Xilinx has announced that SIGMA has designed Spartan-6 into its flagship digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera, the SIGMA SD1. Shipping since June, the new 46-megapixel camera delivers robustness in a splash-proof and dust-proof body, providing high-definition and high resolution images.
Xilinx's Spartan-6 FPGA platform enables high-quality, reliable image capture, while minimizing power consumption and extend battery life. Spartan-6 interfaces to the 23.5x15.7mm APS-C full-color X3 direct image sensor, serving as a component for capturing RGB, with a 3-dimensional, film-like quality. Spartan-6 also handles large volumes of data at high speed, supporting double data rate 3 (DDR3) buffer memory technology for shooting speeds of 5 frames per second and capture of up to seven RAW images per sequence.
"We're carving out a new category in the market place with SIGMA SD1 by providing high-end photographers with an alternative to expensive medium-format cameras, while offering unrivaled image quality. Market response has been phenomenal. Our engineering team has relied on Xilinx FPGAs for many years to design high performance cameras that stand apart from the competition - this is one more stellar example of that. We're delighted with the support we've received and results achieved with Xilinx and Avnet EM Japan to date, and look forward to the company's new 7 series FPGAs," said Tatsuya Inui, Doctor of Science and Hirouki Toyama, Section Manager, Electronic Engineering Div., SIGMA Corp.
