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iniewski
Sad to see CCDs to go away, it was such a elegant concept that they taught me in ...
yalanand
Curious to know why CCDs are finding acceptance in the industrial markets ? Why ...
Report: CMOS in, CCD out of image focus
Nicolas Mokhoff
2/9/2012 12:17 PM EST
MANHASSET, NY -- Charge coupled device sensors, long a bastion of image equipment, are losing their luster as CMOS image sensors have become dominant.
Shipments last year of CMOS sensors accounted for 92 percent of all area image sensors—an overwhelming share that translated into some 2.1 billion units, up 31 percent from 1.6 billion in 2010, according to an information and analysis provider IHS.
With the remaining 8 percent of the market, CCD sensor shipments in 2011 fell to 180.3 million units, down 2 percent from 184.5 million in 2010. In 2010, the CMOS share of the sensor market was 90 percent vs. 10 percent for CCD.
By 2015, CMOS shipments will amount to 3.6 billion units or 97 percent market share, compared to CCD shipments of just 95.2 million, or 3 percent.
Mobile handsets remain the dominant application for CMOS sensors, representing 79 percent of total CMOS shipments in 2011.
While CCDs are finding acceptance in the industrial markets and in digital still cameras, CCD use is declining. Among high-end digital single lens reflex cameras, for instance, CCD use will shrink from 12 percent in 2011 to just 1 percent by 2014
According to IHS’ recent report, the introduction of backside illumination technology was the break in camera technology that gave CMOS the edge over CCD.
The technology is found in high-end compact cameras as well in Apple’s iPhone 4S and various Android phones.
Projected to be in 56 percent of smartphones and higher-end feature handset camera phones during 2012, BSI sensors will be present in 92 percent of the same class of handsets by 2015 as prices come down, according to IHS.
Sony Corp. was the top player for overall image sensors during the fourth quarter, followed by OmniVision Technologies, Aptina Imaging Corp., Sharp Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
Sony has developed its next-generation BSI sensor in a stacked structure that is expected to pave the way for faster speeds and lower power consumption. Samples will start shipping in March. Samsung ‘s 16Mpixel CMOS sensor will be making its way into smartphones and tablets later this year.
IHS iSuppli report has more details.
Shipments last year of CMOS sensors accounted for 92 percent of all area image sensors—an overwhelming share that translated into some 2.1 billion units, up 31 percent from 1.6 billion in 2010, according to an information and analysis provider IHS.
With the remaining 8 percent of the market, CCD sensor shipments in 2011 fell to 180.3 million units, down 2 percent from 184.5 million in 2010. In 2010, the CMOS share of the sensor market was 90 percent vs. 10 percent for CCD.
By 2015, CMOS shipments will amount to 3.6 billion units or 97 percent market share, compared to CCD shipments of just 95.2 million, or 3 percent.
Mobile handsets remain the dominant application for CMOS sensors, representing 79 percent of total CMOS shipments in 2011.
While CCDs are finding acceptance in the industrial markets and in digital still cameras, CCD use is declining. Among high-end digital single lens reflex cameras, for instance, CCD use will shrink from 12 percent in 2011 to just 1 percent by 2014
According to IHS’ recent report, the introduction of backside illumination technology was the break in camera technology that gave CMOS the edge over CCD.
The technology is found in high-end compact cameras as well in Apple’s iPhone 4S and various Android phones.
Projected to be in 56 percent of smartphones and higher-end feature handset camera phones during 2012, BSI sensors will be present in 92 percent of the same class of handsets by 2015 as prices come down, according to IHS.
Sony Corp. was the top player for overall image sensors during the fourth quarter, followed by OmniVision Technologies, Aptina Imaging Corp., Sharp Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
Sony has developed its next-generation BSI sensor in a stacked structure that is expected to pave the way for faster speeds and lower power consumption. Samples will start shipping in March. Samsung ‘s 16Mpixel CMOS sensor will be making its way into smartphones and tablets later this year.
IHS iSuppli report has more details.
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goafrit
2/10/2012 10:32 AM EST
CMOS has to win because of the manufacturability and density issues. CMOS will drive most devices at least in the next two decades despite the issues associated as it scales.
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nicolas.mokhoff
2/10/2012 11:34 AM EST
I totally agree, goafrit. It's another case of volume trumping quality as it is in other consumer electronics devices. Yet astronomy requires CCD quality: http://159.226.88.30:8080/CE2release/cesMain.jsp
this is image of the Moon is taken from a Chinese satellite: http://www.space-travel.com/reports/China_publishes_high_resolution_full_moon_map_999.html
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Frank Eory
2/10/2012 5:52 PM EST
CMOS image sensors have very much caught up to CCDs in image quality, have a significant power advantage and support higher frame rates. This might explain why CCD use in high-end digital SLRs will be moving from 12% today to 1% by 2014.
I'm not sure that CMOS has the big cost advantage that one might assume. CMOS image sensors aren't built in standard logic processes, where huge volume means low cost.
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yalanand
2/11/2012 7:26 AM EST
Curious to know why CCDs are finding acceptance in the industrial markets ? Why cant CMOS cameras can be used in industrial market ?
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iniewski
2/12/2012 11:29 AM EST
Sad to see CCDs to go away, it was such a elegant concept that they taught me in class long time ago ;-)...Kris
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