Last week we posted a rumor (with lo SR2 credibility) about a possible Sony camera with foveon sensor that could be announced in 2012. One of our good sources just said that yes, it’s true Sony developing three layered sensors (like the Sigma foveon sensor) but there will be no camera in 2011-2012 using such a sensor. According to the source the technology is not mature for commercial use yet but it could be ready for commercialization in 3-4 years.
12 Responses
how sad.
worst news lately. 🙁
Sigma, I’m coming for you 🙂
Wow… now that’s impressive that your sources know such things! 😀
Sad news that the Foevon-alike camera won’t happen, but… there’s some hope for 3xCMOS, right? 😉
great news! at least a77 can last longer 😀
great news!
at least they are developing the thing and thinking of ways to make it better, they didn’t rush the technology.
So now, our only choices for 2011-2012 are A77 and A99? That’s it?
That’s not surprising – If they were to commercialize a three well/three layered sensor they would probably require that it have a much higher spatial resolution than the currently available Foevon sensors.
Regarding commercialization, I wouldn’t be surprise if they released a ‘hybrid’ sensor, (with two layers for Blue/Red in one photodiode and separate photodiode for Green), before they released a three layer sensor.
when sony puts this sensor on the market sigma will be dead
Imho, when Sigma puts SD1 on the market many others will be dead
Not really. Sigma doesn’t have too big lens offer, and there’s no alternative to Sigma own lenses, nor too many adapters.
Even though – I wish SD1 a great success cause this can judge the future of 3-layer sensors as such and decide how soon we’ll see such sensors from other manufacturers.
a simple question:
if Foevon-alike sensor is that superior as people shout around the internet, normal people and pro photographers will be interest a lot in it,right?
and the producer who has that technology will have a lot of competitive advantages, right?
so why Sony doesn’t take a glance but delays it for such a long time (3 years in digital age is like decades in the old days)?
It’s very difficult technology to develop, so far only one company actually manage to achieve any deal of commercial success (though I wouldn’t call it a success anyway) with it – Foevon.
There are dozens of tech problems with such sensors, to give one random – they tend to have much higher natural vignetting if rays of light don’t fall sheer at it, which doesn’t happen in most of lenses.
There’s also huge problem with megapixel count, though Sigma SD1 seem to solved it already good enough which is a very good sign as Megapixels is what (sadly) makes cameras sale these days.