The OV5645 is a 5MP system on chip (SOC) sensor aimed at the “cost-sensitive” segment of the smartphone market. The sensor features a MIPI port, which replaces a JPEG compressor and DVP interface, making it both smaller and cheaper than other options. This little CMOS sensor features picture-in-picture architecture that provides a dual camera system based on a master/slave configuration, allowing smartphones to offer two cameras via a single MIPI interface.

The OV5645 offers video recording in 720p at 60 frames-per-second, and 1080p recording at 30 frames-per-second. According to the announcement, 720p recordings have improved sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio. A filter function is in place to minimize spatial and zigzag artifacts.

OmniVision’s new sensor also features OmniBSI+ technology, which is aimed at providing high quality via low noise levels, low crosstalk, and high sensitivity. The OV5645 supports black sun cancellation, LED and flash strobe modes, anti-shake, and more. Overall, this sensor brings a cost-effective way for smartphones to offer improved video and photos via a higher-sensitivity and better low-light performance without unnecessary hardware and cost.

[via OmniVision]

4K recording is handled at 60fps, but you can also record the full sensor output (4608 x 3456) at 30fps. 1080p recording also hits 60fps with the added benefit of the extra sensor area being used for image stabilization. There is a little problem with recording 4K on a smartphone, though: you need a dedicated video encoder capable of handling that much data, and right now everything on the market designed for smartphones is limited to 1080p.

As for the pixel count, the Nokia PureView 808 still has this sensor firmly beat with 41 megapixels, although Nokia has expressed interest in 4K video recording in the past. There’s no word on when the sensors will be making their way into shipping products, and OmniVision isn’t saying which vendors will be using them either, but production isn’t due to begin until the fourth quarter.

[via AnandTech]

During OmniVision’s quarterly results call, the company said that it was shifting most of its smartphone camera sensor production to 8-megapixel sensors. They also claim strong orders for the next couple months from “key customers in the smartphone market.” Its new OV8830 8-megapixel sensor will be shipped to “premier brand name” smartphone creators in the second half of the year.

Surprisingly, plans on supplying a game console was also revealed. OmniVision said that it had obtained a “significant design win” to supply cameras for an upcoming game console. That unnamed console is set to be ready within the next several months.

And we all know that the Nintendo Wii 2 ‘Project Cafe’ is set to preview at the E3 conference within the next two weeks, for a debut sometime before the end of this year. And since Sony is most likely using their own sensors for their upcoming NGP, this pretty much confirms rumors that the next Nintendo Wii 2 game controllers will be equipped with cameras, don’t you think?

[via Electronista]

The new OV5690 sensor will be the first from OmniVision to use their proprietary OmniBSI-2 pixel architecture, which has a 1.4-micron backside illumination pixel that allows for a full five megapixels in a 1/4-inch optical format. It also reduces the height of the module by 20 percent, making it a better solution for slimmer devices such as smartphones and tablets.

Recent rumors suggest that Apple may be switching to Sony for its next 8-megapixel sensor in the iPhone 5. However, its other devices such as the iPad and iPod touch still use cameras with much lower resolution. This is believed to be the trade-off for making thinner devices. But with this new OmniVision sensor technology, image quality may not have to be sacrified for thinning down devices. Perhaps it could be good use in that rumored next-gen iPod nano camera.

[via MacRumors]

Back in April 2010, reports surfaced based on analyst checks that Apple was looking to Sony for an 8-megapixel camera for the fifth-gen iPhone. The same report accurately predicted the 5-megapixel upgrade for the iPhone 4.

Sony does not currently supply Apple with camera sensors, with OmniVision providing the CMOS for the current iPhone. Last November, Apple was tipped to be using an 8-megapixel OmniVision sensor for the iPhone 5, though there have been persistent rumors that Apple was looking to move away from the supplier and to another source.

Of course, there’s more to high quality photos than a huge number of megapixels: you also need a decent lens in front of that, too, if you don’t want to end up with a murky shots that look like you tried to take them in a nightclub. Still, as long as manufacturers bear that in mind, we’re glad to see more pixels (and pixels being used cleverly) in mobile devices. OmniVision is sampling the OV10810 CMOS now.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Press Release:

OmniVision’s OV10810 — First Native 16:9 CMOS Image Sensor to Enable Simultaneous 1080p HD Video Recording and 10-Megapixel Image Capture

Native 16:9 Aspect Ratio Designed to Support Full Screen Photo and Video Sharing
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: OVTI), a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, today introduced the OV10810, a 10-megapixel CMOS image sensor built on OmniVision’s highly optimized 1.4-micron OmniBSI™ pixel architecture. The 1/2.5-inch OV10810 is designed to offer complete convergence between high-resolution still photography and full high-definition (HD) video by combining 10-megapixel burst photography at 30 frames per second (fps) with full 1080p HD video in a native 16:9 aspect ratio. This makes the OV10810 an ideal choice for digital still and video camera (DSC/DVC) hybrids and high-end smart phones.
“The OV10810 is a 10-megapixel image sensor that allows the simultaneous capture of full-frame, 10-megapixel still images and 1080p HD video at 30 frames per second, a unique feature that is exclusive to CMOS technology,” said Devang Patel, senior product marketing manager at OmniVision. “Allowing users to take pictures even while they are recording video is a key feature that bridges the gap between DSC and DVC, giving users the ultimate camera experience. Additionally, the sensor’s 16:9 aspect ratio reflects the increasing popularity of HDTV by capturing photos and video that align with the wide screen displays used in most of today’s TVs, notebooks and smart phones, further enhancing the user experience.”
Optimized to meet the performance specifications of next generation DSC/DVC applications, the OV10810 is outfitted with improved pixel and system architectures. The enhanced 1.4-micron OmniBSI pixel features significantly improved low-light sensitivity and full well capacity, as well as higher dynamic range and signal-to-noise ratio, making it the highest performing pixel in its class.
As a RAW sensor, the OV10810′s integrated programmable scaler enables either 1080p or 720p HD video capture at 30 fps while maintaining full field of view (FOV). At 2.6-megapixel resolution, the sensor operates at 60 fps with pixel binning, maintaining full FOV while offering significantly improved low-light sensitivity. At 5.3-megapixel resolution with cropping, the OV10810 runs at 60 fps. High frame rates enable a number of key benefits, including: slow motion photography, no image lag for shutter-less designs, continuous shooting, minimized rolling shutter effect, and real-time still image and video capture without changing resolutions.
The OV10810 features a 2 x 2 binning functionality to improve low-light sensitivity, and a post-binning re-sampling filter that minimizes spatial artifacts and removes image artifacts around edges to deliver clean, crisp color images. The OV10810 supports up to 8-lane LVDS or MIPI interfaces for high data transfer rates, and is compatible with a wide range of custom and merchant ISPs. The OV10810 comes in a CSP3 or RW package and is currently available for sampling.
About OmniVision
OmniVision Technologies (Nasdaq: OVTI) is a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions. Its award-winning CMOS imaging technology enables superior image quality in many of today’s consumer and commercial applications, including mobile phones, notebooks and webcams, digital still and video cameras, security and surveillance, entertainment devices, automotive and medical imaging systems. Find out more at http://www.ovt.com.

First and foremost, the new sensor is an 8MP variation, and it’s perfectly capable of taking shots in low-lit situations. There’s also an electronic stabilization feature, making sure to reduce shake with each photo taken. But, still images aren’t the main focus of OmniVision this time around, as the company announced along with the new sensor that video capturing is just as important. The new sensor is capable of capturing 720p60, and 1080p30, with hardware scaling, and will have a minimum amount of rolling shutter effects.

The full 8MP still-shot can process the image at a full 24fps, or 30fps in a 6MP widescreen shot. The sensor will also support autofocus, live image processing, and RAW images. Companies all over the globe are already getting their test samples as of right now, which more than likely includes Apple. OmniVision has been included in every single iPhone iteration, so there would be no surprise to find that the new CMOS sensor lands in the next iPhone.

[via Electronista]

Of course, a rumor like this isn’t new by any means. When Apple’s FaceTime video chatting software was unveiled, there was people immediately talking about the possibility of using the application on the iPad. The first generation tablet device doesn’t support the ability to do it, so the obvious thing for Apple to do would be to have it supported in the second generation. According to the report, Apple is set to announce the second version of the tablet in the first quarter of 2011.

The company behind the CMOS image sensors you’ll find in the iPhone, OmniVision, is apparently also tapped to do the same thing for the pair of cameras in the iPad, according to investment firm Detweiler Fenton. The company is apparently building a 5MP camera for the back of the device, and an unknown mega-pixel for the front. At this point, considering the impact that FaceTime has had for Apple, there’s probably no doubt that Apple would want to include the feature for the tablet. But, is the camera on the back of the device necessary for a 10-inch tablet? That’s probably up to personal preference.

[via Barrons]

OmniVision have officially announced today the unveiling of their own in-bezel proposition for future camera needs of mobile products. With a z-height a full one millimeter smaller than Samsung’s version (3.5mm versus 4.5mm), we’ve got to say that the crown’s officially been taken. The big question, though: how’d they get it done? The company had to use their own 1.4 micron OmniBSI backside illumination technology, which incidentally makes it so that the their OV2720 CMOS sensor has double the low-light performance of similar sized VGA sensors.

Unfortunately though, OmniVision didn’t come clean on what products would be using the new set-up, but they did say that mass production should kick off starting next month, in June. They believe their 1080p camera is perfect for stand-alone webcams, as well as netbooks, but we hope someone figures out how to put this in a phone. You know, like the iPhone HD?

Press Release:

OmniVision Releases World’s Smallest 1080p HD Camera Solution

New OV2720 Utilizes 1.4-Micron BSI Pixel to Enable Ultra-Compact HD Video Solutions for Notebook, Netbook, Webcam and Video Conferencing Applications

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: OVTI), a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, today introduced the OV2720, the world’s first 1/6-inch, native 1080p/30 high-definition (HD) CMOS image sensor designed for notebook, netbook, webcam and video conferencing applications. Based on OmniVision’s 1.4 micron OmniBSI™ backside illumination technology, the new 1080p sensor delivers video conference quality HD video recording in a small enough form factor to meet the module size and height requirements of today’s thin notebook designs. The OV2720 is currently sampling with multiple tier-one customers and is slated to go into mass production in June 2010.

“Increased broadband capability, inexpensive high-quality image sensors and the increasing availability of high-quality external and embedded PC web cameras will drive both consumer and business video conferencing,” said Brian O’Rourke, principal analyst at In-Stat. “In 2010, we expect over 70 percent of mobile PCs to ship with embedded cameras, and the availability of sensors such as OmniVision’s OV2720 will make high definition video conferencing more popular in the notebook and netbook PC segments.”

“Consumer demand for HD video has never been greater. Display formats are moving to a 16 by 9 aspect ratio, TV broadcast is embracing HD, and social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook are supporting HD,” said Nick Nam, product marketing manager at OmniVision. “With the OV2720, OmniVision continues to lead the industry in bringing to market innovative, high performance HD solutions, addressing the growing demand for the HD video-enabled devices of the YouTube generation. With the broadest portfolio of HD video products in the industry, we enable our customers to find the right solution for their price, performance and size requirements.”

The OV2720 is the first 1/6-inch sensor to offer native 1080p HD resolution. Native HD enables full field of view video with optimized image quality, sensitivity, color reproduction and clarity because no scaling or cropping is required to achieve HD resolution. The 1.4-micron OmniBSI pixel achieves best-in-class low light sensitivity of 680-mV/lux-sec, while enabling extremely thin modules with a z-height of 3.5 mm. Moreover, the OV2720 can use binning to further increase its low-light performance to double that of similar-sized VGA sensors. The OV2720′s outstanding low-light performance and slim form factor combine to make it an ideal choice for tier-one notebook manufacturers.

The OV2720 CMOS image sensor supports multiple platform architectures and controllers with both parallel and MIPI interfaces. It allows system designers to leverage the same opto-electrical design across various products and multiple market segments to reduce product development time. Exposure control, white balance and defective pixel canceling are programmable through the serial camera control bus interface. In addition, the OV2720 uses proprietary sensor technology to improve image quality. By reducing or eliminating common lighting or electrical sources of image contamination, such as fixed pattern noise and smearing, the sensor can generate a clean, fully stable color image.

About OmniVision

OmniVision Technologies (NASDAQ: OVTI) is a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions. Its award-winning CMOS imaging technology enables superior image quality in many of today’s consumer and commercial applications, including mobile phones, notebooks, netbooks and webcams, digital still and video cameras, security and surveillance, entertainment devices, automotive and medical imaging systems. Find out more at http://www.ovt.com.

Safe-Harbor Language

Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding the expected benefits, performance, capabilities, and potential market appeal, as well as anticipated timing of mass production, of the OV2720 are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties, which could cause the forward-looking statements and OmniVision’s results to differ materially, include, without limitation: potential errors, design flaws or other problems with OV2720, customer acceptance, demand, and other risks detailed from time to time in OmniVision’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including, but not limited to, OmniVision’s annual report filed on Form 10-K and quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q. OmniVision expressly disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement.

OmniVision® is a registered trademark of OmniVision Technologies, Inc. The OmniVision logo and OmniBSI™ are trademarks of OmniVision Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

The scuttlebutt is that OmniVision camera sensors will make their way into the next iPhone and iPad models. The lack of a camera is one of the big complaints about the iPad. We have talked about the OmniVision camera sensors before. They are capable of 1080p video recording at 30fps and 2MP or higher resolution still shots.

Electronista reports that OmniVision executives said that the firm might have made deals with Apple for its next generation devices. The camera sensors would reportedly be in the 3MP to 5MP resolution range. We heard back in December that the next iPhone would have a 5MP camera lending a bit of weight to the new rumor.