Canon has set a new benchmark by unveiling a 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor boasting a 410-megapixel resolution. This translates to an image size of 24,592 x 16,704 pixels, equivalent to 24K resolution. That makes it 198 times greater than Full HD, and 12 times greater than 8K.
Canon says that it is the largest number of pixels ever achieved in a 35mm full-frame sensor. However, this sensor isn’t for consumer-ready cameras. The company has designed it for surveillance, medicine, and other industrial applications where extreme resolution is needed.
To achieve such a high resolution, the company redesigned the circuitry pattern and developed a new back-illuminated stacked sensor structure. It enables the readout speed of 3,280 megapixels per second. So, the sensor can capture full-resolution images at eight frames per second.
Canon has also introduced a monochrome version of the sensor that features a “four-pixel binning” for better low-light sensitivity by combining data from four adjacent pixels. This reduces the resolution but enables the monochrome sensor to capture 100-megapixel video at 24 frames per second.
This sensor isn’t meant to revolutionize consumer cameras but has significant potential in specialized fields like surveillance, medical imaging, and industrial applications where extreme detail and resolution matter most. It also demonstrates Canon’s leadership in imaging technology.
