Jan 23, 2025 11:05:00

Canon develops 410 million pixel 35mm full-frame sensor

On January 22, 2025, Canon, a major Japanese camera manufacturer, announced that it has developed

a CMOS image sensor with 410 million pixels (24,592 x 16,704 pixels), the world's highest pixel count for a 35mm full-frame camera. The sensor is expected to be used in a variety of fields that require ultra-high resolution, such as surveillance, medical, and industrial applications.

Canon develops 410-megapixel CMOS sensor with the world's highest pixel count in 35mm full-frame | Canon Global
https://global.canon/ja/news/2025/20250122.html

The resolution of the new 410-megapixel CMOS image sensor developed by Canon is equivalent to 24K, which is 198 times that of full HD and 12 times that of 8K. This makes it possible to capture a wide field of view, crop any desired area, and obtain high-quality images without losing resolution even when enlarged.

In addition, while most ultra-high pixel CMOS image sensors are medium format or larger, which is about 1.7 times the size of 35mm full size, this CMOS image sensor achieves 35mm full size, which means that it can be combined with existing full-size camera lenses to make shooting equipment more compact.

Generally, the more pixels a CMOS image sensor has, the more likely it is that signal delays will occur, so advanced signal processing technology is required to realize an ultra-high pixel CMOS image sensor. By adopting a back-illuminated stacked structure that overlaps the pixel section and the signal processing section and revising the circuit configuration, the newly developed CMOS image sensor is able to read out 3.28 billion pixels per second, enabling video recording at 8 frames per second with 410 million pixels.

In addition, the '4-pixel addition function' treats four adjacent pixels as one pixel, improving sensitivity and enabling brighter images. Canon explains that when the 4-pixel addition function is used, smooth video recording at 24 frames per second with 100 million pixels is possible.

On its official website, Canon commented, 'Canon has leveraged the technology it has cultivated over many years as a leading imaging company to develop CMOS sensors with features such as ultra-high pixel counts and ultra-high sensitivity, as well as SPAD sensors that can detect faint amounts of light even in dark places. Canon will continue to advance technological development and contribute to the transformation and further development of society.'

Canon plans to exhibit the newly announced CMOS image sensor at SPIE Photonics West , one of the world's largest optics and photonics exhibitions, to be held in San Francisco, USA from January 28 to 30, 2025.