Sony Image Sensors
Sony's Image Sensors are the gold standard in imaging technology, trusted worldwide for their exceptional performance, reliability, and innovation. From enhancing AI-driven applications to delivering precision in industrial, medical, and machine vision solutions, Sony’s Global Shutter CMOS Image Sensors empower industries to push boundaries and achieve excellence.
With a robust portfolio tailored to meet diverse needs, Sony Image Sensors are designed to excel in challenging environments and advanced applications. Whether for AI-enhanced systems, high-speed industrial processes, or life-critical medical imaging, Sony provides the foundation for groundbreaking innovation.
Click here for the Sony Image Sensor Product Lineup
The Evolving Landscape of CMOS Image Sensor Interfaces
Macnica Americas explores the rapid evolution of CMOS image sensor interfaces, highlighting Sony’s SLVS-EC for high-speed, low-latency applications. Sony, a leader in imaging technology, has developed SLVS-EC to address the growing needs of high-resolution imaging in industrial automation, scientific imaging, and autonomous systems. This whitepaper provides a comprehensive comparison of key sensor interface standards, including LVDS, Sub-LVDS, and MIPI CSI, evaluating their scalability, data rates, and design complexity. Macnica Americas supports this evolution by offering high-performance IP cores and embedded solutions that streamline integration. This whitepaper serves as a valuable resource for system designers looking to make informed decisions in the rapidly advancing field of imaging technology.
For a comprehensive comparison of the major CMOS image sensor interface standards, read our detailed whitepaper.
Sony Image Sensors for Industrial Use
With its comprehensive range of image sensors for industrial use, Sony provides revolutionary solutions that extend well
beyond mere automation and speed enhancements to address advanced issues in a variety of industries.
- Global Shutter
- Rolling Shutter
- Polarization
- Ultraviolet (UV)
- SWIR
- ToF
Sony’s Global Shutter CMOS Image Sensors redefine precision in motion capture, delivering distortion-free imaging for dynamic and high-speed applications. Unlike traditional rolling shutters, Sony’s innovative global shutter technology ensures that every pixel is exposed simultaneously, eliminating motion artifacts and ensuring sharp, accurate images in even the most demanding environments.
Ideal for applications such as industrial automation, robotics, and machine vision, Sony’s Global Shutter CMOS Image Sensors combine high sensitivity, low noise, and advanced pixel design to deliver unparalleled performance. These sensors are the go-to choice for professionals who require precision, reliability, and speed in their imaging solutions.
CMOS image sensors with Pregius and Pregius S technology are ideal for imaging inspections in machine vision and the smart industry that require the processing of a large volume of image data at high speed, as they make it possible to capture high-quality, undistorted images at high speeds.
Download the Sony Pregius/Pregius S Technology Guide
These products also expand the scope of their applications from factory automation to other industrial imaging and sensing contexts, such as traffic monitoring and infrastructure inspection.
Features
Provides undistorted images of moving objects
Global shutters function enables the capturing of fast-moving objects without distortion. Text is legible in images.
Faster signal processing with lower noise
Our proprietary column A/D conversion circuit realizes both faster signal processing and lower noise. Enhancing the high-precision image inspection, it helps to improve on-site productivity in manufacturing.
Realizing both higher definition and smaller size thanks to Pregius S technology
The back-illuminated pixel structure adopted in Pregius S global shutter technology has made both higher definition and smaller size a reality, on top of its non-distortion imaging functionality.This new structure has a superior light collection efficiency compared to the conventional front-illuminated structure and, while maintaining the levels of sensitivity and saturation capacity, achieved a reduction of the pixel size down to 2.74 µm square, about 63% of the conventional models.*1 In addition, rearranging the circuit area from the edges to the back of the sensor area has helped to achieve a 1.7-fold increase in resolution for the same optical size and reduce the package size to about 91% of the existing products.*1
As a result, it can achieve a high-definition small-sized machine vision camera compatible with up to approx. 24.45 M effective pixels in a C-mount 1.2-type sensor, allowing more flexibility in its applications to systems and production lines.
*1) Compared to "IMX253" and "IMX531," Sony’s 1.1-type CMOS image sensors with 12.37 M effective pixels.
Fast readout of captured data
The high flexibility in the wiring layout offered by the back-illuminated pixel structure of Pregius S, combined with adoption of the proprietarily developed SLVS-EC interface with an embedded clock, enables high-resolution image data to be read at high speed and output efficiency. This potentially improves the takt time and throughput of the manufacturing systems or equipment.
As technologies such as USB 3.0 and 5 GigE become more prevalent, our standard 5 Gbps-compatible product range is enhanced by an extensive lineup of high-speed products for high-end cameras that use a high-speed band, improving the productivity significantly through reducing the time necessary for inspection, image recognition, identification, measurement, and other types of measurement and inspection.
High definition imaging over a wide area
C-mount lens compatible image sensors are a standard option for industrial machines, but larger unit multi-pixel sensor will enable high-definition imaging of wider areas.
For example, a comparison between the images taken with 1.1” 12.37 M pixels sensor and one with 127.68 M pixels sensor clearly shows the difference. This will enable to lower capture frequency, which contributes to improved efficiency. It also enhances recognition accuracy by the high resolution imaging.
Sony Global Shutter Sensor Product Matrix
