Canon Designs Sensor Tech That Captures High-Res Color Photos Even In The Dark
Image via 214240392 © Eremin | Dreamstime.com
Canon appears to have devised a new technology that may just revolutionize the world of photography all together: capturing high-quality, full-color images in the dark.
According to a report from Japanese newspaper Nikkei, the company explains how a new type of light-receiving element was developed to be incorporated on a CMOS sensor. This element is a single photon avalanche diode, or SPAD.
While these aren’t entirely new, Canon’s new innovation apparently contains 3.2 million pixels, which it claims is more than thrice the resolution of a conventional SPAD.
The newspaper states that the new sensor also comes with a new feature: measuring. By gauging the distance to an object from the time it takes reflected light to return to it, the sensor will purportedly be able to “understand” 3D space.
PetaPixel reports that it’s possible, therefore, that the new SPAD can be used in devices that currently use a LiDAR.
The intention with this invention, it states, is to take the place of a regular infrared night-vision camera. Although it can recognize shapes and allow users to “see” in the dark, it’s not the best at handling colors in low-light conditions.
It was also reported that Canon is planning to put it into mass production next year before first launching this new tech in security cameras by 2023.
Apart from being a very welcome innovation in photography, it’s also possible for the sensors to be used in autonomous gadgets, vehicles, and robotics—another rapidly growing market.
[via PetaPixel, cover image 214240392 © Eremin | Dreamstime.com]
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