So earlier we reported that Sony had unveiled a new 21MP Exmor RS sensor that could potentially be fitted inside smartphones, leading to speculation that perhaps it could find its way to the Sony Xperia Z4. One of the features of the sensor was its plane phase detection autofocus which is the same autofocusing system found on certain mirrorless cameras.
The implications? Much faster autofocusing compared to current smartphones. Well as it turns out OmniVision has something similar up their sleeves as well as the company has recently unveiled two new sensors in the form of a 23.8MP sensor and a 21.4MP sensor, with the former featuring phase detection autofocusing which is currently employed by the likes of Samsung, Sony, and Apple.
The sensor will also allow photographers to capture photos in HDR and 4K videos at 30fps. Unfortunately unlike Sony, OmniVision does not make their own phones which means that their sensor is pretty much up for grabs by any OEM who decides to integrate the technology within their handsets.
As it stands it is unclear as to who might be taking advantage of OmniVision’s new technology, although it does seem unlikely that Sony will be one of their clients, but either way it does sound promising and we will be keeping our eyes peeled for more information.
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