Nexus 5 may have MEMS camera with Lytro-like functionality

The Nexus 5 is turning out to be quite a hot-property. With leaks coming in about the phone and its specifications, a new one has popped up that says that the Nexus 5’s camera could contain an 8MP MEMS camera.

The details about the camera come thanks to files sourced from a Nexus 5 that seem to be out in the wild right now. Files uncovered by Myce and reported by Android World show that the exact camera model that the Nexus 5 houses is the imx179 Sony sensor.

Nexus 5 may have a MEMS camera

It looks like the 8 MP camera is to be produced by DigitalOptics and will feature an f/2.4 aperture and a sensor size of 1/3.2”. By joining the clue dots left by these files, it is being concluded that the camera will come equipped with an MEMS actuator that was demonstrated by DigitalOptics at the Mobile World Congress 2013.

For those not in the know, MEMS is a microelectromechanical system. The MEMS actuators are supposed to be faster, more long lasting and compact than regular cameras.  The technology brings benefit in shutter speed, letting the camera capture multiple images at once minus the blurring. MEMS will allow you to combine 7 images with different focus points together. Quite like you can with a Lytro camera, you will be able to use the Nexus 5 to shoot first and focus later, if it indeed comes with the MEMS technology.

While all of the information about the Nexus 5’s camera remains speculation at this point of time, rumours have suggested that the date of announcement of the phone is coming up soon. If the phone is indeed to be announced this month, we won’t need to wait too long to find out more about the camera.