Sony today announced a new camera sensor for smartphones that will make it possible top capture incredible slow-motion video.
The dual-layer CMOS sensor includes 1 GB of DRAM, which Sony says allows the sensor to capture and read images much faster. Sony claims the sensor can read 19.3-megapixel images in 1/120 of a second, which is four times faster than most of today’s sensors.
This has two effects. First, the sensor can snag fast-moving subjects without introducing focal plane distortion, and second, the sensor can boost video capture speeds by a factor of eight. Many of today’s smartphones capture slow-motion video at 120 frames per second.
Sony’s new sensor can capture distortion-free, full HD slow-motion at 1000 frames per second, which will greatly expand what filmmakers can do creatively. The sensor itself captures images up to 21.2 megapixels and 4K video. Sony didn’t say when the sensor might be ready for production.
