Canon has developed what it claims is the world's largest CMOS image sensor, with a chip size measuring 202x205mm.

The newly-developed CMOS sensor is among the largest chips that can be produced from a 12-inch (300mm) wafer, and is approximately 40 times the size of Canon's largest commercial CMOS sensor.

Because the increased size of the new CMOS sensor allows more light to be gathered, it enables shooting in low-light environments. The sensor makes image capture possible in one one-hundredth the amount of light required by a 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor, facilitating the shooting of 60 frame-per-second video with a mere 0.3 lux of illumination.

Potential applications for the new high-sensitivity CMOS sensor include the video recording of stars in the night sky and nocturnal animal behavior.