OmniVision's New 5-MP 1080p Camera Sensor Opens Door to Thinner Devices

omnvision ov5690Apple's longtime camera sensor supplier for iOS devices, OmniVision Technologies, today announced the introduction of a new 5-megapixel sensor that could lead to thinner mobile devices while also offering the ability to shoot video at 1080p. The new sensor checks in at under 5 mm high, 20% thinner than other industry-leading sensors.

OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: OVTI), a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, today introduced the OV5690, the first 5-megapixel image sensor to use OmniVision's proprietary OmniBSI-2 pixel architecture. The new 1.4-micron backside illumination pixel allows for a full five megapixels in a 1/4-inch optical format, and combines best-in-class image quality with a 20 percent reduction in camera module height, making it an effective solution for slimmer mobile handsets, smart phones and tablet computers.

While Apple has been claimed by several sources to be planning to use an 8-megapixel camera for the next-generation iPhone, up from a 5-megapixel sensor in the iPhone 4, many of Apple's other mobile devices such as the iPad and iPod touch utilize camera with significantly lower resolutions of under 1 megapixel. With the non-iPhone devices exhibiting thinner form factors than the iPhone, Apple has had to sacrifice on the camera quality and resort to thinner, lower-resolution sensors on those models.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Caution)
Related Forums: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch and iPod

Popular Stories

16 pro

Apple Announces iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max with Larger Displays, New Camera Control, and More

Monday September 9, 2024 11:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max—its latest flagship smartphones—featuring larger displays, an all-new Camera Control button, and the A18 Pro chip. The iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max features a 6.9-inch display—the biggest iPhone display ever. The borders around the display are the thinnest of any Apple device. The...
Glowtime Live Coverage Article 1

Apple Event Live Blog: iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10, and New AirPods!

Monday September 9, 2024 9:21 am PDT by
Apple's "It's Glowtime" event kicks off today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, where we're expecting to see the iPhone 16 lineup and some updated Apple Watch and AirPods models unveiled, and perhaps some other announcements. Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across various platforms. We will also be updating this article with live blog...
airpods max 2024 colors

Apple Updates AirPods Max With USB-C Port and New Colors

Monday September 9, 2024 10:36 am PDT by
Apple today announced that the AirPods Max are being updated with a USB-C charging port and new color options, including Midnight, Blue, Purple, Orange, and Starlight. In addition, Apple said the AirPods Max are gaining support for Personalized Spatial Audio with the upcoming iOS 18 software update. The updated AirPods Max will be available to pre-order for $549 starting today, and the...
iphone 16 pro pro max

First iPhone 16 Carrier Deals Include iPhone 16/16 Pro For Free, $1,000 Off iPhone 16 Pro Max

Monday September 9, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple today announced the latest lineup of iPhones, including the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Pre-orders for these devices begin September 13, and if you plan on ordering from a cellular carrier in the United States, there will be plenty of options for discounts from the major carriers. AT&T is offering the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro at no cost with...
Screenshot 2024 09 09 at 6

Apple Announces Thinner Apple Watch Series 10 With Bigger Screen Than Ultra

Monday September 9, 2024 10:11 am PDT by
Apple at its event today announced the Apple Watch Series 10, featuring a wide-angle OLED display that is larger than the Apple Watch Ultra, with the company describing it as the "biggest display and thinnest design ever." The Series 10 is 9.7mm thick, which is nearly 10% thinner than Series 9, and it weighs 20% less than the Stainless Steel Series 9. The Aluminum cases also weigh up to 10%...
sonny iphone 16 pro colors

New iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro Colors Revealed Ahead of Apple Event

Friday September 6, 2024 5:01 am PDT by
Apple is "shaking up its color palette" for its iPhone 16 lineup this year, according to well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. Early iPhone 16 Pro dummy models via Sonny Dickson According to Gurman, the iPhone 16 Pro models will come in a Gold Titanium to replace Blue Titanium, while the Black, White, and Natural Titanium options that debuted with the iPhone 15 Pro will remain...
iphone 16 lineup colors

Apple Discontinues iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 13

Monday September 9, 2024 2:09 pm PDT by
With the launch of the new iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, Apple has discontinued some of its older iPhones. As of today, Apple is no longer selling the iPhone 13, and the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have been replaced with the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The iPhone SE remains as Apple's most affordable device, with the iPhone 14 and iPhone...

Top Rated Comments

AAPLaday Avatar
174 months ago
Optical zoom > 12mp Phone camera
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mack pro Avatar
174 months ago
Yes, I want to be carrying around an entire desktop computer because power shouldn't be sacrificed! :rolleyes::D

We're getting to the point where any thinner would be too thin. Is it worth sacrificing battery life and speed for a freakin half mm?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
toddybody Avatar
174 months ago
the iPad 2 is quite fast. But the iPad 2 also has a terrible camera.

Agreed. Thats the only issue I have with my iPad2.

IMHO, it wasn't incapability that forced Apple's hands in giving it such ***** cameras...rather laziness and perceived acceptability ("folks wont know the difference" attitude).


Sorry, but I'm tired of my "magical" FaceTime calls looking like Monet Paintings.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
acslater017 Avatar
174 months ago
Yes, I want to be carrying around an entire desktop computer because power shouldn't be sacrificed! :rolleyes::D

Once you get into the 10 mm pocketable range, a millimeter here or there makes less and less of a difference. The human hand and the size of our trouser pockets are the constants.

I'd rather have a bigger battery, better camera, and/or sturdier frame than shave down from 9mm to 7 mm.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nagromme Avatar
174 months ago
5 MP or 1080p means nothing to me. Let's hear about the sensor resolution, not how big photos it can shoot. Nothing there says it's automatically better than a 3-4 MP camera. If the photos are soft in 5 MP, it's just a waste of space.

Agreed. 3PM is ideal for me, though I’m OK with the current 5MP since the iPhone 4 camera’s optics do deliver good results. But let’s not climb towards 8MP and beyond! More MP often means a worse image (greater noise even when scaled down later) not better. It’s a marketing number akin to the old GHz. Reading a number in a bullet list is fun... but not fun enough to make my photo library 40% bigger, slower, and more expensive! I care about image quality more than bullet points.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThisIsNotMe Avatar
174 months ago
We dont want thinner! STOP THE OBESSION WITH THIN.

Especially when it handcuffs power.

Did making the iPad2 thiner handcuff "power"?
Nope, it doubled the "power" and is the fastest tablet on the market.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)