Sony IMX318 Stacked CMOS EXMOR RS image sensor has integrated hybrid autofocus

Sony plans to start shipping the new CMOS image sensor in May 2016 and it started sampling customers in February.

The IMX318 is said to be the successor to the IMX230 (1/ 2.4-inch sensor with 1.12um unit pixel size), which has been used in Sony Xperia Z5. The Sony IMX318 CMOS Exmor RS will offer industry-firsts like a stacked CMOS sensor, lightning fast hybrid autofocus, and 3-axis electronic image stabilization. It’s boasted as the industry’s first imaging sensor to be equipped with built-in hybrid autofocus, which can result in speeds of up to a staggering 0.03 seconds. With this, the image sensor achieves a compact, type 1/2.6 size suitable for inclusion into smartphones, while still having a high enough resolution of 22.5 effective megapixels – among the industry’s best. Sony also explains that the new fast hybrid auto-focus merges image plane phase detection AF with contrast detection AF and has previously been implemented through the combination of an image sensor and an application processor. When it comes to videos, the sensor can focus as quick as 0.017 seconds during 60fps shooting which could become one of its selling point given the size. There is no indication when devices using the image sensor might hit the market. Other key features of the image sensor include HDR imaging, lens resolution correction, white spot correction, and noise reduction.

The stabilization is processed in the sensor hardware needing no external processor thereby saving power. The only issue that we are thinking about right now is that since the sensor will be smaller in size, and there are too many megapixels crammed in it, the sensor might not be able to perform as well in low-light conditions. Hopefully, Smartphones won’t have that extra bulge for the camera sensor if the IMX318 succeeds. Sony says that since the sensor enables smooth video recording, it can be used in other products as well such as drones. The sensor supports video recording in up to 4K resolution.