In brief: Samsung's latest 200-megapixel smartphone image sensor features pixels measuring just 0.5µm, making it the company's most compact 200MP sensor to date. Best yet, the hardware is already being mass produced and is expected to start showing up in consumer handsets by the end of the year.
The new Isocell HP5 boasts an effective resolution of 16,384 x 12,288 pixels in a 1/1.56-inch optical format. It is not the company's first 200-megapixel sensor – far from it, in fact. The South Korean electronics giant has been dabbling in 200MP image sensor tech since at least 2021, but this latest iteration is a bit more advanced than its predecessors.
Samsung claims the HP5 is capable of delivering true-to-life images in both bright and low-light environments thanks to a combination of technologies. A high precision microlens with a high transmittance anti-refractive layer is said to minimize light reflection / scattering, while the use of front deep trench isolation and dual vertical transfer gate tech reportedly maximizes full well capacity. DTI center cut technology, meanwhile, affords conversion gain enhancements – all of which contribute to enhanced low light performance.
Smartphone makers opting for Samsung's HP5 will have flexibility when it comes to implementation. The latest Isocell allows for 2x in-sensor zoom or up to 6x zoom when paired with a 3x telephoto module. Smart ISO Pro and staggered HDR should add additional range to images, and end-to-end AI remosaic tech promises to process full-resolution photos in under two seconds.
Performance-wise, Samsung says its new sensor can snap full-res images at up to 7.5 frames per second, 50-megapixel pictures at 30 fps, or 12.5MP photos at 90 frames a second. On the video side, you are looking at up to 8K quality at 30 fps, 4K @ 120 frames a second, or full HD at 480 fps.
As mentioned, the new Isocell HP5 has already entered mass production and is expected to be featured in flagship smartphones like the Vivo Y500 Pro later this year.