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Canon Announces 120MP APS-H CMOS Sensor

By Drew Wohl, August 24, 2010 @ 03:14 PM (EST)

Canon made an interesting announcement today. A 120 Megapixel APS-H CMOS sensor. Yup, that is not a typo. 120 Megapixel. 13,280 x 9,184 pixels. Really gives you some leeway for cropping. The new sensor also outputs Full HD video from an area of 1/60h the size of the sensor.

The announcement indicates that the APS-H sensor is not dead yet, despite what some people have been guessing on the internet - namely that between APS-C (1.6 Crop Factor) and Full Frame Sensors, there is no need for APS-H (1.3 Crop Factor). Many shooters like the APS-H sensor as the perfect spot between Full Frame and the 1.6 Crop Factor - it provides a bit more reach than Full Frame and offers higher quality than the 1.6 Crop Sensor. The APS-H sensor is found in Canon's high end dSLRs.

With a sensor of such size, there is already discussion of if there is going to be too much noise, whether there are too many megapixels which will sacrifice quality, how much processing power is needed and other speculation.

It seems such speculation is premature, even by the normal internet guessing and talk. In all likelihood it will be awhile before this sensor reaches dSLRs that we will see. Canon has dSLRs in the 21 Megapixel range out now and it would be a stretch to think they will multiply that 6 fold in any release coming out in the near future or even no-so-near future. But who knows what Canon has up its sleeve. Guess I will start saving my money now.

Press Release-

Canon Inc. announced today that it has successfully developed an APS-H-size*1 CMOS image sensor that delivers an image resolution of approximately 120 megapixels (13,280 x 9,184 pixels), the world's highest level*2 of resolution for its size.

Compared with Canon's highest-resolution commercial CMOS sensor of the same size, comprising approximately 16.1 million pixels, the newly developed sensor features a pixel count that, at approximately 120 million pixels, is nearly 7.5 times larger and offers a 2.4-fold improvement in resolution.*3

With CMOS sensors, while high-speed readout for high pixel counts is achieved through parallel processing, an increase in parallel-processing signal counts can result in such problems as signal delays and minor deviations in timing. 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.

Images captured with Canon's newly developed approximately 120-megapixel CMOS image sensor, even when cropped or digitally magnified, maintain higher levels of definition and clarity than ever before. Additionally, the sensor enables image confirmation across a wide image area, with Full HD video viewing of a select portion of the overall frame.

Through the further development of CMOS image sensors, Canon will break new ground in the world of image expression, targeting new still images that largely surpass those made possible with film, and video movies that capitalize on the unique merits of SLR cameras, namely their high mobility and the expressive power offered through interchangeable lenses.

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