Sony to Release SPAD Depth Sensor for Smartphones with the Industry’s Highest Photon Detection Efficiency

Sony just issued the following press text for the release of their new SPAD sensor. Not sure this sensor tech might be used on future APS-C and FF designs too. But surely this innovation sounds exciting:

Sony Semiconductor Solutions to Release SPAD Depth Sensor for Smartphones with
High-Accuracy, Low-Power Distance Measurement Performance, Powered
by the Industry’s Highest*1 Photon Detection Efficiency

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation

Atsugi, Japan — Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (SSS) today announced the upcoming release of the IMX611, a direct time-of-flight (dToF) SPAD depth sensor for smartphones that delivers the industry’s highest*1 photon detection efficiency.

The IMX611 has a photon detection efficiency of 28%, the highest in the industry,*1 thanks to its proprietary single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) pixel structure.*2 This reduces the power consumption of the entire system while enabling high-accuracy measurement of the distance of an object.

This new sensor will generate opportunities to create new value in smartphones, including functions and applications that utilize distance information.

*1 Among SPAD depth sensors for smartphones. As of this announcement on March 6, 2023.
*2 A pixel structure that uses avalanche multiplication to amplify electrons from a single incident photon, causing a cascade like an avalanche.

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Sony Tidbits…


Sony A7IV vs Panasonic S5 II in Low Light

Today deals at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon FR, Amazon IT, FotoErhardt DE, FotoKoch DE.
Canon shows their impressive new Deep learning image processing technology (MirrorlessRumors).
Sigma Creates a New Standard: 50mm f/1.4 DG DN Art for E and L-Mount (Explora).
DPReview TV: One simple fix to improve video autofocus
What is a Gobo in Lighting? (42West).
Don’t Buy This Lens Unless… | Sony 70-200 F/2.8 GM II Review (Peter Lindgren).

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I kindly invite you all to follow our Discord channel, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to not miss news and rumors

We have our own Facebook camera groups you can join to discuss the upcoming new cameras in detail:
Sony Alpha group.
Sony A1 group.
Sony A9 series group.
Sony A7r series group.
Sony A7s series group.
Sony A7 series group.

Cosina announced three great lenses for Canon RF and Fuji X that might one day be available for E-mount too?

Voigtlander has announced three new lenses that will not be available for E-mount. But there is a fair chance some of those lenses will be released as E-mount version sometimes later. Also because at the CP+ show they already displayed a Z-mount version of this new 50mm lens (therefore hinting they will expand the mount options). So let’s check them out:

  • 50mm f/1.0 Full Frame lens for Canon RF
  • 35mm f/0.9 APS-C lens for Fuji X
  • 27mm f/2.0 APS-C pancake lens for Fuji X

Honestly I like all three lenses a lot! I do own the Voigtlander 40mm f/1.2 FE and I am super happy with it. If I would be a Sony APS-C camera owner I would gladly get a 27mm f/2.0 pancake lens. Such a lens is perfect for street photography!

Here are some images of the lenses displayed at the Cp+ show (courtesy of DC.watch and Mapcamera):

 

 

Sony Tidbits…


Samyang 2470 f2.8 vs Sony 2470 f2.8 GM II Comparison

Today deals at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon FR, Amazon IT, FotoErhardt DE, FotoKoch DE.
Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 FE II vs. Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM and Sigma f/1.4 (Lensvid).
Laowa 58mm F2.8 Macro 2:1 review by SonyAlphaBlog.
Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG DN Art Review (PCmag).
Capture One vs Lightroom | What You Need To Know (42West).
Anamorphic for All with Atlas Lens Co. Primes (Explora).

Follow our new Youtube channel.
I kindly invite you all to follow our Discord channel, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to not miss news and rumors

We have our own Facebook camera groups you can join to discuss the upcoming new cameras in detail:
Sony Alpha group.
Sony A1 group.
Sony A9 series group.
Sony A7r series group.
Sony A7s series group.
Sony A7 series group.

Sigma CEO says they are working on a “different” 70-200mm f/2.8 lens version that is coming “sooner rather than later”

Sigma CEO Yamaki has been interviewed by Fengniao. They

Question: Will the art series 70-200 f2.8 lens, which is eagerly awaited by domestic users, be released this year?

Answer: We have heard about it and are working on it, so we hope to see it sooner rather than later. In fact, we have been thinking about differentiating this lens, hoping to bring something different to users, which is why we have not launched it yet.

As you know just recently Yamaki said that “we want to launch more unique lenses”. Basically they want to be more like Tamron by offering faster lenses with unique focal lengths. Tamron for example is offering a 70-180mm FE lens that cuts 20mm from the tele end in order ot have a very compact size. Now I wondering what Sigma could do. Maybe a zoom that starts at f/2.0? Or go for a constant f/2.8 with more tele?

What kind of lens you hope to get from Sigma?

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This is so cool: Tim Larsen hacked Sony cameras to add his own visual control function

CineD had a chat with Tim Helweg-Larsen, an engineer and camera enthusiast from the UK – who claims to have invented a better (easier) way how to master the manual controls of any digital camera. This is how it works:

UPDATE: Tim just contacted me and shared some more videos and details:

Video of our the a5100 prototype in action:

Explainer video:

Demo/proof-of-concept app on iPhone you can try for free here: https://expodo.photo (it’s not a real camera app – it’s a simulation of what EXPODO is like on a full frame camera)

Thanks Tim!

Curiosity: Fujifilm might soon launch the world’s first medium format Sports Camera, with Sony A1 sensor tech?

It’s rare to see something truly new in the photography market. Most of the time we see many small evolutions. But this got my attention: In an interview published by Phototrend Fuji said they are working on the fifth generation medium format camera. And this one will be the world’s first Sports camera in this segment.

As you know all medium format sensors are made by Sony. So it will be interesting to see if the new GFX will have a newly designed Sony sensor inside. Maybe a sort of upscaled Sony A1 sensor?

Here are my thoughts on this news: