8K Extremely-High-Resolution Camera Systems

Research and development of ultrahigh-definition imaging systems that go beyond high-definition television (HDTV) have converged in the field of “4K” and “8K” imaging systems. The 4K imaging systems are used for digital cinema, while the 8K systems have been developed for use in next-generation TV broadcasting systems. The latter at 60 frames/s represents the highest pixel count and frame rate of any system, which includes their transmission design. In this paper, we will present an overview of two “8K” camera systems. One achieves a full resolution of 8K using three 33-Mpixel image sensors. The other is a more compact and practical camera system that uses four 8-Mpixel image sensors. We will also describe the camera functions, evaluation results, and views for future developments.

I. Introduction

The development of ultrahigh-definition imaging equipment has progressed hand-in-hand with the evolution of high-speed video signal processing. A good example of this trend is the advent of “digital cinema,” which has “4K” images [4K images have approximately eight Mpixels (4096 (H) × 2160 (V)] [1].