Sony's New '2x2 On-Chip Lens' Technology Enables Faster Auto-Focus, Sharper Images

Sony 2x2 OCL technology for mobile image sensor - Camera Phone shutterstock website

Sony has unveiled a new technology that it says will bring high-speed focus, high-resolution, high-sensitivity and high dynamic range to its mobile image sensors. In an official blog post published before this week, the Japanese tech giant said that the '2×2 On-Chip Lens (OCL)' technology is a new pixel structure that will help build a "high-functioning prototype sensor with loftier image quality through optimization of the device structure and the development of a new signal processing technology."

To reach the new pixel structure, Sony says it placed a single condenser 'on-scrap lens' instead of 4 on tiptop of adjacent pixels of the same color. The difference in organization, seen in the composite image below, would permit for better PDAF, largely because phase differences can now be detected across all pixels. Every bit a result, the sensor can focus on fifty-fifty small-scale objects with high accuracy, claimed the company.

Sony's New '2×2 On-Chip Lens' Technology Enables Faster Auto-Focus, Sharper Images — Image Courtesy: Sony

Co-ordinate to Sony, "2×2 OCL is able to detect phase differences across all pixels, which makes it possible to integrate more than data and reach a stable focus performance." The company likewise claimed that different conventional stage detection, which could just separate the pixels laterally for detection, the new technology is now able to detect vertically too as horizontally, which enables high-speed machine-focus using stage differences in every situation.

Sony has been one of the leaders in the mobile paradigm sensor market, and the company hopes that the new technology will assist extend its lead in the segment past soon offering users the ability to capture sharper and more than vibrant images. Though in that location'due south no official discussion on when the image sensors with 2×ii OCL technology volition detect their way into mobile phones, Engadget reports that Oppo will use a custom sensor with this engineering in its flagship (possibly Find X2) launching next year. We will definitely go more information on the subject in the days ahead.