Toshiba this week showed off a new camera module for mobile devices that promises to deliver flexible focus capabilities. The TCM9518MD uses a twin camera setup with a dedicated companion LSI chip. The module can record video and images in which the foreground, background, and all points in between are in focus. The module pairs together two 5-megapixel CMOS sensors that then upscale images to 13-megapixels. Toshiba says it is much thinner than most 13-megapixel sensors and delivers comparable results. The camera module is sampling now, and Toshiba expects it to hit consumer devices later this year. The adjustable focal point idea was refined by a company called Lytro, which has a dedicated camera for taking such images. Nokia has a lens for its Lumia Windows Phones that provides a similar effect.


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