Melville, NY, Jan. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canon U.S.A., Inc. today announced that its parent company, Canon Inc. (TYO:) announced the release of two new 1/1.8-inch CMOS sensors, the LI7070SAC (color) and LI7070SAM (monochrome), with approximately 2.12 (1,936 x 1,096) effective megapixels, for applications in categories like security, industrial, and medical uses. They boast enhanced near-infrared shooting sensitivity, which is increasingly in demand, a high dynamic range capture function for operating in environments with significant contrasts between light and dark, and high-sensitivity shooting capability under low-illumination environments.
In recent years, there has been growing demand for near-infrared imaging capabilities in
surveillance and industrial cameras. Accordingly, there has been an increase in uses for
CMOS sensors with near-infrared capability including monitoring traffic and industrial applications. The near-infrared sensitivity of the LI7070SAC has been increased by roughly 2.4 times1 in comparison to the LI70502 (released in October 2020) which similarly measures 1/1.8 inches and features approximately 2.12 effective megapixels. This enables monitoring in dark environments which cannot be seen by the naked eye. The sensors can also be used in industrial applications such as inspection in dark areas and medical uses such as fluorescein angiography.
In addition to the aforementioned near-infrared capability, both sensors feature an HDR drive mode that extends 120dB through a double exposure method which layers two images with differing exposure times. This makes it possible to capture images in high quality while restricting overexposure and crushed shadows in conditions where there is a large difference in brightness, such as when illuminating a light for inspections within tunnels. The sensor achieves a range of 75dB even when operating during normal drive mode.
The outstanding low illumination shooting capability of these sensors further expands their applicability. Although the sensor size is compact, the pixel composition has been engineered to enable high sensitivity, while suppressing noise level. The LI7070SAC can capture full-HD video even in low-illumination environments measuring 0.08 lux, whereas the LI7070SAM operates at a minimum of 0.04 lux3. This makes them particularly suitable for nighttime surveillance of public facilities, roads, and transportation facilities in addition to use in cameras equipped to underwater drones and cameras used in microscopes, which require compact image sensors with a high degree of sensitivity.
You can learn more about LI7070SA NIR here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UxFCHat5c0 and for more information about Canon CMOS Sensors, please visit: https://canon-cmos-sensors.com/
About Canon U.S.A. Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $29.4 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc., as of 2024 has ranked in the top-10 for U.S. patents granted for 41 consecutive years. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To learn more about Canon, visit www.usa.canon.com and connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/canonusa.
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Based on patent counts issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and compiled by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services.
1 Color sensor only.
2 The quantum efficiency of the LI7070SAC at a wavelength of 850 nm (near-infrared wavelength) is 33%, whereas that of LI7050 is 14%.
3 The estimated illumination level from a full moon is 0.3 lux, while that of a crescent moon is 0.01 lux.
- Front view of LI7070SAC CMOS Sensor
Eloise PisanoCanon U.S.A., Inc.episano@cusa.canon.com
Source: Canon U.S.A., Inc.
