OmniVision OV12825 Sensor Brings 1080p/RAW To Cellphones

The megapixel race came to the cameraphone world months (even years) ago, and while the "race" has somewhat subsided, there's no question that optics are still a huge deal. OmniVision has been a major player in cameraphone optics, and this week they're introducing a high-end 12.6-megapixel mobile sensor with 1080p/60 HD video. And electronic image stabilization, which isn't easy to find on cellphones. And did we mention that it's capable of capturing images in RAW? It is!

The OV12825is easily one of the wildest cameraphone sensors in recent memory, and while we can't really imagine the kind of processing power needed to shoot RAW on a camera with next to no lag, we're sure the dual-core phones on the horizon will be capable of handling it. The new OV12825 is built on OmniVision's 1.4-micron OmniBSI pixel architecture, enabling best-in-class pixel performance and low-light sensitivity of 650 mV/(lux-sec). The sensor's binning capability further increases sensitivity in 1080p HD video mode at 60 FPS, while still providing additional pixels for EIS – a feature not available in the majority of 12-megapixel mobile sensors currently on the market. These capabilities allow the OV12825 to achieve remarkable digital still and video camera (DSC/DVC) performance and quality levels required by today's high-end camera phone applications.


The OV12825 has an active array of 4,224 x 3,000 OmniBSI pixels operating at 15 FPS in full resolution. It is offered with industry-standard connectivity including 4-lane MIPI, LVDS and DVP interfaces. The sensor is currently available for sampling, and volume production is expected to begin by the second quarter of 2011. Hopefully, that means it'll show up in phones by year-end.