Canon Unveils MS-510 Industrial Camera with SPAD Sensor for Extreme Low-Light Imaging at NAB 2026

Canon introduced the MS-510 Multi-Purpose Camera alongside the Cine-Servo 40-1200mm T5.0-10.8 video lens at NAB 2026. This specialized industrial device features a newly designed Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) image sensor, fundamentally different from conventional CMOS sensors. While CMOS sensors measure accumulated light over time, SPAD sensors detect individual photons, converting each immediately into an electrical charge multiplied through an avalanche effect. This technology enables the MS-510 to achieve a minimum subject illumination of 0.0006 lux, surpassing even the 0.001 lux capability of its 2023 predecessor, the MS-500. For context, a starlit night measures about 0.02 lux, and a cloudy night sky is 0.007 lux. The camera also offers enhanced near-infrared sensitivity for improved night-mode performance and long-range detection. Designed primarily for low-light security, infrastructure monitoring, and wildlife observation—particularly of nocturnal species to avoid artificial lighting harm—the MS-510 accepts broadcast lenses with the B4 mount, compatible with Canon's 2/3-inch ultra-telephoto broadcast zoom lenses for distant observation. Priced at $22,800, it is scheduled to begin shipping later this year. Canon explained in 2023 that SPAD sensors digitally count individual photons, preventing analog noise and allowing clear imaging in near-darkness, whereas CMOS sensors can be contaminated by noise alongside light particles.