Apple Just Patented an Image Sensor with 20 Stops of Dynamic Range

20 consumer451 3 6/27/2025, 6:05:15 AM ymcinema.com ↗

Comments (3)

consumer451 · 8h ago
From a very informative discussion on r/cinematography, which may have one of the best signal to noise ratios of any internet forum:

> I'm reading the patent abstract and it sounds like they're achieving 20 stops with a lot of CPU logic via a logic die being attached to the sensor/attached to each photosite.

> "An image sensor includes a logic die, including column readout circuits and bitlines connected to the column readout circuits. A sensor die is overlaid on the logic die. The image sensor includes an array of detector elements, each including a sensing circuit on the sensor die, which includes a pho-todiode, a floating diffusion node connected to one of the terminals of the photodiode, a reset transistor coupled to the floating diffusion node, and a source follower transistor. In each detector element, a pixel circuit on the logic die includes a select transistor, which has an input coupled to the output of the source follower and an output coupled to one of the bitlines. A current memory circuit is coupled to the input of the select transistor and is configured to sense and output a signal indicative of a level of noise in the detector element."

https://old.reddit.com/r/cinematography/comments/1lkijkw/app...

rickydroll · 39m ago
It appears it would work nicely in a dedicated astrophotography camera, particularly for solar eclipses.
Oarch · 2h ago
Looks really promising!

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