SANTA CLARA, Calif., — November 3, 2014 — OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: OVTI), a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, today announced the OV23850 and OV21840, a family of PureCel-S™ 20+ megapixel image sensors with image quality and performance comparable to DSCs and DVCs. Using OmniVision's advanced stacked die process, the OV23850 and OV21840 capture stunning images and video in 23.8-megapixel and 21.4-megapixel resolutions, respectively, while maintaining a compact form factor. The sensors' small footprints paired with increased functionality and performance make the OV23850 and OV21840 ideal camera solutions for the next generation of flagship smartphones.  

"Industry experts anticipate that 20+ megapixel image sensors will be the next popular resolution threshold for flagship smartphones in 2015. The OV23850 and OV21840 are designed to facilitate the adoption of this resolution range by smartphone OEMs," said Harish Iyer, senior product marketing manager at OmniVision. “We see the megapixel race in the smartphone segment as heating up, with flagship smartphones reaching toward not only DSC-comparable resolutions, but also advanced features such as fast autofocus, HDR mode, burst mode and slow motion video that today are characteristically restricted to DSCs. The OV23850 and OV21840 can provide OEMs with the opportunity to make the full range of these advanced capabilities a reality for their new flagship devices.”  

The OV23850 and OV21840 PureCel-S sensors leverage the company's new stacked die technology, which separates the imaging array from the image sensor processing pipeline into a stacked die structure. This enables additional sensor functionalities, such as phase detection autofocus (PDAF), two-dimensional contrast fast autofocus and HDR video, while maintaining a small footprint. OmniVision plans to combine the unique two- dimensional contrast-based fast autofocus, which is up to 4x faster than traditional contrast autofocus, with PDAF to offer an optimized hybrid fast autofocus function.
 
Supporting an active array of 5632 x 4224 pixels (23.8 megapixels) operating at 24 frames per second (FPS), the 1/2.3-inch OV23850 reaches an unprecedented resolution level for capturing images and video in a 4:3 aspect ratio in a form factor suitable for smartphones and similar mobile devices. The 1/2.4-inch OV21840 supports an active array of 5344 x 4016 pixels (21.4-megapixel) operating 27 FPS, enabling ultra-high definition burst photography.    

The OV23850 and OV21840 are capable of recording quad high definition (QHD) video at 30 FPS in HDR mode to enable 'always on' HDR preview mode for a resolution size popular with flagship smartphone displays. Additionally, the sensors support 720p HD video at 120 FPS and 1080p HD video at 90 FPS, allowing for crisp slow motion video recording.  

The OV23850 and OV21840 fit into 10.5 x 10.5 mm modules with z-heights of 6.3 and 6 mm, respectively. Both sensors are currently sampling and are expected to enter volume production in the first quarter of 2015.  

About OmniVision

OmniVision Technologies (NASDAQ: OVTI) is a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions. Its award-winning CMOS imaging technology enables superior image quality in many of today’s consumer and commercial applications, including mobile phones, notebooks, tablets and webcams, digital still and video cameras, security and surveillance, entertainment devices, automotive and medical imaging systems. Find out more at www.ovt.com.