A new Sony patent for a curved camera sensor could push camera and lens technology forward enormously – but only if the industry decides to see it through to the end. Cameras can’t continue to advance based on pure numbers. 4K delivery isn’t going anywhere, not-real-10-bit-color HDR displays still haven’t reached full market penetration, and the need for higher frame rates drops off dramatically around 120fps; with more and more cameras boasting greater-than-4K, higher-than-8-bit, up-to-120fps filming capabilities, the camera industry won’t be able to continue motivating new purchases based on these numbers, alone (though they’ll still have dynamic range). One possible avenue for continued advancement is to change the sensor shape, and not just its per-pixel transistor tech – and that’s where Sony’s newest patent comes in. The tech giant has apparently at least begun development of a curved sensor that could offer real imaging benefits for both cameras and lenses. Note, however, that this seems to be quite a preliminary technology. It’s real but not likely to find its way into a consumer product for some time. That said, curved sensors are a fascinating prospect – one that’s existed outside of digital cameras for some time. Curved sensors are old news Let’s not forget that some of the greatest, most ambitious photographers of all time were not photographers, but astronomers. Telescopes, with their bespoke lens and sensor designs, often employ incredibly advanced techniques to resolve their challenging subjects, from 50-meter focal lengths to liquid mirrors with a pressure-adjustable curvature....
Published By: CineD - Thursday, 5 August, 2021