate in: lower light (night driving); more challenging lighting conditions (dynamic range); and higher resolution (can see hazards such as potholes, or objects approaching at a longer distance) – could be revolutionary when it comes to road safety and of course 'full self-driving' vehicles.
Other areas that new camera technology will have an impact will be in marketing – where high resolution cameras and AI can measure and analyse consumer behaviour in stores, or count and track visitors in event or transport spaces.
But advances won't only be used for marketing purposes – high-resolution, miniaturised cameras are revolutionising minimally invasive surgeries, providing surgeons with unprecedented views inside the human body.
Further, in hospitals and aged care facilities, we can expect to see the wider adoption of 'smart' cameras with AI-powered analytics. These systems can monitor patients for falls, track vital signs without physical contact, and ensure the safety of both patients and staff. Digital pathology, which uses high-resolution cameras to scan and analyse tissue samples, is also set to become more widespread, enabling faster and more accurate disease diagnosis.
This focus on both traditional photography and new applications shows that Sony isn't just innovating for photographers, they are shaping the visual technology that will be adopted into other markets, industries and whether you like it or not – into many aspects of our lives.
You can read more in the actual I&SS report from Sony here.