Samsung Develops Innovative Method to Mimic Global Shutter on Standard Sensors
Capturing fast-moving objects often leads to annoying visual distortions known as the “jello effect” due to how standard rolling shutter sensors operate. While a true global shutter resolves this by reading all pixels simultaneously, the technology is often too complex and expensive to manufacture for high-resolution cameras.
Samsung has reportedly found a middle ground that delivers the benefits of a global shutter without the manufacturing drawbacks. By redesigning the pixel structure and utilizing advanced algorithms, they have created a system that drastically reduces readout time.
The core of this innovation is a new 12-megapixel sensor featuring 1.5 μm pixels arranged in a 2×2 grid. In this design, four pixels share a single Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) unit directly within the pixel structure itself.
This integration allows for much faster signal conversion compared to traditional methods where pixels communicate with the ADC individually. The significantly reduced time gap between pixel readouts creates a “near-global shutter” effect that effectively minimizes unwanted distortion.
It is important to note that this is not a true global shutter, so extreme speeds could theoretically still cause minor issues. However, the performance is close enough to the real thing that it effectively solves the problem for most consumer use cases.
Industry giants are already taking notice of this development. Reports from Korean media suggest that Apple is in discussions with Samsung’s LSI division to potentially incorporate this technology into future iPhone models.
Do you think this “near-global” solution will be enough for mobile photography, or is true global shutter still a necessity? Let us know what you think in the comments.
