Rumors about a Olympus and Kodak partnership are floating around the web since a long time. Finally we from 43rumors know something more! According to our sources Olympus will indeed use Kodak sensor in some of their future camera models. We don’t know if at Photokina we will see a Kodak-“powered” Olympus camera, but we are almost certain that it will happen in 2011. The new FourThirds Kodak sensor is a completely new sensor not seen in any camera before. It’s specially designed for the Olympus cameras (Kodak did a special design for the Leica M9 also). Unlike other Kodak sensors which usually are CCD’s the sensor for Olympus should be a CMOS sensor. We should expect a slightly increase of Megapixels compared to the current Panasonic MicroFourThirds
MicroFourThirds
MicroFourThirds
MicroFourThirds
MicroFourThirds
MicroFourThirds
MicroFourThirds
MicroFourThirds
MicroFourThirds
MicroFourThirds
MicroFourThirds
MicroFourThirds
MicroFourThirds
sensor (14-16MPX). Some other infos we received also said that Olympus is testing Fuji SuperCCD and Sigma Foveon sensors. We don’t know yet if they will be ever come to market.
Just my two cent, how cool would it be if with the new modular camera we can switch between Panasonic and Kodak sensors? Awesome idea!
[poll id=”36″]
32 Responses
Just wondering: is Kodak sensor development better (in state-of-the-art terms) than Panasonic one?
Kodak sensors were praised (in the E-500) era for their color rendition.If that was really Kodak or the Olympus JPEG engine I don’t know.
I’m not even sure if Kodak is still a market player (in crop sensors anyway) because since the E-410 came out, the (m)4/3 field has been an all Panasonic game. Sony is the biggest player there (suplying themselves, Pentax/Samsung and Nikon). I believe Canon DSLR sensors are built in-house are there is little else left (except Foveon for Sigma).
If this market picture is correct then Kodak has been out of the grop sensors game for almost 4 years (which is a lot) even though I think they are the major player in Medium Format (which is a high resolution/low ISO game).
BTW even though I voted on the 30MP sensor, I have serious doubts about current lens resolution and usefull aperture range before difraction.
err….
can i have 16mpx fuji superCCD EXR sensor with some kind of hybrid switchable mechanical/electronic shutter..
mechanical shutter for most of the time and electronic shutter when i want a very high sync speed (so i can use cheap off shoe flash with speed at 1/1000)
Amazing how many people these days insist that any new camera, DSLR or otherwise, MUST have video or it will not survive, but do not want a dedicated 5M video optimised sensor. You only need about 2M for full HD, so 5M will still be future proof for a while.
Me, I do not want video in a stills camera.
Finally some decent sensors hopefully.
Wow… think about the price of this sensor. Kodak are developing a sensor specifically for Olympus, just like they have for the Leica M9. It will also be a sensor technology that Kodak are not currently employing (CMOS in stead of CCD), so that will only add to the R&D cost.
One can only guess that Olympus are not completely happy being so dependent on Panasonic for the sensors in m4/3. But it can only be sensible if the quality improves with these new sensors, or if Olympus can get the sensors cheaper this way, which seems unlikely given the above.
So what is the point of this sensor development? Perhaps testing of different sensors goes on all the time in the R&D departments of camera manufacturers and Olympus are just trying to put pressure on Panasonic this way?
Kodak has exited the CMOS sensor business and the people who were working in that division have found jobs elsewhere.
If Kodak were to produce a sensor for Olympus cameras it would be a CCD and nothing else. This would have severe limitations. It’s highly unlike that HD video would be supported in such a device.
A few months back there was an interview in the Spanish DSLR Magazine with some Olympus representatives and this question was asked:
DSLRM:
¿Is Olympus open to the current or future use of sensors from other manufacturers than Panasonic? Back then, for the E-1 and E-500 sensors from Kodak were used…
Olympus (Mr.Sugita, totally convinced and convincing):
It is true that we have worked with other providers than Panasonic, but now for the Live-view functionality in our cameras we are pretty sure that the best technology is the one offered to us by Panasonic. It’s not a commercial or strategic question, it’s about the best quality for the requirements of our system.
(Of course, Olympus would never admit that they might change their sensor provider until they actually do it, so the answer might mean nothing at all).
Here is the interview:
http://www.dslrmagazine.com/digital/tecnicas-de-fotografia-digital/cp-y-olympus-entrevista.html
No, No, No. Kodak closed down their CMOS development division. Therefore this rumor must be false.
I’m still a user of Kodak sensor 😀
Better high ISO quality would be great thing. More dynamic range would be another another thing I would love to see. 10 MPix is enough for my prints.
Foveon is interesting technology. I’m looking forward on Fuji’s development too.
The only true constraint the E-3’s sensor imposes on my work is dynamic-range related. Kodak seems to be leading in this department, although it has always produced CCDs. May this new Kodak sensor somehow relate to the rumors about a new Olympus mount? Just wondering.
Make all of ’em YEAH !
A CMOS sensor would be a total reversal for Kodak. They aren’t selling any today, http://www.kodak.com/global/en/business/ISS/Products/index.jhtml?pq-path=11937/11938 and the understanding in the industry is that they’ve bailed out of CMOS http://image-sensors-world.blogspot.com/2010/05/kodak-officially-announced-it-has.html
Kodak’s strength is low-volume, high-quality CCD sensors. It would be entertaining if Olympus got them to build a monochrome one—or one in square format (with the full 21.6mm diagonal of 4/3).
I’m glad Olympus is shopping around for alternate sensor solutions. I’m sure they didn’t like being tied to Panasonic’s sensors when Panasonic is a competitor in the market segment. Makes sense. It should also put some pressure on Panasonic to improve their pricing and their quality. On the downside, I hope it doesn’t signal a rift between the two companies that might jeopardize the future of this format.
Kodak may be developing their own 4/3 camera too.
http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/23558/kodak-micro-four-thirds/
WOW. OK Kodak ditch their Cmos. but a Kodak CCD would be like a dream come true. Kodak CCDs are still the Best Sensors out there and used in the MF sector as well as by Leica for their M9(M8.X) and S2.
I would ditch Video and Liveview immediately if a could get a Kodak CCD in return. Also this would be the key part for a the real E1 successor.
B
Hi Admin and everyone!
Just wondering, do your sources have an update regarding Fuji-Film’s Organic CMOS Sensor and of Olympus possibly adopting that tech?
Heres a link about the Fuji Organic CMOS Sensor: http://image-sensors-world.blogspot.com/2009/10/fujifilm-organic-cmos-sensor.html
It has been a couple of years since it was developed and Fuji has been very quite about it, same goes for their latest EXR tech news as Fuji is very lively when they announce a new sensor ready to market.
And heres another link that may confirm Fuji’s new development of Super CCD Sensors for Olympus + possibly development of Fujinon lenses for 4/3’s: http://www.fujifilm.com/news/n100607.html
Anyway thanks for posting this latest sensor partnership news rumor! I got very exited reading it as Ive been a long time Fuji Super CCD HR VIII & EXR 1 user (S100FS bridge cam & F200EXR pocket cam) as well as a very happy E-30 user & do not mind Panasonic Sensors but still do miss the added DR benefit of a Super CCD design; most especially with the EXR in 6MP binned mode (though EXR in HR mode still is problematic) for enhanced DR recording.
I do not mind other sensors and the more the marrier! The Sigma Foveon Sensor along side a higher Kodak MP sensor idea for 4/3 is really ringin bells for me as well! The possibilities are simply sky high + would benefit the development of an Olympus Modular system for the future of different users.
Thanks again Admin and more power to 43rumors!
I
Kodak produce a new 8MP sensor
this is a 8MPixel 4/3 format sensor and if you read the pdf
you can found interesting features
for example the suppression of the image blooming for electronic shutter use !!
i think is a CCD sensor for the trine camera because in the PDF linked below you can found :
“The sensor shares common pin-out and electrical configurations
with other devices based on the KODAK TRUESENSE 5.5 micron Interline Transfer Platform,
allowing a single camera design to support multiple members of this sensor family.”
😉
http://www.kodak.com/global/plugins/acrobat/en/business/ISS/productsummary/Interline/KAI-08050ProductSummary.pdf
matteo is right, we forget about 3CCD Kodak option in the poll 😉
Nice piece of news. I hope they make a body too. The more choice the better. Panasonic sensors squeeze pretty good image quality out of 4/3 surface, so it would be nice if Olympus used both types in different bodies. I too hope this is not a sign of rift between them, although we are yet to see GH1 sensor in an Oly body.
Lots of good rumors lately ( Ricoh, Pentax and now Kodak actively participating in 4/3 ), let’s hope at least some of them come true.
False…
Olympus won´t make cameras with CCD or Foveon sensors with limited video. Sadly the market wants video.
“Sadly the market wants video”
Yes, but in a modular camera setup, if the sensor is changeable, that’s less of an issue. You can have your cake and eat it too, by switching modules. Not saying that’s what I think Olympus is coming out with …
@Din & Zaph,
“Sadly the market wants video”…maybe the market wants video, but users don’t seem to want a dedicated/optimised sensor, see the poll results above. As I have said many times, and will say again, as a photgrapher I do not want (or need) video, I work with still images.
J.
That would be VERY good news if this turn to be true
Kodak sensor are IMO vastly superior to Panasonic sensors. As a matter of fact , the best digital results I ever got was either with Kodak or Sony sensors
( Olympus E1 and Leica m8 / M9 come to mind about Kodak sensors)
Back to Kodak! Panasonic is rubbish… Yuhuuuuuu 🙂
The Kodak advantage is with PMOS
Kodak sensors have always been noisy with weak high ISO and that’s the case in the Leica too (but the sheer size helps there).
The only possible advantage I can think of is if Kodak can use the offset microlenses (not sure who has the patent) that are seen in the Leica rangefinders. Then it might be possible to make more compact lenses, particularly for µ43, without too bad corner performance.
I cannot see it being a CCD like Leica though Erik, any CCD type would have to be of Interline Transfer type (the Leica is FFT). A PMOS with global shutter would see unrestricted flash sync speed as well as being able to support video.
They seem to make a lot of talk about their Truesense technology, I would imagine the microlens layer on that is of the gapless variety. At the very least this should surpass APSC sensors with the possible exception of Sony’s EXMOR which is about to appear on the SLR series.
Doubt it will be a CMOS sensor from Kodak. They don’t do CMOS anymore, as pointed out above. I would love to see a Kodak CCD with an emphasis on higher DR. Panny nMOS was never really good at DR or noise. Hope CCD will be better. Also, a CCD sensor would show that they are still serious about still photography, instead of pandering to the needs of full time live view and video.
CCD in sot for video ?
CCD sensor devices are first video sensor devices !
the question is :
iwhy kodak project in 2010 a new ccd Sensor with an electronic sahutter and a low blooming factor ?
bye
Yes as we all know Kodak closed their US based CMOS fab plant as it was uncompetitive against other options. However they do not need to manufacture CMOS variants themselves,
http://www.physorg.com/news5184.html
it was reported that business went over to IBM as a fab supplier but the designs are still Kodak, this relationship has been in effect since around 2004 and there are many more recent references which suggest a more recent continuation. This isnt an unusual position in the sensor fab business
And note this entry here
http://www.dpreview.net/news/0802/08020602kodaktruesense.asp
“Kodak has reported that this hole-counting technology reduces crosstalk between adjacent pixels by three to four times. This is thought to be because the holes are less mobile than electrons and cannot jump to adjacent pixels (the remaining crosstalk is thought to be due to light spilling between pixels, rather than the holes). Dark current (essentially the background noise generated by the sensor itself) is reduced by more than 30 times – a benefit that comes from the differing chemistry of pMOS-based pixels. Pixel temporal noise, the randomly occurring noise that builds up over the time the sensor is active, is reduced by around 40%.”
So as we can see they still have an interest in PMOS types, PMOS like NMOS is of the same family of sensors as CMOS with different silicon and wiring, this technology along with Truesense layer technology gains an additional 2 stops over conventional resources.
I don’t care how or how who produces the sensor. I just want the next flagship Olympus model to handle high ISO’s with minimal noise, at least to level of the Nikon d90. An inbuilt HDR feature would be nice too. Leave the HD video to the wanna be Griswolds.