I’m so glad that I spent more time on the Elephant’s Trunk! A lot of faint nebulae were visible in my last image but now that I have over 10 hours on it, it all just pops out. It gives the trunk a lot of contrast, revealing all of the detailed structure it has. I even gave BlurXTerminator a go which fixed the star shapes and sharpened up the nebulae, and made the already-detailed trunk even more incredible.

421x90s lights (10.53 hours), darks, flats, biases stacked and edited in PixInsight.
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🌌 The Elephant's Trunk (IC 1396)
🔭 Meade RB-70 (Scope), SkyWatcher GTi (Mount)
📸 Player One Ares-C Pro (Main)
📅 Bloomington, MN (Bortle 8)
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#highpointscientific #nebula #elephantstrunknebula #ic1396 #photography #astrophotography #astronomy #pixinsight #graxpert #playerone #playeroneastronomy #sonysensor #arescpro

Duovox Mate Pro Camera Can Capture Full Color in Near Pitch Darkness

#equipment #news #reviews #cameranews #camerareview #duovox #duovoxmatepro #fullcolor #lowlight #lowlightphotography #matepro #nighttimephotography #nighttoday #nightvision #nightvisioncamera #sonysensor #sonystarvis2

A Closer Look at Oppo’s Retractable Smartphone Camera

Last week, Oppo teased that it would be releasing a smartphone that featured a retractable, telescoping camera. While the company has not officially announced it yet, it has revealed more information on the coming device.

The company recently hosted its annual Inno Day event where it announced a few new products through the digital experience, including the new MariSilicon X mobile neural processing unit that it claims will dramatically improve image quality in its 2022 devices.

On top of the new processing power, Oppo's retractable smartphone camera appears to be adding hardware advancements into the equation. The company has published a video about it along with six major features that come with it. Typically, retractable lenses on compact cameras usually allow an optic to have variable focal lengths or at least allow a lens with multiple elements to make itself more compact when not in use. That benefit is on full display here, as the company has managed to pack the larger camera system into an 8.26mm phone (a measurement reported by GSMArena) without a particularly large camera bump. When not in use, the lens pulls back to be flush with the thin phone body

In Oppo's case, the camera will not have a variable focal length but instead will feature a 52mm equivalent lens (which the company classifies as 2x optical zoom) when extended. Behind the lens is a large 1/1.56-inch Sony IMX766 sensor which will likely capture more detail compared to a standard telephoto module. The actual optical system is also touted by the company as providing actual telephoto bokeh.

Oppo says the lens system will support optical image stabilization (OIS) as well as autofocus (AF) but does not go into more detail about the focusing performance that can be expected, as the demonstration looks to be pretty strongly focused on the hardware.

One of the more impressive features Oppo demonstrated is the ability for the phone to sense if it has been dropped and automatically retract the lens to prevent damage. The company claims that it is able to fully retract the lens back into the smartphone body in just 0.6 seconds. On top of all of this, the company says it will remain splash and dust resistant but did not go into specific details on how robust that resistance would be.

Oppo is expected to announce a new Find X flagship mobile device that also includes the company's new NPU in the first quarter of 2022, but it did not hint if the retractable smartphone camera would be part of that device or a separate launch. Whatever the case, the design is clearly more than a prototype and it will likely find its way into a consumer device by next year.

#mobile #news #oppo #oppoinnoday #retractable #smartphonecamera #smartphonesensor #sonysensor #telescoping

Is The Canon EOS R3 Sensor Being Made by Sony?

#news #autofocus #canon #canoneosr3 #canoneosr3sensor #canonsensor #lenses #olympics #sensor #sony #sonya9ii #sonysensor #technology

Sony Reveals New Micro Four Thirds Stacked Sensor Capable of 120FPS

Sony has published a new product information sheet that shows specifications for a new stacked-CMOS 21.46-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor that is capable of reading at 120 frames per second across its full width.

As reported by DPReview, this IMX472-AAJK is the first known instance of a new Micro Four Thirds sensor that features a stacked CMOS design capable of 120 frames per second full-width readout speeds. In late 2019, Sony released a specification for a 47-megapixel sensor that was capable of shooting 8K at up to 30 frames per second, but it was not a stacked CMOS design and did not have the ability to capture framerates that fast -- at least nothing was mentioned in the specification.

As explained by DPReview , the IMX472-AAJK has the ability to record 12-bit images at up to 20.89-megapixels at just over 120 frames per second, and 10-bit images at just over 158 frames per second. That means it has the ability to record 4K oversampled full-width 120 frames per second video with full dynamic range.

When Sony publishes this kind of information, it usually means the sensor is already available to be ordered by manufacturers for immediate use, so it's possible that this particular sensor will find its way into new cameras coming as soon as this year or next. That said, while the specifications are impressive, they don't match up with what is expected out of the Panasonic GH6.

Panasonic has also not specifically said if its GH6 sensor will be a backside-illuminated or stacked design, and only that it will be able to capture 4:2:2 10-bit DCI 4K footage at up to 60 frames per second and do so for an unlimited amount of time when used under “certified operating temperatures.” It will also be able to shoot 10-bit 4K 120 frames per second High Frame Rate (HFR) and Variable Frame Rate (VFR) video and record 10-bit 5.7K 60p video.

Both this new 21.46-megapixel sensor and that 47-megapixel sensor each have pieces of what Panasonic has publicly said will be part of its upcoming Micro Four Thirds flagship. But the resolution of this new IMX472-AAJK is too low to deliver the 5.7K video resolution promised by Panasonic in the forthcoming GH6. Likewise, the 47-megapixel sensor doesn't seem to be able to output the 4K at 120 frames per second which is another promised specification of the new camera.

#equipment #news #120fps #development #hfr #highframerate #m43 #microfourthirds #microfourthirdssensor #panasonic #sensor #sony #sonysensor #stackedcmos #vfr

Sony Currently Testing ‘Smart City’ Powered by its AI Cameras

Sony has published a new showcase of how its IMX500 sensors -- backed by artificial intelligence (AI) processing -- are at the core of three "smart city" trials currently being run in Rome, Italy.

The IMX500 sensors were originally launched in May of 2020 and were what Sony called the first "intelligent vision sensors with AI processing functionality." The company says that because it integrated AI processing onto the image sensor itself, Sony was able to enable high-speed AI processing in a way that reduced latency, power consumption, communication costs, and addresses privacy concerns.

Sony says that with traditional AI video processing, the data from each output frame needs to be sent to the processor individually which it asserts makes it difficult to deliver real-time performance. By integrating it onto the sensor itself, the entire process of AI logic takes place in each video frame at the point of capture, making for faster, better, and more reliable real-time tracking of objects.

This technology is currently being tested in three smart city trials by Envision in the city of Rome. Envision -- which describes itself as a leading greentech company with the mission of solving the challenges of a sustainable future -- wants to expand the concept of smart homes to entire cities and allow the operation of city buildings, public services, roads, and other aspects of city management to be better connected and more easily serve the population as well as make city planners and managers more informed and better able to address issues that arise.

In the video above, Sony shows how strategically placed cameras equipped with the IMX500 sensor can be trained on neural networks, connect together, and give citizens access to information about the area while also, supposedly, respecting individual privacy. The technology can supposedly be used to help guide drivers to open parking spots, adjust and adapt to traffic incidents, and reduce accidents involving pedestrians. Its implications for public transportation are also significant, as the cameras can help transit authorities plan routs and keep areas properly served during peak times as well as allow them to note spikes in demand and deploy more buses or trains. From a citizen's perspective, the tech can also inform people how busy certain bus lines are and how many seats are available as it approaches their stop.

While the idea of an always-watching camera can be disconcerting, Sony says that the camera does not record any actual images or video, but only transmit metadata. In this way, not only do the cameras use a lot less bandwidth, the privacy of citizens is not impeded upon.

Sony says that while there are other benefits, the trials currently being run are intended to test the viability of the system to cut the city's transport-related pollution and accidents at pedestrian crossings.

#culture #news #technology #artificialintelligence #connected #envision #envisionsmartcity #privacy #smartcity #sony #sonyimx500 #sonysensor

Dell’s New $200 Webcam Uses a Sony Low-Light Industrial Sensor

Dell has taken notice of the modern need for better webcams than come stock with most computers and has announced a new 4K, HDR, AI-powered option that uses a Sony low-light sensor that was originally designed for use in industrial cameras.

The UltraSharp 4K webcam from Dell is touted as having a "DSLR-like" camera, which in itself is mostly just marketing jargon but does give customers the general idea behind the concept -- it will make you look better than a stock webcam. What makes Dell's new webcam notable is that it uses the Sony Starvis sensor, which is a backside illuminated sensor designed to have excellent performance in low light and was designed to be used specifically in security cameras. Dell's choice to integrate that sensor into a webcam marks perhaps not the first but certainly the most recent notable time that a sensor designed for industrial use found its way into a commercial product.

It is at the very least unusual.

The Starvis sensor is capable of what Sony calls "near-infrared" (NIR) light detection as well as high dynamic range (HDR). With NIR, the camera can shoot in extremely low light environments using photodetectors made with specific structures that they can capture near-infrared light and provide clear images even in near darkness. The ability to shoot in HDR allows the camera to better balance highlights and shadows and provide a more even level of visual performance.

While the Starvis sensor wasn't originally designed for use as a webcam, Dell clearly believes that its low light strengths make it particularly suitable for the task, at least enough to bill it "the best 4K webcam in its class."

Dell doesn't specify which of Sony's Starvis sensors it uses, but given that it is a 4K camera it's highly likely that it is the 1/1.8-inch IMX334LLR, which is capable of up to 60 frames per second video. Dell's UltraSharp 4K webcam can shoot at 30 frames per second in full resolution but will drop down to 1080p resolution to hit the maximum 60 frames per second. While it is unlikely that most people will need the 4K resolution or even 60 frames per second, Dell's webcam seems to be a good option to allow users more choice than is typical.

In addition to the different resolution and framerate options, the UltraSharp webcam can also adjust its frame of view between 65, 78, and 90 degrees. Additionally, Dell touts it as using artificial intelligence (AI) with its auto-framing feature that keeps the subject constantly in focus and centered.

Dell is looking to nab market share from the current industry top dog Logitech and its Brio 4K, and packing a Sony Starvis sensor in a $200 option might be a smart move to make that happen. It's likely that Dell's webcam is capable of rendering better-looking low light streams, a common lighting condition in home offices. Since it's easier for the average consumer to understand that a camera can make them look better rather than relying on teaching lighting knowledge, Dell might have a winner here.

#equipment #news #products #4k #dell #dellultrasharp4kwebcam #industrialsensor #lowlight #sonysensor #sonystarvis #starvis #ultrasharp #webcam

Sony Leads Global Smartphone Sensor Production, Samsung Closes Gap

The global smartphone sensor market was not slowed down by the pandemic, as a new report states the segment saw a total revenue of $15 billion in 2020 which is up 13% year over year. Sony still dominates the field, but its once ironclad grip has slipped slightly.

Sony used to control over 50% of total smartphone sensor production with Samsung in a distant second with less than 20% market share according to a report published last year. But as noted by DIY Photography, new data from Strategy Analytics -- published by EET Asia -- shows that has changed, as Samsung jumped to 29% market share and Sony fell to 46%.

While Sony still makes outstanding sensors, Samsung has seriously stepped its game up. Not only does its sensor perform better than any of its previous endeavors in the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but the company has also done a great job marketing the new technology it is producing and explaining how it works. Perhaps more importantly, Samsung was able to fulfill orders that Sony passed on, allowing it to increase its production and overall market share.

In November of 2020, Nikkei Asia published a report that stated Sony was in an unfortunate position of backing a losing horse and as a result, was losing market share to Samsung. Because Sony was expecting Huawei to produce significantly more phones than they ended up being able to produce, other manufacturers were turned away with the expectation that Sony would not be able to meet any additional orders.

When Huawei was added to the economic blacklist in the United States, that changed. In one year, Huawei went from commanding 41% of the Chinese smartphone market at the beginning of 2020 to just 16% at the beginning of 2021. Unable to source parts and blocked from using the latest versions of Google's Android operating system and without access to the Google Play Store, Huawei is floundering and its future looks bleak.

Vivo X60 Pro+ | Photo by Ted Kritsonis

Taking its place are the three big brands owned by BBK electronics: Oppo, Vivo, and OnePlus. While OnePlus launched its OnePlus 9 and Pro phones with custom Sony sensors as did Oppo with its Find X3, Vivo's X60 devices feature a Samsung GN1 sensor. Theoretically, if the collapse of Huawei had been predicted, Sony would have been able to supply all three brands with Sony sensor tech. Losing just one may not be a big deal as Vivo isn't even the strongest brand of the three, but it is a sign that competition is heating up.

It should be noted that while all three new smartphone lines perform admirably, the Vivo X60 Pro+ might be the device with the best camera system of the batch. While this isn't necessarily because of the Samsung sensor on board, it certainly doesn't hurt the company's growing reputation for quality components.

#industry #mobile #news #huawei #oneplus #oppo #samsung #samsunggalaxy #samsungsensors #samsungsmartphonesensor #smartphonesensor #sony #sonysensor #sonysmartphonesensor #trends #vivo