The new APS-H sensor is said to be the world's highest resolution CMOS sensor for its size.

Earlier this year Canon showed it was serious about resolution when it unleashed the full-frame 5DS and 5DS R duo which pack 50-megapixel sensors. The newly-developed sensor makes those look positively low-res by offering a 250-megapixel (19,580 x 12,600 pixels) resolution, and doing so on a smaller APS-H-size (29.2 x 20.2 mm) sensor.

The increased signal volume of sensors with larger pixel counts can traditionally cause problems such as signal delays and slight discrepancies in timing, but the new sensor has an ultra-high signal readout speed of 1.25 billion pixels per second. Canon says this is thanks to advancements in circuit miniaturization and enhanced signal-processing technology.