Samsung announces 200-megapixel sensor with 1/1.3″ size for smartphones

Samsung has announced the Isocell HP2, a 200-megapixel sensor with 0.6 micrometer pixels. The sensor is 1/1.3″ in size and can therefore replace the current 108-megapixel sensors without taking up more space, says Samsung. The sensor is now in mass production.

The manufacturer previously announced the Isocell HP1 and HP3 camera sensors, both 200-megapixel sensors. The With a pixel size of 0.6µm, HP2 falls right in between. Samsung says that the camera with the 1/1.3 “format can be a replacement for the 108-megapixel sensor and thus a successor to, for example, Samsung’s own Isocell Bright HM3. That sensor was in the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Presumably the Isocell HP2 then also the main camera in the S23 Ultra, which Samsung will probably announce on February 1.

Like other HP sensors, the HP2 supports two pixel binning modes. In low light, four to sixteen pixels can be bundled together for 50- or 12.5-megapixel photos. That 50-megapixel mode is also used for 8k videos.

The Isocell HP3 gets Samsung’s new Dual Vertical Transfer Gate technology, where an extra transfer gate is added to the pixels. As a result, a pixel can absorb 33 percent more light, which should yield better images in situations with a lot of light. With such photos, colors should be better displayed and overexposure should be less.

Samsung’s new sensor should also be able to autofocus faster, even in low light. For this, the sensor has what Samsung calls Super QPD, where all pixels are used to focus and five pixels can be bundled to better use horizontal and vertical differences when focusing. The new sensor should also be able to shoot better HDR images in 50-megapixel mode and HDR should now also be possible with 12.5-megapixel photos and 4k/60 fps videos.