Sony to stop CCD sensor production in 2017

[IanL]

Title says it all really. They will still be shipping them until 2020 apparently. After that it will be CMOS only from Sony. Details here:

http://www.alliedvisiontec.com/emea/news/news-display/article/sony-announces-end-of-ccd-sensor-production.html

[red dwalf]

ohh no, have they not thought about we who image.

[SnakeyJ]

I suspect a ruse to induce panic buying in the astro and industrial imaging markets. Born cynical ;-)

[Akiainavas]

I suspect a ruse to induce panic buying in the astro and industrial imaging markets. Born cynical ;-)

I think this might be the case. Sony is seriously trying to restructure the company. They already announced completely dropping SLR cameras in favour of mirror-less etc.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Given the way CMOS chips have improved (not least their own, like the IMX174), I am not too surprised to see them consider this move.

[JB80]

Sony is hemorrhaging money though, the only departments that are making money is the gaming one and smart phone camera sensors, mainly because they supply the iphones camera.

In a way I don't blame them for restructuring but I think we will lose a lot more Sony products in the future otherwise they'll go bust. Personally I think all the cuts are in a last ditch attempt to keep them afloat.

Shame I have always been a Sony fan.

[SnakeyJ]

Sounds like I might have to buy that CCD sooner then!

[r3i]

Apart from Kodak, are there any other manufacturers of the kind of sensors that we have in our cameras?

[andrew s]

Sounds like I might have to buy that CCD sooner then!

E2V do but only at the top end. See for example the FLI web site.

Regards Andrew

[ollypenrice]

It's difficult to make this sound like good news...

Olly

[Chris]

I know this is a little way off, but I do wonder what this will mean for Atik down the line?

[SnakeyJ]

I suspect Sony would sell off the production rights for its current range, which may mean the chips remain in production for a while - at least the more profitable ones!

[astromerlin]

Don't worry, by 2020 they'll be permanent cloud cover anyway so it wont matter.  

[johnrt]

Urgh. Worst news ever.

[riklaunim]

Sony is hemorrhaging money though, the only departments that are making money is the gaming one and smart phone camera sensors, mainly because they supply the iphones camera.

iPhone cameras on their own are one of many many deals. Sensors are widely used in vision systems, automotive idustry and alike. iPhone is just a fraction.

Apart from Kodak, are there any other manufacturers of the kind of sensors that we have in our cameras?

Kodak sensor department was sold long ago and lived as TrueSense imaging, which now also is sold somewhere somehow.

CMOS are just easier to design and use. They require less electronics. Sony already has small/average sized CMOS sensors, while other like CMOSIS have very big - http://www.cmosis.com/products/standard_products - even to the point of Atik 11000. CCDs are not a must for astrophotography.

[JamesF]

I know this is a little way off, but I do wonder what this will mean for Atik down the line?

I had been wondering that myself.

James

[Zakalwe]

A LOT of technology will be advanced by then. Electronics, cooling, power management, bus interfaces and so on will have advanced. I expect that there'll be a more than suitable replacement. I'd also expect, especially if it is a profitable market, that another chip fab would sprout up.

I'd also think that in another 5 years that we will see a lot more embedding of software in the electronics. Just look at what QHY are trying with their Intercam- embedded WiFi, inbuilt webserver, ability to act as the controller for the whole system (imagine plate-solving, mount control and guiding all in the camera!).  Of course, they will still need a sensor, but someone somewhere will be making one.

[JB80]

iPhone cameras on their own are one of many many deals. Sensors are widely used in vision systems, automotive idustry and alike. iPhone is just a fraction.

Yes that is true but it is those other markets and contracts that Sony intend to increase, their market share in the automotive industry is only a small 5% considering Sony practically own the overall CMOS market by more than double their nearest competitor.

The iPhone and smart devices is what has driven their sensor profits and on the back of that they are wishing to gain a larger market share and do the same in other sensor related areas.

[riklaunim]

I expect that there'll be a more than suitable replacement. I'd also expect, especially if it is a profitable market, that another chip fab would sprout up.

CCD is becoming old technology. Don't expect CCD revolution. Every big vendor is doing CMOS and CMOS is the future on sensor market. And there is no need for CCD in astrophotography, especially in upcoming years where ever year brings better and better sensors. There still will be very specialized CCDs like those from e2v, but those are very high grade products not found in amateur equipment.

CCDs are not mandatory. Years of bad reputation in astro-community made the illusion that CCD is required while CMOS is trash.

Just look at http://image-sensors-world.blogspot.com and how many news is about CMOS... like for example this one.

[Dave Lloyd]

Sony would be shooting themselves in the foot if they couldn't service the CCD market with alternatives.

[riklaunim]

Sony would be shooting themselves in the foot if they couldn't service the CCD market with alternatives.

They already have, like for example theirs recent hot-seller Pergius CMOS sensors.

[Zakalwe]

CCD is becoming old technology. Don't expect CCD revolution. Every big vendor is doing CMOS and CMOS is the future on sensor market. And there is no need for CCD in astrophotography, especially in upcoming years where ever year brings better and better sensors. There still will be very specialized CCDs like those from e2v, but those are very high grade products not found in amateur equipment.

CCDs are not mandatory. Years of bad reputation in astro-community made the illusion that CCD is required while CMOS is trash.

Absolutely.

Technology marches on. CCD is a bit like CRT TVs. In some ways its better than LCD (colour brightness, gamut and dynamic range), but they are old tech. The Sony announcement is no different to flat panel manufacturers ceasing production of plasma for LCD/OLED.

[Dave Lloyd]

They already have, like for example theirs recent hot-seller Pergius CMOS sensors.

Yes, I think with the way this technology advances in 5 years we'll wonder what the fuss was about.

[FLO]

Yes, I think with the way this technology advances in 5 years we'll wonder what the fuss was about.

From what we are hearing from one or two camera manufacturers that is true. There is a new technology that currently costs tens of thousands but is expected to become much more affordable in a relatively short space of time. They did explain it to me but it was a while ago and I confess most of it went over my head. It was along the lines of independent auto-adjustable gain levels for each and every pixel for greater dynamic range, or something like that. I'll make some phone calls tomorrow and scribble some notes. 

Steve 

[sharkmelley]

Even without further technology developments, if Sony made a mono version of the CMOS 12MP full-frame sensor in the Sony A7S that would be a competent astro camera.  Read noise down to 1 electron or less and Quantum Efficiency around 65%. It would eliminate the necessity for those extremely long Narrowband exposure times in one fell swoop.

The A7S allowed respected astrophotographer Thierry Legault to produce stunning real time aurora imagery at 25fps:

http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/480866-fast-moving-real-time-auroras-in-norway/

Mark