Needless to say, webcams have turned out to be a ‘must have’ feature in today’s personal devices, be it some notebook or a personal computer. For high-definition multimedia usage, Samsung has recently added two new CMOS image sensors, the S5K6A1 and the S5K5B3, to its industry-leading portfolio of CMOS images sensors.
The new S5K6A1 (1.3 megapixel) and the S5K5B3 (2.1 megapixel) imagers have been designed with a strong emphasis on high-performance, real-time high-definition images at up to 30 frames per second at full resolution for internet video/image sharing and high quality VGA resolution for applications requiring video conferencing.
“HD capable imagers are fundamentally changing the way consumers interact with their computers, making webcams a ‘must have’ feature in today’s notebooks and personal computers for high definition multimedia usage,” explained Dojun Rhee, vice president, System LSI marketing, Samsung Electronics. “With an industry attachment rate of over 70 percent, we are fully committed to supporting this market segment with our advanced CMOS image sensors to provide consumers with quality images for video conferencing and sharp HD images.”
Integrated with Samsung’s incredible 1.7um pixel technology, the new imagers significantly enhance sensitivity and capably reach 70Lux of YSNR10. Just to notify, the S5K6A1 model lends support to camera modules with full 1080p HD at 30fps capability in a z-height less than 4.5mm. On the other hand, the S5K5B3 has been designed for camera modules with 720p HD at 30fps capability in a z-height less than 3.5mm.
Both the devices support multiple platform architectures and controllers with both parallel and MIPI interfaces. Taking advantage of an embedded solid state auto-focus enhanced depth of field function, the S5K5B3 imager is further sketched out to enable bar codes and business card reading without needing mechanical auto-focus support.
Samples of both these CMOS image sensors are currently available with voluminous production slated for the second quarter 2010. The pricing details are yet to be announced.
