BIONZ is a line of

image processor An image processor, also known as an image processing engine, image processing unit (IPU), or image signal processor (ISP), is a type of media processor or specialized digital signal processor (DSP) used for image processing, in digital cameras or ...

s used in

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...

digital cameras. It is currently used in many

Sony α Sony α (the lower case to Greek language, Greek letter Alpha (letter), alpha, often transliterated as ''Sony Alpha'') is a digital camera system introduced on 5 June 2006. It uses and expands upon Konica Minolta camera technologies, inclu ...

DSLR A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor. The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between ...

and mirrorless cameras. Image processing in the camera converts the raw data from a CCD or

CMOS Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS, pronounced "sea-moss", ) is a type of metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) fabrication process that uses complementary and symmetrical pairs of p-type and n-type MOSFE ...

image sensor into the format that is stored on the

memory card A memory card is an electronic data storage device used for storing digital information, typically using flash memory. These are commonly used in digital portable electronic devices. They allow adding memory to such devices using a card in a so ...

. This processing is one of the bottlenecks in digital camera speed, so manufacturers put much effort into making, and marketing, the fastest processors for this step that they can. Sony designs the circuitry of the processor in-house, and outsources the manufacturing to semiconductor foundries such as MegaChips and (mostly)

GlobalFoundries GlobalFoundries Inc. (GF or GloFo) is a multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and headquartered in Malta, New York. Created by the divestiture of the manufacturing arm of AMD, th ...

, as they currently do not own any fabrication plant capable of producing a

system on a chip A system on a chip or system-on-chip (SoC ; pl. ''SoCs'' ) is an integrated circuit that integrates most or all components of a computer or other electronic system. These components almost always include a central processing unit (CPU), memory ...

(SoC). Sony also sources

DRAM Dynamic random-access memory (dynamic RAM or DRAM) is a type of random-access semiconductor memory that stores each bit of data in a memory cell, usually consisting of a tiny capacitor and a transistor, both typically based on metal-oxid ...

chips from various manufacturers namely

Samsung The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung) ( ko, 삼성 ) is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous affiliated businesses, most of them united under the ...

SK Hynix SK hynix Inc. is a South Korean supplier of dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips and flash memory chips. Hynix is the world's second-largest memory chipmaker (after Samsung Electronics) and the world's third-largest semiconductor company ...

and

Micron Technology Micron Technology, Inc. is an American producer of computer memory and computer data storage including dynamic random-access memory, flash memory, and USB flash drives. It is headquartered in Boise, Idaho. Its consumer products, including ...

. BIONZ utilizes two chips in its design. The first chip is an SoC that manages overall functionality of the camera such as SD card storage management, wired connection such as

USB Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard that establishes specifications for cables, connectors and protocols for connection, communication and power supply (interfacing) between computers, peripherals and other computers. A broad ...

and

HDMI High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is a proprietary audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed video data and compressed or uncompressed digital audio data from an HDMI-compliant source device, such as a display controller, ...

, and wireless protocols such as

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio wave ...

and

NFC NFC may refer to: Psychology * Need for cognition, in psychology * Need for closure, social psychological term Sports * NFC Championship Game, the National Football Conference Championship Game * NCAA Football Championship (Philippines) * Nati ...

that are increasingly common on modern

cameras. The BIONZ SoC can be identified by its

part number A part number (often abbreviated PN, P/N, part no., or part #) is an identifier of a particular part design or material used in a particular industry. Its purpose is to simplify reference to that item. A part number unambiguously identifies a part ...

"CXD900xx". The second chip is the ISP (image signal processor). It handles the data directly from the

image sensor, and it is directly responsible for the camera's high-ISO noise characteristics in a low-light environment. The ISP can be identified by the part number "CXD4xxx".

History of BIONZ chips in Sony cameras

BIONZ – MegaChips MA07170 and MA07171

The first camera to officially use a so-called BIONZ processor was the DSLR-A700 in 2007, utilizing the MA07170 chip from a MegaChips (MCL) family of

32-bit In computer architecture, 32-bit computing refers to computer systems with a processor, memory, and other major system components that operate on data in 32-bit units. Compared to smaller bit widths, 32-bit computers can perform large calculation ...

RISC In computer engineering, a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) is a computer designed to simplify the individual instructions given to the computer to accomplish tasks. Compared to the instructions given to a complex instruction set comput ...

processors with MIPS

R3000 The R3000 is a 32-bit RISC microprocessor chipset developed by MIPS Computer Systems that implemented the MIPS I instruction set architecture (ISA). Introduced in June 1988, it was the second MIPS implementation, succeeding the R2000 as the flags ...

core. Similar MegaChips processors had been used in the

DSLR-A100 Sony α100 (DSLR-A100) is the first digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) marketed by Sony in 2006. It is the successor to the previous Konica Minolta DSLR models (primarily the Maxxum/Dynax 5D and 7D) through Sony's purchase of the Konica Min ...

(MA07169) as well as in the Konica Minolta 5D (MA07168) and 7D (MA07168), implementing

Konica Minolta is a Japanese multinational technology company headquartered in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, with offices in 49 countries worldwide. The company manufactures business and industrial imaging products, including copiers, laser printers, multi-fu ...

CxProcess III CxProcess is the trademark of an image processing technology used in Minolta and Konica Minolta digital cameras. Image processing in a camera converts the raw image data from a CCD image sensor into the format that is stored on the memory card. ...

running under MiSPO's NORTi/MIPS, an

RTOS A real-time operating system (RTOS) is an operating system (OS) for real-time applications that processes data and events that have critically defined time constraints. An RTOS is distinct from a time-sharing operating system, such as Unix, which ...

following the

µITRON The ITRON project is the first of several sub-architectures of the TRON project. Originally undertaken in 1984, ITRON is a Japanese open standard for a real-time operating system (RTOS) initiated under the guidance of Ken Sakamura. This project aim ...

standard. The MegaChips MA07170 was also used in the DSLR-A200, DSLR-A300, and DSLR-A350. The

DSLR-A850 The α850 (DSLR-A850) was Sony's second full-frame digital SLR, introduced on 27 August 2009. Similar to the DSLR-A900, the camera featured the same 24.6-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor used in the a900. On 8 June 2011, Sony pre-announced th ...

and DSLR-A900 used two such chips in parallel. The MegaChips MA07171 was instead used in the DSLR-A230, DSLR-A290, DSLR-A330, DSLR-A380, and DSLR-A390.

BIONZ – Sony CXD4115 ISP

The first BIONZ processor to fully designed in-house by Sony utilized the Sony image processor in: * CXD4115 ISP - DSLR-A450, DSLR-A500, DSLR-A550 - still using a proprietary operating system (most probably NORTi as well). * CXD9974GG SoC with the revised CXD4115-1 ISP - DSLR-A560, DSLR-A580, SLT-A33, SLT-A35, SLT-A55 / SLT-A55V, NEX-5C, NEX-C3, and NEX-VG10 - all models from here on are

Linux Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, which ...

-based ( CE Linux 6 with kernel 2.3.)

BIONZ – Sony CXD4132 ISP + CXD90016GF SoC

Sony CXD4132 series chip is a multicore BIONZ processor: * CXD4132 - SLT-A37, SLT-A57, SLT-A58, SLT-A65 / SLT-A65V, SLT-A77 / SLT-A77V, SLT-A99 / SLT-A99V / HV, NEX-F3, NEX-3N, NEX-5N, * CXD90016GF SoC with CXD4132 ISP - NEX-5R, NEX-5T, NEX-6, NEX-7 /

Lunar Lunar most commonly means "of or relating to the Moon". Lunar may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Lunar'' (series), a series of video games * "Lunar" (song), by David Guetta * "Lunar", a song by Priestess from the 2009 album ''Prior t ...

* Unidentified - NEX-VG20, NEX-VG30, NEX-VG900, NEX-FS100, DSC-RX1 / DSC-RX1R, DSC-RX100 / Stellar, DSC-RX100M2

BIONZ X – Sony CXD4236 ISP + CXD90027GF SoC

Sony has introduced their next-generation image processor dubbed the BIONZ X with introduction of ILCE-7 / ILCE-7R in 2013. BIONZ X uses Sony CXD4236 series ISP along with CXD90027GF SoC. The latter is based on a

quad-core A multi-core processor is a microprocessor on a single integrated circuit with two or more separate processing units, called cores, each of which reads and executes program instructions. The instructions are ordinary CPU instructions (such a ...

ARM Cortex-A5 The ARM Cortex-A5 is a 32-bit processor core licensed by ARM Holdings implementing the ARMv7-A architecture announced in 2009. Overview The Cortex-A5 is intended to replace the ARM9 and ARM11 cores for use in low-end devices. The Cortex-A5 offe ...

architecture, and is utilized to run Android apps on top of the

kernel. It features, among other things, detail reproduction technology and diffraction-reducing technology, area-specific noise reduction and 16-bit image processing + 14-bit raw output.14-bit RAW output for rich gradations
It can process up to 20 frames per second and features Lock-on AF and object tracking. * CXD90027GF SoC with unidentified ISP (Stacked DRAM) - α7, α7R, α7 II, α6000, α6500, α99, α7 III * CXD90027GF SoC with CXD4236-1GG ISP - α7S, α7S II, RX100 IV, Sony FDR-AX33 * CXD90027GF SoC with Dual CXD4236-1GG ISP - α7R II, α7R III * Unidentified - ILCE-5000, DSC-RX10, ILCA-77M2, DSC-RX100 III, α7R IV, and DSC-RX0

BIONZ XR

Sony has introduced its next-generation image processor dubbed the BIONZ XR with the introduction of

Sony α7S III The Sony α7S III (model ILCE-7SM3) is a 12.2-megapixel full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera made by Sony. It was publicly announced on online with a suggested retail price of (body only) at the time. The α7S III is offered as a ...

in 2020. "The sensor is to have eight times as much computing power as the previous image processor." It is also used in the

Sony α1 The Sony α1 is a full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera by Sony that was announced on January 27, 2021. The α1 was announced together with the Xperia Pro smartphone, which can be used as an HDR monitor and a 5G transmitter. The c ...

flagship mirrorless camera, the

Sony FX6 , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's la ...

Sony FX3 The Sony FX3 is Sony's latest full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens compact cinema camera announced on February 23, 2021. The FX3 is based on the α7S III camera which was released the previous year. The camera became available in mid-Marc ...

compact cinema camera and

Sony α7 IV The Sony α7 IV (model ILCE-7M4) is a full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera manufactured by Sony. It was announced on 21 October 2021 as the successor to the Sony α7 III. Featuring a new 34.1MP (approx. total). Back-illuminated sens ...

mirrorless camera launched in 2021. New Features * New video codecs / framerates. * New downsampling power in the camera. * Internal Pipeline speed improvements. * Laggy interface fix. * New card formats/interface. * New EVF resolution/ readout speed * Fix of the viewfinder lag during AF or continuous shooting

History of BIONZ chips in Sony cameras

BIONZ – MegaChips MA07170 and MA07171

BIONZ – Sony CXD4115 ISP

BIONZ – Sony CXD4132 ISP + CXD90016GF SoC

BIONZ X – Sony CXD4236 ISP + CXD90027GF SoC

BIONZ XR

See also

References

Further reading