OmniVision announce new 16mp sensors with PureCel®Plus-S technology
The OV16885, designed for main cameras in mainstream smartphones, provides an attractive upgrade option for phones in the currently popular 13-megapixel category. With advanced features such as phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and zig-zag high dynamic range (zHDR), the OV16885 delivers professional-grade images that can significantly enhance the smartphone user’s experience. Modern digital cameras historically fall short of the human visual system’s ability to perceive a wide brightness range, and the OV16885’s zHDR technology helps narrow this gap more elegantly than traditional frame-based HDR techniques.
zHDR uses a long and a short exposure in a single frame to extend the dynamic range capabilities of the sensors. Long and short exposure lines are diagonally interlaced across the entire pixel array in a zig-zag pattern. This enables live preview and video recording in HDR mode and single-shot full-resolution HDR images in capture mode without shutter lag.
Additional zHDR benefits include:
- Up to 18dB of dynamic range extension
- Single-shot capture to reduce motion artifacts or ghosting effects
- Removing the necessity for multiple frames, reducing complexity and latency
The OV16885-4C combines the benefits of OmniVision’s second-generation, 1.0-micron PureCel Plus-S technology with an advanced 4-cell in-pixel binning function to greatly enhance sensitivity. The OV16885-4C pairs with smart resolution recovery software solutions to achieve a balance between resolution and sensitivity, which can significantly improve front-facing camera image quality even in challenging lighting environments. With these advanced capabilities, the OV16885-4C can serve as an ideal choice for “super selfie” cameras in high-end smartphone devices.
OmniVision’s second-generation 1.0-micron PureCel Plus-S technology brings enhancements to buried color filter array (BCFA) and deep trench isolation (DTI). As a result, images and video captured by the OV16885 and OV16885-4C exhibit superior color reproduction and improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as compared to prior generations, especially in low-light conditions.
Product Specifications
The OV16885 captures:
- 16-megapixel images, video and zHDR capability at 30 frames per second (FPS)
- 4K2K video at 60 FPS
- 1080p video at 120 FPS
- 720p HD at 120 FPS
The OV16885 and OV16885-4C sensors fit into industry-standard module form factors for slim mobile devices. Both sensors are currently available for sampling and are expected to enter mass production in the first quarter of 2017.
