Sony's groundbreaking multilayered image sensors may have reached a new milestone, hinted by recently revealed documents, as the company reportedly delves into a secretive third, representing the elusive "⍺" layer.
Sony's Three-Layer Stacked Sensor: A Potential Game-Changer
Sony, a leading name in the world of photography, is set to revolutionise its stacked sensor technology with a three-layer design. This innovation promises significant improvements in image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions.
The idea for the three-layer sensor was first conceived by Taku Umebayashi, the creator of Sony's stacked CMOS sensor. Umebayashi saw the pixel section as a hindrance to the logic circuit's potential and sought to separate and recombine components to improve productivity and reduce costs.
The benefits of Sony's three-layer sensor design are expected to be wide-ranging. Resolution, readout speeds, and power consumption are all set to improve. Moreover, the three-layer design aims to provide a wider dynamic range, without blowouts in bright scenes and while keeping noise in the shadows low. This should result in better overall image quality.
Sony's design for the three-layer stacked sensor includes three layers, sandwiching an "⍺" layer between the existing pixel and logic layers. However, the specifics of the third layer remain unclear, as Sony has not yet disclosed them.
It's worth noting that Sony is not alone in this pursuit. Last year, a patent was spotted from Canon for a triple-stacked sensor of its own. Canon's efforts appear focused on bringing speed benefits, such as faster burst rates, besides improvements in dynamic range and image quality. However, Canon's triple stacking is reportedly being applied to smaller sensors for compact cameras, rather than full-frame or larger sensors.
The exact timeline for either company's wider deployment of these three-layer sensors is still uncertain. Sony has shared a company outlook that includes evolving its stacked sensor technology to include an additional layer, but no timeline for the three-layer design's release has been provided.
Hillary K. Grigonis, who leads the US coverage for Digital Camera World, has been following this development closely. Grigonis, a former Nikon shooter and a current Fujifilm user, has over a decade of experience writing about cameras and technology. In addition to her work in the photography industry, Grigonis is also a licensed drone pilot.
Sony believes that the three-layer stacking will offer improvements across both stills and video in both camera phones and interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras. The company expects various possibilities to come from the combination of three layers and believes that three-layer stacking will be an important axis for technological evolution in the future.
In summary, Sony’s three-layer stacked sensor aims primarily at enhancing dynamic range and noise control, with a focus likely on higher-end cameras. Canon’s triple-stacked technology, while also targeting speed and quality, might be initially applied to compact or mid-range cameras. The exact timeline for either company's wider deployment of these three-layer sensors is still uncertain, but both are progressing in their development efforts.
[1] Source: TechRadar [2] Source: Canon Rumors
- The three-layer stacked sensor developed by Sony, a pioneer in photography and gadgets, may significantly boost image quality, particularly in difficult lighting conditions.
- Taku Umebayashi, the inventor of Sony's stacked CMOS sensor, spearheaded the concept for the three-layer sensor to improve productivity and reduce costs by separating and rejoining components.
- The three-layer sensor design promises improvements not only in resolution and readout speeds but also in power consumption and dynamic range.
- The third layer in Sony's three-layer stacked sensor remains a mystery as the company has yet to unveil its specifics.
- Canon is also developing a triple-layered sensor, focusing on speed benefits and improvements in dynamic range and image quality, especially for compact cameras.
- In the realm of technology, both Sony and Canon expect their three-layer sensors to revolutionize image and video capture in both smartphones and mirrorless cameras.
- Despite the progress in development, the exact launch timeline for either company's widespread application of the three-layer sensors is still elusive.
