Sharp introduces industry’s thinnest camera module with optical image stabilization

The anorexic smartphones have been heating up the market place. With each manufacturer setting a new benchmark in "slimness" category, the latest news from the Sharp's stable spells good news.

The corporation had developed a  a 12.1-Megapixel, 1/3.2-type CMOS camera module with optical image stabilization that features the industry’s thinnest profile (5.47 mm in height). Dubbed RJ63YC100, the shipment of samples will begin from December 2, 2011.

Aimed at smartphones which are increasingly sporting a slender design as well as the demand for portable mobile, the module will address the need for embedded cameras in these devices to deliver superior image quality and camera functionality, including connectivity to AV equipment and personal computers.

According to Sharp, "the optical image stabilizer in this camera module uses a lens-shift system to control the lens inside the module. High-quality images can be captured in a wide variety of situations that are typically prone to blurring caused by camera shake, such as shooting under dim light conditions or shooting moving subjects. The module also supports full HD (1080p) video capture, which enables smartphone owners to take high-definition video with reduced blurring and transfer the video to an LCD TV for viewing on a large screen."

This proprietary high-density packaging technology will make it possible to achieve the "industry’s thinnest profile in this type of camera module." This could well lead to the onset of more "slimmer" devices. So which will be the first smartphone to sport this technology? The likely candidate seems to be Sharp's next Android offering.