Pre-PMA 2008: In a surprise move Sony today announced its entry into the rapidly-expanding 24×36mm imaging sensor market with its own 24.81 megapixel CMOS offering. Joining Canon and Nikon in the full-frame market, this new chip promises to output all pixels at 6.3 fps with lower noise than other designs of similar pixel-pitch thanks to its “Column-Parallel A/D Conversion Technique” whereby each column of photosites is given its own Analogue to Digital Converter. The ADCs themselves are 12-bit, flying in the face of current trends which are toward 14-bit devices but the combination of speed, dynamic range and sheer resolving power displayed by this sensor make it one to watch for when Sony puts into full production hopefully before the year is out.

Source: News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)