You may be surprised how the OEM world works :)
Although, here it may be a different situation according to the speculations in this forum, Nikon may be the designer and Sony the producer...

And don't forget how expensive it is to set up a chip fab- not just in terms of money (in excess of $5 billion) but also expertise and time, which are equally difficult to acquire. Just because Sony or some other fab isn't doing a good job doesn't mean Nikon can go out and start making their sensors. And just because Nikon makes a couple of important components (like the mask steppers) doesn't mean they have anywhere near the amount of expertise to do so either.

I think this thread should be named "Lost in Translation".

Manufacturing does not equal designer. Just because Sony manufacturers sensors, does not mean they are "Sony" sensors. If Nikon designs a sensor they have to contract is out to a manufacture to be made. The manufacture builds it to Nikon's specs. Stamping names to chips can only happen if you own the patent. If Nikon owns it, Sony can't stamp it or claim it is theirs.

I think the confusion over everything is derived from the "saving face" of the Japanese culture.

The D3X sensor is made by Sony (tweaked by Nikon). The D3/S/D700 sensor is not made by Sony. That sensor is not found in any other Sony camera like the 24mp sensor from the D3X. It is believed that perhaps the D3/S/700 sensor might actually be a revised version of Nikon's LBCAST. They just don't call it a LBCAST even though technically it is a type of CMOS. Nikon's D3100 sensors is also not made by Sony.

Nikon have announced that they designed the sensor. Nikon has no wafer fabrication capability so they outsource the sensor production, but they are keeping the foundry close to their chests, so close that we must speculate to identify the source. The obvious choice would be Sony, who build the sensor used in the Nikon D2X, however there are no Sony markings on the device, and the device structure is markedly different from the other Sony CIS we have analyzed.

I believe Nikon would stick with a Japanese foundry. An interesting possibility is Renesas, they have close ties with Nikon, supplying several imager processor chipsets, they have a patent portfolio in image sensors indicating they have active r+d in this field, and they have the fab capabilities.

well according to my information ,the manufacturer of D3 sensor is Sony Corporation but i do not know why they do not want to give credit to the Sony because they are the actual manufacturer rather than Nikon .

Haven't head that one before. I think I was reading on Thom (seems to always be one of his questions to Nikon with each new camera) and he said, Nikon said it was a Nikon design and Sony manufacture.

NSXType-R said:
Doesn't Nikon make chips for industrial use? I know it's a stupid idea, but why couldn't they just make it themselves?

Building chip vs sensors are very different things. You are talking about Tens of millions if not into the hundreds range and many years to stand up a plant that can build sensors. Then you have to pump out enough sensors to pay for the plant. Leica doesn't even do that.

The only DSLR manufactures that have plants that I know of are Canon, Sony, and I think Panasonic have sensor factories for larger sensors out the camera big boys. Other companies build the tiny sensors for phones and some digi cams.

Think of it this way - The buttons on your shirt, are only made in ONE of TWO factories left in the world and they are both in China. Both are on the threshold of being unable to make money if their pay per worker, rises above $2 per day.

There was another thread about this. It's not 100% but the rumor seems to be that the D3/S and D700 sensors are designed by Nikon and manufactured by a company called Renesas in Japan.

Doesn't Nikon make chips for industrial use? I know it's a stupid idea, but why couldn't they just make it themselves?

I know the sensors for 12 mp and below were probably made by Sony.

D40 shoutout- last 6 mp Nikon body!

I have read all the same (designed by Nikon - manufacturing by Sony) on all the D3-s and D700. D300/s are a Sony design. Not sure on the rest.

I have never seen anywhere that Nikon actually builds sensors. They develop (design) many and has Sony build them. Sometimes they use Sony's designs and tweak them. It doesn't make any difference who manufacturers hardware. Tear a computer apart, there will be chips from HP, Motorola, Mitsubishi, Texas Instruments and a slew of generic companies. What makes differences is the design between the peices and the software that drives the hardware.

No one calls an Iphone garbage since it is made in China. It is all about how the hardware is utilized.

casperwb said:
now to answer why Nikon uses Sony sensors:

Yorihiko Kojima
Director Sony Corporation Tokyo , JP Sector: CONSUMER GOODS / Electronic Equipment

I'm at a loss what that proves or where the connection is at. Directors of Boards look out for shareholders not day to day activities or decisions.

Too bad the thread, and sensor question is about the D3(s) not the D3x.

now to answer why Nikon uses Sony sensors:

Yorihiko Kojima
Director
Sony Corporation
Tokyo , JP
Sector: CONSUMER GOODS / Electronic Equipment

69 Years Old
Yorihiko Kojima, Outside Director (Member of the Board) Since: 2010, Current Position within Sony: Member of the Nominating Committee Principal Business Activities Outside Sony: Chairman of the Board, Mitsubishi Corporation, Director, NISSIN FOODS HOLDINGS CO., LTD. Director, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Prior Positions: 2004- Member of the Board, President, Chief Executive Officer, Mitsubishi Corporation ,2001- Member of the Board, Senior Executive Vice President, Group Chief Executive Officer, New Business Initiative Group, Mitsubishi Corporation, 2000- Managing Director, Group Chief Executive Officer, New Business Initiative Group, Mitsubishi Corporation.

there was no definite answer to this question, so here goes:

Nikon has officially responded to the question many have asked about who manufactured its Nikon D3x CMOS sensor. It is indeed manufactured by Sony; however Nikon clarified that they design the CMOS sensor. Here is the official statement from Nikon:

The Nikon D3X’s 24.5-megapixel FX-format (35.9 x 24.0mm) CMOS sensor was developed expressly for the D3X in accordance with Nikon’s stringent engineering requirements and performance standards, with final production executed by Sony. Featuring refined low-noise characteristics, 12 and 14 bit output, Live View capability and more, the D3X’s unique sensor design was carefully blueprinted to perform in perfect concert with proprietary Nikon technologies including EXPEED Image Processing and the Scene Recognition System. Meticulous efforts allowed the sensor to become one of the many essential components and technologies which contribute to the D3X’s superior image fidelity.

we can now put this thread to bed. smile

Cool joke about the beer guys, ...
But Sanyo is the world's largest manufacturer of rechargeable batteries and one of the world largest semiconductor manufacturers.
It was founded by the brother-in-law of Konosuke Matsushita who was founder of a Panasonic by the way, cute how Japanese still manage to keep everything inside the family.

I've got a Nikon Koozie for my beer, burp :^)

Hmm Nikon beer, I'd give it a try.

Sanyo is the company that makes Nikon Coolpix sensors so there is another possibility, though they are now subsidiary of a Panasonic company, part of Matsushita corporation, so it is not likely that this cooperation will continue.

Go to the Nikon USA website and look under Press Releases, in there you'll see a photo gallery. Nikon has pictures of the internals of their cameras including the the sensor. The pictures of the D3 and D3s sensors looks very similar but completely different than that of the D3x and D300s. I do believe the D3 and D3s sensors are by the same manufacturer which is different than that of the D300s, and D3x. Nikon definitely has at least two sensor suppliers for their DSLRs

Even the sensor from the D3X is listed as Unknown on DpReview, but everyone sure agree that it is made by Sony and modified by Nikon ($3000 cost)

Pete

Gee, and I thought you would have picked Kirin Brewery as the crown jewel.

Yes Nikon is a crown jewel of the Mitsubishi Empire

bmxdad, you raise an interesting point about Nikon's ability to produce a sensor, something I had my doubts about as well until someone told me Nikon is owned by the Mitsubishi Group, which Wikipedia seems to confirm. My guess is they would have the ability to develop a sensor through a related company. Hell, they could even brew their own Nikon beer from Kirin Brewery :-)

Take a look, the Mitsubishi Group is an interesting group of companies http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi

maybe because it's actually made by...gasp....canon!

But really I'm pretty sure it's a Sony. Sony makes sensors between 12 and 24mp but Nikon has yet to tweak them for their own uses. Not sure why Nikon makes the D3 sensor such a secret. I guess it's their flag ship model (yes I know D3X) so they don't want to give Sony credit or they've tweaked it enough that they feel it's their own but can't really say that since it starts life as a Sony.

Hi NikoDoby: I am not certain and no-where is it stated that the sensor is from Sony like the other sensors are, The reason for the post was that someone stated that they wanted a higher MP sensor from the maker of the 12 MP sensor. So before you can get a new FX camera between 12 and 24 someone has to make that sensor and the sensor has to be cost effective.

So Why on DpReview is sensor Manufacture listed as: unknown

Pete

I don't remember where I heard but I recall that the D3 sensor is in fact made by Sony.

Why is that it is clearly stated that Sony is the manufacture of D300, 90, 5000 etc sensor(plus many other CCD sensors also), with Nikon doing the final work on them, but newer clearly stated who makes the D3(s) sensor. Is Nikon ashamed to let people know that maybe Samsung made it. I don't believe that Nikon could actually make a complete sensor.

What do you think, and maybe include some links to info on this if you find some

Pete