SmartSens has announced the latest addition to its SmartClarity product line — SC4210. The new product is a 4 megapixel image sensor based on advanced BSI (back-illuminated) pixel technology, using a 1/1.8 inch optical size to deliver excellent imaging quality in low-illumination environments.

Until now, CMOS image sensor developers have been challenged to achieve clear image recognition in low-light or no-light conditions. Although traditional infrared or white fill light technology can obtain relatively clear images in low illumination environments, it sacrifices image color, and can only produce black-and-white images. With the increasing performance requirements for image recognition in the field of security, surveillance and artificial intelligence (AI), CMOS image sensors are not only required to provide color information, but also better technical indicators such as resolution, sensitivity, dynamic range and frame rate.
With the rapid development of AI and the internet of things (IoT), application scenarios such as smart security, smart industry and intelligent driving have become increasingly popular. For example, in the Chinese market alone, 20 million sets of intelligent monitoring systems equipped with AI technology have been installed. This series of new application scenarios puts higher performance requirements on CMOS image sensors. In order to meet the needs of various industry applications, SmartSens has innovatively integrated the BSI pixel process into the CMOS image sensor development, and launched the SC4210 CMOS image sensor, with market breakthrough of the 1/1.8 inch optical size.
This product has many technical features, including:

  • Large-size pixel structure and high sensitivity: SC4210 uses BSI pixel process to achieve a 3.0 μm large-size pixel structure and a 1/1.8 inch optical size, with sensitivity of up to 4,800 mV/lux-second and maximum signal-to-noise ratio of 43 dB.
  • Ultra-low-light performance: with SmartSens' unique pixel architecture, SC4210 has SNR1s of 0.21 lux.
  • Wide dynamic range: SC4210 supports ultra-high dynamic range (over 100 dB).
  • Near-infrared enhancement: SC4210 features near-infrared (NIR) enhancement, which nearly doubles the quantum efficiency (QE) of the 850 nm to 940 nm band.
  • High frame rate: SC4210 can run at up to 60 fps with 4 megapixel resolution.

The SC4210 CMOS image sensor will be used primarily in applications such as professional security surveillance cameras, face recognition smart cameras, industrial cameras, high-end traffic recorders, motion cameras and video teleconferencing systems. With the powerful performance of the industry-leading 4 megapixel image sensor with 1/1.8 inch optical size, applications can achieve clear color imaging in low-light conditions, greatly improving the scene adaptation of imaging products.

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