MediaTek Launches Imagiq™ Image Signal Processor

MediaTek Launches Imagiq™ Image Signal Processor, Accelerating the Smartphone Multimedia Revolution Dual camera support, high-definition images and video features offer uncompromising mobile photography experience

MediaTek today announced the Imagiq^TMimage signal processor (ISP), a complete, self-developed application solution for its MediaTek Helio^TM high-end smartphone chipset solution to meet increasing demands for multimedia features. MediaTek Imagiq integrates a number of advanced imaging technologies and photography features, fully leveraging its dual camera design, significantly enhancing image quality and videography experiences, as well as making photography easier. This allows consumers to use smartphones to capture professional photos or videos easily, opening up wonderful possibilities of uncompromising photography.

“Competing in the smartphone industry today requires shifting from focusing on hardware and specifications to content and experience, meaning multimedia technology advancements are the key to winning future smartphone market share,” said Kelvin Jou, Chief Technology Officer and Corporate Vice President, MediaTek. “The camera is an important channel for the mobile device to capture and generate content from the outside world. Imagiq combines a number of advanced technologies that enable cameras to capture and generate high-quality images and video content, transforming smartphones’ photography experiences.”

As dual cameras are becoming standard on high-end smartphones, MediaTek Imagiq is designed to offer the following features, significantly enhancing the dual photography experience:

• Real-Time Large Aperture Depth-of-Field Effect – With the built-in 3D sensor, the ISP can capture depth mapping in real-time, and with a large aperture of greater than f/0.8, it can produce large aperture depth-of-field effects in real-time even for previews.
• Reality Depth of Field (DOF) – Users can map objects and backgrounds to multiple layers with a DOF feature. The smartphone can smartly position the object and background and apply creative effects to each layer in real time to produce photos or videos with DOF effects.
• Bayer and Mono Cameras – This multiple-sensor design can capture three times the light of a traditional single-bayer sensor, thus reducing image noise and increasing quality.
• Dual Camera Zoom – The ISP is equipped with a wide-angle lens and a telescope in its dual camera system. Imagiq combines these wide-angle and zoomed captured images into one image, dramatically increasing image clarity when shooting distant objects.

Excellent image and video quality, as well as convenience and ease-of-use, are two key concerns from consumers in mobile photography, which Imagiq can effectively address.

The image enhancement technologies of Imagiq enable it to produce high quality, vivid, near life-like images even within the demanding conditions of low-light environments and camera shake. It is so simple to operate even everyday users can achieve professional photography quality. Imagiq features include:

• Hybrid Autofocus (Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF) and Laser Auto Focus) – Combining PDAF and Laser AF to realize a faster autofocus speed, which is also applicable in dimly lit environments.
• Pixel-Level Auto Focus – A focus speed and accuracy comparable to the human eye. The focus speed is four times that of traditional autofocus, making it especially suitable for shooting fast-moving objects in real-time.
• New De-Mosaic and Sharpness Engine – With its large-scale texture recognition and implementation of adaptive color image abilities, Imagiq produces smoother and sharper images, which is especially useful when taking photos in dimly lit environments.
• New Adaptive De-Noising Engine – Imagiq reduces image noise even in low-light environments, allowing the ISP to render high quality video and pictures with near life-like quality.

• Automatic Image Stabilization (AIS) – Imagiq can rapidly combine four consecutively captured images into one image, eliminating common blur effects from camera shake.
• TrueBright Engine – With first-time RWWB sensor support, Imagiq powers twice the sensitivity to light of a traditional RGB sensor, allowing consumers to take crisp, clear, high-quality photos even in low light.

• Upgraded 3A HW Engine– Imagiq helps cameras capture more natural, vivid and detailed photos.

In addition to image quality enhancements, Imagiq also offers a rich set of videography features:

• Electronic image stabilization (EIS) and Gyro – Using a sophisticated hardware engine to predict motion, Imagiq eliminates a video’s camera shake and distortion.
• 1/32 Super-Slow Motion – In addition to supporting 720p video, Imagiq can shoot 1080p video at 480 frames per second in 1/32 super-slow motion playback, resulting in a 960 FPS video. Users are also able to edit videos using super-slow motion.
• Temporal Noise Reduction – Imagiq uses advanced temporal noise reduction to locate and reduce pixel movement in videos, resulting in cleaner and more detailed video quality in both video previews and filming.
• 4K HDR Shooting – Support 4K HDR shooting for the first time, producing more compelling video image quality.

MediaTek high-end mobile systems on chip (SoCs) ranging from the currently released MediaTek Helio P20 and Helio X20 to future SoCs will use the Imagiq ISP, allowing smartphone manufacturers to customize their choice of Imagiq’s features according to their needs.

MediaTek will demonstrate some of the main features of Imagiq at the “MediaTek Helio X20 Launch Event” on March 16 in Shenzhen, China.