File this under the “big if true” category for now, but according to research shared by the European semiconductor company STMicroelectronics, new CMOS sensors are in development that will support both rolling and global shutter modes.

Now, these might be a bit far removed from being developed into cameras (whether those be smartphones, mirrorless, or cinema options), but it is interesting research that points to a possible future where some cameras might be able to offer both shutter modes with easy switching.

Here’s what we know so far.

Rolling and Global Shutter Modes

Published on the STMicroelectronics website, we actually have multiple CMOS image sensor products that are being developed, which appear to have capabilities to provide both rolling and global shutter modes.

Here’s a breakdown of what one of the VB1940 and VD1940 image sensors will be capable of:

The VB1940 and VD1940 are 5.1 MP image sensors with both rolling and global shutter modes.

In rolling shutter mode, the VB1940 and VD1940 produce a single HDR color frame output through the MIPI CSI-2 interface. This is achieved by combining a short and long exposure. In addition, the user can activate a function that converts the RGB NIR pattern to an RGB format. Such format is compatible with any standard automotive ECU (electronic control unit).

In global shutter mode, the RGB pixels upscale the NIR image to full resolution. This innovative use of the NIR information is achieved thanks to the independent exposition of the NIR and RGB pixels.

The sensor captures up to 60 frames per second in a 2560 x 1984 resolution format. The device is fully configurable through the I²C serial interface. It also provides flexible frame-to-frame configuration changes via the use of programmable contexts. Up to four contexts can be sequenced in a versatile loop of up to 32 elements.

As you can see, these 5.1MP image sensors appear capable of providing both rolling and global shutter modes, with the ability to capture up to 60 frames per second at 2560 x 1984 resolution. And while this isn’t high-end stuff here right now, it does present some interesting avenues for the future.

What Comes Next?

Overall, while this doesn’t appear to be coming to any of your favorite camera models or brands anytime soon, as this technology develops, it makes sense that it will eventually find its way to the commercial videography and pro filmmaking markets.

It’s also quite exciting, as we’ve seen cameras like the Sony a9 III find significant success with global shutter, and it’s likely many more filmmakers and video pros would be interested in technology that could let them shoot with both shutter modes.

Stay tuned as we’ll follow this story and other tech developments in this field and keep you updated.

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