OmniVision Launches 1/4-Inch 8-Megapixel Sensor, OV8858

(RTTNews) - OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (OVTI), a developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, announced the OV8858, a new 1/4-inch 8-megapixel PureCel image sensor for the rapidly growing mainstream smartphone and tablet market. The compact and cost-effective OV8858 PureCel sensor delivers dramatically reduced power consumption and best-in-class performance, making it a highly competitive solution for the next-generation mobile devices, according to the company.

Kalairaja Chinnaveerappan, senior product marketing manager at OmniVision, said: "Industry analysts expect the 8-megapixel sensor market to grow to about 440 million units in 2014, reflecting year-over-year growth of 20 percent. While there are a number of factors that contribute to this anticipation, the main driver is 8-megapixel cameras for mobile devices transitioning from a 1/3-inch optical format to a 1/4-inch optical format to meet consumers' demand for thinner and more cost-effective phones and tablets. On top of that, mainstream mobile devices are expected to upgrade from 1/4-inch 5-megapixel sensors to 1/4-inch 8-megapixel sensors in order to benefit from increased resolution while maintaining the same optical format."

The OV8858 is equipped with a special video-in-video (ViV™) feature, which allows the OV8858 to stitch together images from the front- and rear-cameras, and send the combined image to the host ISP. It supports an active array of 3264 x 2448 pixels (8-megapixel) operating at 30 frames per second for zero shutter lag to enable high-speed photography.

The OV8858, which fits into an 8.5 x 8.5 mm camera module with a build height of around 4 mm, is currently available for sampling and may begin volume production in the second quarter of 2014.