Sony announced a new CMOS sensor the company is currently developing, that will eventually launch with “RGBW Coding” which will enable HDR video capture. By “stacking” the circuits that go into their new backside-illuminated CMOS sensors, Sony is able reduce the size of current senors, along with power consumption. That translates to better cameras, in smaller places, that don’t use as much battery.
| Conventional RGB method | Newly developed «RGBW Coding» method |
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| Comparison of Sample pictures in low-light setting (10 lux) | |
Sony has also announced RGBW coding for these new sensors which adds a white pixel to the conventional arrangement of red, green and blue pixels. By utilizing signal processing, RGBW coding will allow for much higher sensitivity in low-light situations, without any added noise or loss of quality. RGBW coding will also allow for HDR video recording for added contrast and clarity in bright light situations.
Sony will start shipping new CMOS sensors this spring. An 8 megapixel sensor without RGBW will ship in March, while a 13 megapixel and 8 megapixel sensor with RGBW coding will ship in June and August respectively.
