Sony hasn't really been active on the mobile phone camera market recently, and thus Samsung solutions have gotten much better. Still, the drastic income drop in last quarter has forced the manufacturer to do something and it looks like besides there own Cyber-shot cameras they want to launch something for mobiles as well. The recently announced 1/2.5 CMOS image sensor with a resolution of 12.25 megapixels is currently the highest resolution one on the market. The sensor, with a diagonal of only 7.1 mm, made of 11.4 micrometer cells, can record up to ten 3288 x 2468 pixels large images per second, and according to the manufacturer the quality is the same as of compact digital cameras'. Besides still images the camera can also record HD videos at 27 fps (1920 x 1080 pixels) or 30 fps (1280 x 720), but 80 fps speed is also available at lower resolutions. The image sensor comes with a 10.0 x 11.5 x 8.5 mm large lens with 28 mm wide-angle view, which has four plastic lens inside. The camera, coming in next March, will cost 2500 yen (about 21 euros), while the lens coming in next September will have a price-tag of 9000 yen (about €75 EUR). Besides the 12 Mpix camera, the manufacturer has also announced 8.11 and 5.15 megapixel image sensors too, which will be launched this November and next March at 1500 yen (13 euros) and 3300 yen (28 euros). The 8 megapixel variant will have a 11.5 x 9.5 x 6.5 mm, 32 mm wide-angle lens system from next February for 5000 yen (46 euros).
Translated by Szaszati
