Hasta La Gadget!

Sony would still like you to get excited about its upcoming Exmor RS stacked CMOS image sensors — just not too excited. Both the 8-megapixel IMX134 and 13-megapixel IMX135 are scaling back from their original RGBW (red, green, blue, white) coding to an ordinary RGB over concerns that they aren’t meeting Sony’s “image quality standards” as originally designed. Consequently, either sensor will be less sensitive to light and diminish some of that high dynamic range magic. The company also doesn’t want to get our hopes up for a quick arrival on shelves and clarifies that there’s a phased launch starting in January. Mobile shutterbugs may be crestfallen knowing that Sony won’t have the best possible camera sensor in future Xperia phones, but the honesty at least guarantees that the company gets a timely return on its $994 million investment.

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras

Sony’s stacked Exmor RS phone camera sensors detuned over quality worries originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last week we reported that Sony had trademarked the name “Exmor RS” which led us to believe that it could be pointing towards a new image sensor for mobile devices. As it turns out, the speculation was right on the money as Sony has officially announced the next-gen Exmor RS image sensors. These sensors will be the successors to Sony’s previous line of image sensors, the Exmor R, and will be utilizing a stacked CMOS sensor with a standard RGB coating.

This image sensor will come in either 8MP (two different types of 8MP sensors) or 13MP sizes and according to Sony, they have also developed a f/2.2 lens to go along with the sensors. The Exmor RS will be making its debut in October and if you were expecting any of Sony’s upcoming phones at IFA to be using this sensor, you might be out of luck. Instead chances are you will have to wait until next year to see these new sensors installed in Sony’s new handsets, unless of course Sony decides to release a phone at the end of the year. Sample images can be seen in Sony’s press release.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Sony trademarks ‘Exmor RS’, might indicate new camera sensor, Sony rumored to launch full frame NEX camera,

It is not every single day that a company applies for a particular trademark, but I guess whenever a company does so, industry insiders and watchers would do well to sit up, pay attention and form their own conclusions as to what the upcoming device will be able to deliver. We have gotten whiff that the latest trademark that Sony champions would be ‘Exmor RS’, and that would logically speaking, indicate a brand new camera sensor – presumably one that will see action on future smartphones from Sony Mobile, of course. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Devil May Cry’s Dante confirmed for PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, Sony Xperia S now in Dark Silver,