Via ImageSensorsWorld we learned that “Sony will subcontract the manufacture of CMOS image sensors to Fujitsu in an arrangement aimed at lowering production costs without revealing proprietary technologies to overseas foundries” and “The deal with Fujitsu should allow Sony to meet growing demand for image sensors while keeping production costs in check and safeguarding its proprietary technologies in Japan, the Nikkei business daily reported. A spokesman for Sony said the electronics giant has been considering outsourcing some image sensor production to meet strong demand driven by growing sales of advanced digital cameras and smartphones, but declined to comment further. A Fujitsu spokesman declined to comment.”
Is that good or bad news? Let me know what yu think…
21 Responses
Good for Sony.
That’s definitely good news. I’m sure that’s one reason it’s taken Sony so long to replace the A700 and why it was dropped without a replacement, lack of production capacity. Now maybe we will see something sooner than later.
Yep. And that’s why Sony is building new semiconductors factory.
It was the best news when they signed contracts for all these sensors 😉
News said Sony is producing 16,000 pieces of sensor monthly now, but it does not meet the demand by their still camera, video camera and smart phone.
Sony will invest 5 billion US dollars to their sensor product line, plus a sub-contract to Fujitsu to help producing sensors, to increase the quantity to 22,500 pieces monthly.
It is uncertain that Fujitsu will be producing Sony sensor for camera or smart phone.
Just FYI, here is the weekly sales ranking in Japan. (Week Sept.20-26)
1) Canon EOS Kiss X4 Double Zoom Lens Kit
2) Nikon D90 AF-S DX 18-200G VR II Lens Kit
3) Nikon D90 AF-S DX 18-105G VR Lens Kit5
4) Canon EOS Kiss X3 Double Zoom Lens Kit
5) Sony NEX-5 Double Lens Kit (Black)
6) Nikon D5000 Double Zoom Lens Kit
7) Sony NEX-5 Double Lens Kit (Silver)
8) Nikon D3000 Double Zoom Lens Kit
9) Canon EOS Kiss X4 EF-S18-135 IS Lens Kit
10)Sony α55 Double Zoom Lens Kit
(P.S. Canon is now having TV ad campaign to push sales of Kiss X4 and new D60, Sony and Nikon are relatively quiet on TV)
Wooo go NEX 5! Double Lens kit quickly took over the single lens kits?
And what’s a55 doing there? 😉
Quick correction. The camera on TV is Canon 60D.
I am not a Canon nor Nikon user. You wonder how I mix up their model number. D90 50D D300 5D D3000 500D D5000 and so on and on…
Eh.. There’s a D somewhere there.. Close enough =p
As much as I like to remind my Nikon-shooter friends that their sensors come from Sony, this probably is good news. It means they can’t keep up with all the demand. We can assume from the press release that it will be the sensors for P&S, since Sony just spent a bunch of money expanding their in-house sensor production lines earlier this year.
Also remember that Sony’s camcorders (except for the NEX-VG10) use small, back-illuminated CMOS sensors.
As an aside, I’m tired of seeing the flood of APS-C and consumer-level DSLR’s, ready to see something for us pros. Hope they keep the FF sensor production in house.
Quote Shevko:
“(P.S. Canon is now having TV ad campaign to push sales of Kiss X4 and new D60, Sony and Nikon are relatively quiet on TV)”
I’ve been seeing a lot of people (accidentally?) saying things like this gentleman: “Canon D60”. I was just wondering if the name of this model varies around the world, or there is a increasingly ignorant subset of people that keep calling it the D60? Or just a coincidence?
Dear Jason, its my bad. I meant Canon 60D. Got confused with the Nikon stuff. 😛
Considering Sony rumored to be the supplier for the camera sensor in the 5th generation iPhone, they’re absolutely going to need to outsource to meet that kind of demand.
My opinion is it’s good news. Sony can focus on development on firmware and hardware than sensors. As an IC designer, sensor design is not easy, takes quite a bit of development time, much more than software. I will say that this is certainly good, when Sony do devote more development to the Alpha line (I’m not going to bring up A7+ but it has to be mentioned) as a result of this.
Definitely a good news.
I dont understand why people are asuming that this news means that sony is outsourcing developement of the sensors. They are only outsourcing the the manufacturing of the sensors and nothing more.
Sony will still continue to develope it’s sensors in house, nothing’s changed regarding the developement of sensors.
If its a contract with X years of exclusivity will be fine but i think that isnt the better way.
In thinking about this lets consider the doom and gloom of just a few months ago when Thom Hogan floated the idea that Sony was dropping out of the FF market and that the new Nikon D3100 wasnt a Sony sensor. We were wringing our hands wondering if the sky was about to fall in.
Suddenly Sony makes the sensors for 7 of the top 10 selling DSLR kits in japan, Sony sensors are in the exciting new nikons (D3100 and D7000) and Pentax reps are crowing about getting their Sony sensors back, Sony has 3 of the top selling DSLR kits in japan, the new tech cameras are selling gangbusters and getting rave reviews, Sony announces massive increases in capacity and still needs to subcontract out sensor fabrication.
I cant think this is anything but brilliant news.
its a good news from Sony Hey im still wating for the next Sony’s FullFrame diGicam…
Larger production mean cheaper sensors, sounds good to me.
The new Nikons use Nikon sensors according to Nikon, but Nikon just design them. Sony probably produce the D7000 one, but not the D3100-sensor.
@Brett: The reason for the A-700 delay was (is) that Sony’s fast Live View solution was suited for the cheap models, but not the semipro ones because of design limitations (wouldn’t work with a pentaprism, and video mode wasn’t possible). They couldn’t launch a new semipro model without these features.
The new pellix-system solve these problems, but Sony probably wanted to try it out on entry level models first. It will be interesting to see if they feel that it will work on higher end models too.
Eh? Cheaper? Wow I didn’t think that far 😀 Yep. Sounds good. If it’s cheaper because of available capital (Fujitsu’s production facility) instead of quality degradation, I’m all for it.
More cameras on the market will always increase competition and reduce price over time.