OmniVision rolls first 48-MP image sensor with 0.8-micron pixel size

By Carolyn Mathas, contributing writer

OmniVision Technologies, Inc. has announced the OV48B , its first 48-megapixel (MP) image sensor with a 0.8-micron pixel size. The sensor enables high-resolution smartphone cameras in a 1/2-inch optical format and is built on OmniVision’s PureCel Plus stacked die technology. The sensor delivers image capture and video performance for both high-end and mainstream smartphones in the industry’s smallest die size.

The OV48B enables premium resolution and high image quality, even in low-light conditions.

Features include digital crop zoom with 12-MP resolution and DPHY and CPHY MIPI interfaces that enable fast frame rates using fewer pins. It integrates an on-chip four-cell color filter array and hardware re-mosaic to deliver 48-MP Bayer output in real time, even in low-light conditions. A 2 × 2 microlens phase-detection autofocus (ML-PDAF) boosts accuracy. It also uses near-pixel binning to output a 12-MP image with 4× the sensitivity.  

The OV48B can consistently capture the best-quality images without motion blur and enables digital crop zoom with 12-MP resolution and fast mode switch. It can be used with a wide field of view and a CPHY interface for dual- and tri-camera configurations with dedicated wide- and ultra-wide-angle capabilities. Output formats span 48 MP at 10 frames per second (fps), 12 MP with four-cell binning at 30 fps, 4K/2K video at 60 fps, 1080p video at 240 fps, and 720p video at 480 fps.

OV48B samples are available, with volume production expected in Q4 2019.