OmniVision Technologies unveiled the OV8820, a 1/3.2-inch 8-megapixel RAW CMOS image sensor based on the company’s 1.4-micron OmniBSI pixel architecture. The sensor delivers high frame rate 1080p/30 fps and 720p/60 fps HD video with electronic image stabilization (EIS) and full horizontal field of view (FOV) designed to meet the demands of the growing smartphone market. Moreover, there are “advanced video capabilities” that support mobile YouTube and Facebook applications.
Here’s more about the OV8820 (from the press release):
In full 8-megapixel (3264 x 2448) resolution, the OV8820 operates at 24 frames per second (fps) in a 4:3 format and in 6-megapixel (3264 x 1836) resolution at 30 fps in a 16:9 format. These higher frame rates enable a number of key benefits, including: no image lag for shutter-less designs, continuous shooting, minimized rolling shutter effect, real-time image capture with no lag between resolutions, and full HD at 30 or 60 fps. A high-speed, 4-lane MIPI interface facilitates the required high data transfer rate.
Additionally, the OV8820 comes with a 2×2 binning functionality with a post-binning re-sampling filter function that minimizes spatial artifacts and removes image artifacts around edges to deliver clean, crisp color images. Apparently, this is important to achieve “best-in-class 720p HD video.”
The OV8820 is designed for 2-chip solutions that involve the sensor working in conjunction with a baseband or an application processor with integrated image signal processing. It has an on-chip VCM driver, fast mode switching between different resolutions, temperature sensing capabilities, 256 bytes of one-time programmable memory, lens shading correction and defect pixel correction.
In terms of availability, the OV8820 is currently sampling and is expected to enter mass production in March 2011…