Sphere Entertainment Co has revealed new details of its work with leading semiconductor firm STMicroelectronics to create the world\u2019s largest image sensor for Sphere\u2019s Big Sky camera system.<\/p>\n
Big Sky is the ultra-high-resolution camera system being used to capture content for Sphere in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
Inside the venue, Sphere features the world\u2019s largest, high-resolution LED screen which wraps up, over, and around the audience. To capture content for this 15,000 sq metre, 16K x 16K display, the Big Sky camera system was designed by Sphere Studios \u2013 the in-house content studio developing original live entertainment experiences for Sphere.<\/p>\n
Working with Sphere Studios, ST manufactured a first-of-its-kind, 18K sensor capable of capturing images at the scale and fidelity necessary for Sphere\u2019s display. Big Sky\u2019s sensor \u2013 now the world\u2019s largest cinema camera sensor in commercial use \u2013 works with the world’s sharpest cinematic lenses to capture detailed, large-format images in a way never before possible.<\/p>\n
\u201cBig Sky significantly advances cinematic camera technology, with each element representing a leap in design and manufacturing innovation,\u201d said Deanan DaSilva, lead architect of Big Sky at Sphere Studios. \u201cThe sensor on any camera is critical to image quality, but given the size and resolution of Sphere\u2019s display, Big Sky\u2019s sensor had to go beyond any existing capability. ST, working closely with Sphere Studios, leveraged their extensive expertise to manufacture a groundbreaking sensor that not only expands the possibilities for immersive content at Sphere, but also across the entertainment industry.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cST has been on the cutting edge of imaging technology, IP, and tools to create unique solutions with advanced features and performance for almost 25 years,\u201d said Alexandre Balmefrezol, executive vice president and imaging sub-group general manager at STMicroelectronics. \u201cBuilding a custom sensor of this size, resolution, and speed, with low noise, high dynamic range, and seemingly impossible yield requirements, presented a truly novel challenge for ST \u2013 one that we successfully met from the very first wafer out of our 12\u201d (300mm) wafer fab in Crolles, France.\u201d<\/p>\n
ST\u2019s imaging technologies and foundry services cater to a wide range of markets, including professional photography and cinematography. Big Sky\u2019s 316-megapixel sensor is almost seven times larger and 40 times higher resolution than the full-frame sensors found in high-end commercial cameras. The die, which measures 9.92cm x 8.31cm (82.4 sq cm), is twice as large as a wallet-sized photograph, and only four full die fit on a 300mm wafer. The system is also capable of capturing images at 120 fps and transferring data at 60 gigabytes per second.<\/p>\n
Big Sky also allows filmmakers to capture large-format images from a single camera without having to stitch content together from multiple cameras \u2013 avoiding issues common to stitching including near distance limitations and seams between images. Ten patents and counting have been filed by Sphere Studios in association with Big Sky\u2019s technology.<\/p>\n
Darren Aronofsky\u2019s Postcard from Earth<\/em>, currently showing at Sphere as part of The Sphere Experience, is the first cinematic production to utilise Big Sky. Since its debut, Postcard from Earth<\/em> has taken audiences on a journey spanning all seven continents, featuring visuals captured with Big Sky that make them feel like they have travelled to new worlds without leaving their seats in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n\r\n