Sony announces large format image sensor with 127.68 megapixels

Sony has announced it will launch a new large format CMOS image sensor for industrial applications in April. With 127.68 effective megapixels, the new IMX661, which has a diagonal of 3.6 inches / 56.73 millimeters, features the highest effective resolution in the industry, according to the manufacture . By means of Sony’s Pregius global shutter pixel technology, the sensor can record even fast moving subjects without distortion. The image data are read out at a speed that is almost four times higher than with conventional products, the company said.

CMOS image sensors with high imaging performance play an important role in the digital transformation of industrial production processes. The particularly fast processing of the image data, which is made possible by an innovative device configuration based on a chip-on-wafer process, enables the sensor to capture a large viewing angle in a single imaging process without any movement distortion in very high resolution. The image data is read out at a rate of 21.8 fps. According to Sony, this performance brings more efficience to industrial applications such as test procedures in the production of displays and electronic substrates, wide-range monitoring or aerial imaging.

The functions of the new sensor include the trigger synchronization to control the moment of capture in high-speed tests, the restriction of the signal post-processing only to the sub-areas actually required  and the ability to recognize the progression curve of moving objects through multiple exposure. Short-term exposures for blur-free images of fast moving objects and the processing of image data with pixel binning to increase the sensitivity in low light are also possible.