Experimental color video capturing equipment with three 33-megapixel CMOS image sensors

We have been developing an ultra high definition television (UHDTV) system with a 7,680 horizontal by 4,320 vertical pixel resolution and a 60 Hz frame rate. This system, which is called Super Hi-vision (SHV), is expected to serve the next generation of broadcasting services. We have just completed the world's first imaging equipment that is capable of capturing video at a full SHV resolution. In designing this equipment, we decided to develop three new devices, taking into account the camera performance and the ease of implementation. First, we developed a 33-megapixel CMOS image sensor. Its pixel size of 3.8 &mgr;m sq. retained the dynamic range of the sensor above 60 dB even with a 3-transistor pixel structure. Second, a fixed focal length lens was developed to create an adequate MTF right up to the limiting resolution of the sensor. Third, we developed a signal-processing device capable of handling 72 Gbps signals and cascading boards to expand the process. SHV images with a modulation of 20% at the Nyquist frequency were obtained by using these three key technologies.