What's New! News New Devices Events			View Cart ()   Checkout   MySI Account   Press Release View Our Hot Parts View Our Latest Reports Semiconductor Insights awards Canon the 2004 INSIGHT Award for Most Innovative CMOS Image Sensor Technology FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: More Information Jill Perry Semiconductor Insights (613) 599-5145 ext. 4444 jillp@semiconductor.com Stay Informed: Subscribe to our mailing list OTTAWA, August 12, 2004 - Semiconductor Insights (SI), the leader in technical and patent analyses of integrated circuits and structures, today announced that it has awarded Canon the 2004 INSIGHT Award for Most Innovative CMOS Image Sensor Technology. The specific device analyzed by SI was the sensor found in the EOS 10D camera, which has achieved critical market success and forms the foundation for Canon's Single Lens Reflex (SLR) product line. "Canon's 10D camera is one of the first high end SLRs to use a CMOS image sensor", said Lluis Paris, Director of TECHinsights for Semiconductor Insights. "Canon has been able to achieve the sensitivity of a CCD without introducing the noise typical of a CMOS process. In addition, a CMOS process offers a distinct cost and power advantage over competing CCD plays." Image sensors capture pictures as light falling on each pixel and record it as electrical charges. Stray electrical charges captured by the sensor are referred to as noise. All image sensors experience some noise, especially at long exposures. However, noise in CMOS image sensors has traditionally inhibited their use in higher quality cameras. Canon has resolved many of these issues with its innovative image sensor and EOS 10D camera. The EOS 10D incorporates a 6.3 megapixel CMOS sensor offering the same picture area (15.1 x 22.7mm) and aspect ratio (2:3) as previous generations, but delivering superior image quality. Also, a new amplifier circuit boosts the S/N (signal to-noise) ratio to provide an extended sensitivity range from ISO 100 to 3200 and superior noise reduction at all ISO speed settings. SI recently completed a teardown of Canon's EOS 10D camera, along with detailed circuit and structural analyses of the image sensor. "Our analysis revealed the secret of the image sensor's enhanced image quality to be peripheral circuitry improvements and a refined manufacturing process," said Paris. "The EOS 10D camera also applies a novel approach to address the noise problem. It stores the image, clears the sensor, and then measures the pattern of noise in the sensor and subtracts this from the image file. By following a system approach, Canon is able to take advantage of a low cost, low power CMOS process, without sacrificing image quality." "Canon is committed to being a leader in the digital imaging market, and we are pleased to be recognized by Semiconductor Insights for our innovative CMOS technology," said Yukiaki Hashimoto, senior vice president, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. "The image sensing technology used in our EOS 10D camera provides the platform from which to expand our leadership position in the digital still camera market." In addition to the EOS 10D camera, the award-winning CMOS sensor technology is incorporated into Canon's EOS-Digital Rebel, EOS-1Ds and the EOS-1D Mark II. Read our Insight Report on the Canon 10D Image Sensor ### About Semiconductor Insights — A Division of UBM Semiconductor Insights (SI) (www.semiconductor.com) is the leading technical advisor to the world’s microelectronics community. SI supports its clients through the technical investigation of patents, integrated circuits and electronic systems. Its TECHinsights division helps technology companies benchmark competing devices, improve time to market and solve technical problems while its IPinsights division helps technology companies and legal professionals evaluate, develop and monetize their intellectual property. Typical clients are major electronics and semiconductor corporations in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Europe and North America and the law firms that represent them. SI is a division of UBM (www.unitedbusinessmedia.com). About Canon USA Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. In 2001, the Company was listed as one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America, and was ranked #41 on the Business Week list of "Top 100 Brands." Its parent company Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent-holder of technology, ranking second overall in the U.S. in 2002, with global revenues of $24.5 billion. Canon U.S.A. employs approximately 11,000 people at over 30 locations. For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.