Nikon is co-funding a 3D R&D project in Japan
The article is rather technical, so you can just read the whole story here. I wonder what direct benefit would Nikon get out of this research – will we see a Nikon 3D camera in the near future?
FYI – Fuji is planning to release a 3D camera next year.
Related posts:
- New Nikon ad from Japan (updated)
- Scott Kelby was joking
- Nikon D5000 service advisory – check your serial number now
- Interview with Tetsuro Goto
- Second Nikon ad from Japan
This entry was posted in Weird and tagged Nikon 3D camera. Bookmark the
permalink. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.
6 Comments
This looks like nikon precision rather than nikon imaging
I suppose the article refers to a technique about stacking several integrated circuit in a single package, and the solution to interconnect the layers. The “3D” feature means that the package is developed in 3 dimensions, contrary to the current method in which a package contains a single bidimensional integrated circuit. Not directly related to 3D imaging.
At first, it seems that mostly the size of compact cameras would benefit from the smaller footprint of ICs being built 3D-style in several layers using TSV (through-silicon via) connections between the layers.
But then I found this report abstract about a toshiba CMOS imaging sensor called “Dynastron” using TSVs. Also I remembered that in the sensors produced by now Sigma-owned Foveon the light-sensitive silicon is layered, so they might be using TSV as well. Maybe Nikon is hopping onto a trend?
http://www.chipworks.com/seamark.aspx?sm=s4%3BDatedfl10%3BDeviceType17%3BCMOS+Image+Sensorfl10%3BReportCode12%3BCWR-0809-802&cw=detail
At most, this could be applied to the imaging silicon, maybe to bring the A/D converters even closer to the photosite, or getting larger photosites by putting the interconnects on lower layers of silicon (not unlike multilayer PCBs)
As for a 3D camera…that’s not what this is about.
maybe this is the way to improve and make different kind of sensors wich would allow to pass the limit of MP that we are reaching today (keeping the noise level “under control”) ?
The 3D (as in stereoscopic) Fuji camera mentioned at the end of this blog posting is *entirely unrelated* to making 3D chips (i.e., with the circuitry stacked into multiple layers, rather than a single layer as at present.).
And any camera using it would not be a “3D camera” any more than current cameras are “integrated circuit” cameras. However, the circuitry might be smaller, or take less power.