Subscriber Discussion

Mainstream MP Cameras With 1/2" Or Larger Sensors?

Bohan Huang

•Apr 22, 2013

The brute force method to improving light sensistivity/image quality/noise level/low light performance/night time performance is to just use a more expensive, larger sensor.

Is any manufactuer doing this?

Would this approach not be cheaper then spending gizillions on custom DSPs/ASICs and associated algorithms? Axis has Lightfinder and Bosch has Starlight - but are the other players just going to follow suit or will some go to better sensors?

By the way, does Axis develop their own sensors? I know Samsung employs Sony Exmor units in their mainstream 2/3MP models - which about the others like Bosch, Pelco, Avigilon, etc...?

John Honovich

•Apr 22, 2013

IPVM

Bohan, I have seen a few that are 1/2" or 2/3" (Lumenera has a number, Hikvision has at least one) but the big problem is that those cameras tend to be fantastically expensive. It appears that it is cheaper to use a small sensor with DSP/image processing than a bigger sensor.

Basically, I question the premise of your question, which is that it would somehow be cheaper to forgo the current approach on processing and simply buy bigger imagers.

As for Axis, I presume they do not develop their own sensors. While they talk regularly about their ARTPEC system on a chip series, they've never claimed to do their own sensors.

Undisclosed

•Apr 22, 2013

The lens matters more than the sensor in my opinion. We've had remarkable results adapting large diameter lenses originally intended for use on still cameras to CS format.

Matt Ion

•Apr 23, 2013

Don't forget that a larger sensor needs an appropriate, probably more expensive lens designed for that sensor size. You might be better off to start with the lens itself: if your current lens is f/1.8 and you can go to f/1.2, you gain a full stop of light (or, double the amount of light).