Live MOS
Encyclopedia
The Live MOS sensor is a brand name of Image sensor
used by Leica, Panasonic
and Olympus
in their Four Thirds System
DSLR
manufactured since 2006. (Olympus E-330
, Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1
and Leica Digilux 3
).
It is possibly researched and developed by Panasonic.
It is claimed that the sensor can achieve the same image quality as CCD
-based sensors while keeping energy consumption down to CMOS
levels.
Due to low energy consumption, it became possible to add the Live View function to all the Four Thirds Cameras
since 2006 (except the Olympus E-400, E-410, and E-500).
Also, In order to reduce the noise
problem found in the first generation of Four Thirds DSLR cameras, (Olympus E-1
, E-300
, E-400
and E-500
) which used FFT CCD sensors (due to smaller sensor size
compared to the APS-C
size), the Live MOS chip includes completely new noise-reduction technology.
This sensor is also used in Panasonic's
Micro Four Thirds System
camera, the Lumix GH1
, and in the Panasonic DMC-GF1
and DMC-GF2.
Image sensor
An image sensor is a device that converts an optical image into an electronic signal. It is used mostly in digital cameras and other imaging devices...
used by Leica, Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
and Olympus
Olympus Corporation
is a Japan-based manufacturer of optics and reprography products. Olympus was established on 12 October 1919, initially specializing in microscope and thermometer businesses. Its global headquarters are in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, while its USA operations are based in Center Valley, Pennsylvania,...
in their Four Thirds System
Four Thirds System
The Four Thirds system is a standard created by Olympus and Kodak for digital single-lens reflex camera design and development.The system provides a standard that, with digital cameras and lenses available from multiple manufacturers, allows for the interchange of lenses and bodies from different...
DSLR
Digital single-lens reflex camera
Most digital single-lens reflex cameras are digital cameras that use a mechanical mirror system and pentaprism to direct light from the lens to an optical viewfinder on the back of the camera....
manufactured since 2006. (Olympus E-330
Olympus E-330
The Olympus E-330 is a DSLR launched on 30 January 2006, using the Four Thirds System lens mount standard. Its main feature is its live image preview functionality, permitting an image to be previewed on the LCD screen. While live image preview is not new in compact digital cameras, the E-330 is...
, Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1
Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1
The Lumix DMC-L1 was Panasonic's first digital single-lens reflex camera, and was announced in February 2006. This camera adheres to the Four Thirds System lens mount standard, making it the first non-Olympus Four Thirds camera, and thus confirming that the Four Thirds System is a semi-open...
and Leica Digilux 3
Leica Digilux 3
The Digilux 3 is a digital single-lens reflex camera introduced by Leica on 14 September 2006. The Digilux 3 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 are identical cameras, using the Four Thirds standard lens mount and featuring a 7.5 Megapixels live view N-MOS sensor, but the Digilux 3 has improved firmware...
).
It is possibly researched and developed by Panasonic.
It is claimed that the sensor can achieve the same image quality as CCD
Charge-coupled device
A charge-coupled device is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. This is achieved by "shifting" the signals between stages within the device one at a time...
-based sensors while keeping energy consumption down to CMOS
Active pixel sensor
An active-pixel sensor is an image sensor consisting of an integrated circuit containing an array of pixel sensors, each pixel containing a photodetector and an active amplifier. There are many types of active pixel sensors including the CMOS APS used most commonly in cell phone cameras, web...
levels.
Due to low energy consumption, it became possible to add the Live View function to all the Four Thirds Cameras
Four Thirds System
The Four Thirds system is a standard created by Olympus and Kodak for digital single-lens reflex camera design and development.The system provides a standard that, with digital cameras and lenses available from multiple manufacturers, allows for the interchange of lenses and bodies from different...
since 2006 (except the Olympus E-400, E-410, and E-500).
Also, In order to reduce the noise
Image noise
Image noise is random variation of brightness or color information in images, and is usually an aspect of electronic noise. It can be produced by the sensor and circuitry of a scanner or digital camera...
problem found in the first generation of Four Thirds DSLR cameras, (Olympus E-1
Olympus E-1
The Olympus E-1, introduced in 2003, was the first DSLR system camera designed from the ground up for digital photography. This contrasts with its contemporaries which offered systems based on reused parts from previous 135 film systems, modified to fit with a sensor size of APS-C.-Features:The E-1...
, E-300
Olympus E-300
The Olympus E-300 is an 8 megapixel digital SLR manufactured by Olympus of Japan and based on the Four Thirds System. Announced at Photokina 2004, it became available at the end of 2004...
, E-400
Olympus E-400
The Olympus E-400 is a digital single-lens reflex camera launched by Olympus on 14 September 2006, using the Four Thirds System lens mount standard....
and E-500
Olympus E-500
The Olympus E-500 is an 8 megapixel digital SLR camera manufactured by Olympus of Japan and based on the Four Thirds System. It was announced on 26 September 2005...
) which used FFT CCD sensors (due to smaller sensor size
Image sensor format
In digital photography, the image sensor format is the shape and size of the image sensor.The image sensor format of a digital camera determines the angle of view of a particular lens when used with a particular camera...
compared to the APS-C
APS-C
Advanced Photo System type-C is an image sensor format approximately equivalent in size to the Advanced Photo System "classic" size negatives...
size), the Live MOS chip includes completely new noise-reduction technology.
This sensor is also used in Panasonic's
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
Micro Four Thirds System
Micro Four Thirds system
The Micro Four Thirds system is a standard created by Olympus and Panasonic, and announced on August 5, 2008, for mirrorless interchangeable lens digital cameras and camcorders design and development...
camera, the Lumix GH1
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 is a digital mirrorless interchangeable lens camera adhering to the Olympus and Panasonic developed Micro Four Thirds System system design standard...
, and in the Panasonic DMC-GF1
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 is the third camera in Panasonic's Lumix G-series, using the Micro Four Thirds System. Its body design similar to that of the recently released Olympus E-P1, the GF1 is 35% smaller than earlier G models...
and DMC-GF2.