Kodak Cranks Up Pixels For Camera Phones February 06, 2008

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Kodak is touting a ‘revolution’ no less by introducing a tiny 1.4 micron CMOS sensor for use in mobile phones that will deliver 5MP photos.

Although there is 5MP camera capabilities in the Nokia N95, Kodak says its new High-ISO CMOS sensor completely reworks how light is collected for much better quality shots, especially in low light. The new sensor promises between two and four times the light sensitivity of current sensors which will boost performance and reduce motion blur in action shots. At 1.4 micron, it's also smaller than the more common 1.75 micron sensors used today.

“Camera phones and other small-pixel consumer imaging devices often suffer from poor performance, especially under low light conditions. To manufacture sensors that utilize these very small pixels – only two to three times the wavelength of visible light – we needed to challenge everything we knew about pixel and sensor design,” said Chris McNiffe, General Manager of Kodak’s Image Sensor Solutions business.

At 5MP, Kodak says the KAC-05020 sensor provides the highest resolution available in the popular 0.25in optical format, delivering images up to ISO 3200 and support for full 720p video at 30fps.

“For consumers today, high resolution is required but no longer sufficient,” said Fas Mosleh, Worldwide Director of CIS Marketing and Business Development for Kodak’s Image Sensor Solutions business. “Smaller and thinner camera phones, high performance under low light, and superior video performance are the types of features that will enable the next generation of consumer imaging devices. And with this new Kodak sensor, camera designers can now put those features directly into the hands of their customers.”

The sensor should appear in many consumer mobile phones by the end of the year.-Martin Lynch

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