Nowadays, the technology in the imaging industry is indeed developing rapidly, but when it comes to the main changes in CMOS, the most core imaging component, it seems that only the pixel count is getting higher and the read speed is getting faster. However, to achieve high-quality imaging effects, it is still necessary to equip the camera with a large and long lens to obtain better image quality. To further reduce the lens size while maintaining image quality, curved CMOS technology is an option, but this technology has not yet been commercialized. When will we be able to buy a camera with curved CMOS?

Recently, the NHK Scientific and Technical Research Laboratories revealed to foreign media that they are studying silicon imaging components with a thickness of 0.01mm that can be freely bent, and plan to complete the research and development of concave curved silicon components in 2025, with commercialization expected around 2030. There will be almost no distortion in the imaging field of this curved CMOS.

It is understood that with this curved CMOS, the lens design no longer requires necessary lenses to correct image distortion, and the reduction in lenses also reduces the number of light refractions, thus ensuring sharp optical performance. The lens size can be reduced by 33% compared to current lenses.

In addition to NHK Scientific and Technical Research Laboratories, Sony Semiconductor and Curve One from France also hold relevant technology patents for curved CMOS. However, cameras using curved CMOS should not be compatible with existing lenses on the market, so Sony Semiconductor is likely to be more cautious about commercializing curved CMOS. Perhaps compact cameras with non-interchangeable lenses will be the preferred option for curved CMOS cameras. However, the Sony RX1R series has not been updated for a long time, so which camera manufacturer will be the first to take the lead? We may have to wait five years to find out.