Canon has made a new photo sensor capable of shooting color and high definition images even in very low light conditions, even when the human eye would not be able to see anything.
The micro-component that makes the difference is one Decline, a single photon photodetector diode. Spad technology is not new: it has been widely used since the 1970s in various types of sensors for detecting light, thanks to their ability to accurately detect the presence and arrival time of photons. However, Canon was able to exploit it for the first time in the creation of a Cmos traditional 3.2 Megapixel, which is more than three times the maximum resolution of single photon diode based components.
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The sensor will not end up on mirrorless cameras from the Japanese manufacturer. It is primarily meant to enhance the quality of surveillance cameras, effectively proposing a higher quality alternative to infrared sensors. Unlike this technology already widely used, the Canon sensor has the advantage of also distinguishing the different frequencies of light and therefore of record color images.
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Not only that: the photos taken with the new CMOS also generate a low noise level, which is what prevents you from getting quality photos in the dark by simply pushing the ISO sensitivity of traditional sensors to the maximum.
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The potential of Canon’s new super sensor doesn’t limit its use to the surveillance industry. Thanks to the integration of a technology similar to that of Time of Flight sensors of smartphones, the CMOS can recognize the distance of objects thanks to the measurement of reflected light. The component could thus apply as effective and cheaper alternative to Lidar sensors implemented on self-driving cars.
According to information gathered by the Nikkei, Canon plans to start production of the new CMOS in 2022, for a market launch in 2023. The operation envisages the use of production lines already prepared for the production of CMOS sensors for cameras, indicating a further boost to the diversification of the company’s markets and commercial targets.
Although it is not particularly active in the rich market of photographic sensors for smartphones, dominated by compatriot Sony, Canon has increasingly diversified its offering in recent years to cope with the decline in the professional photography market, with excellent results, for example in the field of biomedical technologies.
Also the market for autonomous driving and advanced sensors for mobility promises well, with a turnover that is estimated to reach 15 billion dollars by 2025. The new CMOS sensor, thanks to its characteristics and the presence of three-dimensional object detection, could guarantee Canon an advantageous position also in this new segment.
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