New Quantum Film image sensor technology released by Invisage Incorporated claims to have four times the light sensitivity of ordinary CMOS sensors.

Supposedly the process is more affordable than ordinary CMOS manufacturing.  Not because adding an extra layer of patented Quantum Film makes the production process cheaper per silicon platter, but because they could reduce pixel size enabling smaller, cheaper sensors with the same efficiency as larger ones we have now.

Continue reading ‘Quantum Film Image Sensors claim 4x performance of CMOS’ »

Gizmodo has written an excellent article on the folly of sacrificing low light performance for unnecessary resolution.    An insightful response that follows the article:

“I was trying to decide at one point between the D40(6.1 MP) and the D60 (10.2 MP) Nikon. Every single time I would ask someone on flickr for their opinion they would say get the D60! Extra megapixels! Because of cost, and seeing as paying more for a VR lens in the D60, decided to go with the D40. And 6 MP is COMPLETELY FINE. I get the most amazing night shots and the quality is fine. Everyone seems to fall for this “Megapixel Myth” and gets the D60, but when it comes down to it, seeing the night shots of my friends D60, wouldn’t trade the D40 in for the D60 even if I could do it for free.”

Read the article by Matt Buchanan: Giz Explains: Why More Megapixels Isn’t Always More Better

“Camera phones have been a huge success, with unit sales rising from three million in 2001 to 500 million last year. As CCD continues to lose the sensor wars in the mobile space, Micron, Omnivision and other CMOS vendors have been the prime beneficiaries.”

[Read More at LBSzone.com]

Continue reading ‘Nokia & Motorola Lead $100 Billion Camera Phone Market’ »