Samsung introduces 200Mp sensor with 50Mp and 12.5Mp binning for smartphones

Samsung introduces the Isocell HP1 sensor for smartphones. The relatively large sensor has 200 million pixels at 0.64 micrometers and can also merge four or sixteen pixels for 50Mp or 12.5Mp photos. Samsung calls it ChameleonCell.

Until now, sensors from Samsung had one binning mode for combining pixels. The new Isocell HP1 sensor has two, which can be used depending on the lighting conditions. In low light, the sensor can combine sixteen pixels from the sensor into one pixel in the photo, resulting in an equivalent of pixels of 2.56 micrometers. This results in photos with a 12.5Mp resolution. When there is a lot of light, the sensor can capture photos in 50Mp resolution by combining four pixels or in the full 200Mp resolution.

The 2×2 binning method also comes in handy when shooting 8k videos. The sensor then has an effective resolution of 8192×6144 pixels. Videos can then be made with the 8k resolution of 7680×4320 pixels, without a large crop taking place or having to lower the resolution. In theory, this provides better image quality when filming in 8k resolution. The sensor films in 8k with a maximum of 30fps and at 4k that is 120fps.

With pixels of 0.64 micrometers and an optical size of 1/1.22″, the dimensions of the sensor come to about 10.5 by 7.9 mm, good for an area of ​​about 82.5 mm². This makes it the largest high-resolution sensor from Samsung to date.The Isocell Bright HM3, which is included in the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, has a surface of about 70 mm².

The Isocell HP1 is not Samsung’s largest camera sensor. That is the Isocell GN2, which was presented in February. That is a 1/1.12″ sensor with a 50-megapixel resolution and a surface of about 98 mm². For the time being, that sensor is only in the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro and 11 Ultra. In which smartphones the new Isocell HP1 will end up Samsung uses its Isocell sensors itself, but also supplies them to other manufacturers. The new sensor is currently available, according to Samsung.

Samsung Isocell GN5 with better autofocus

Samsung also presents a new sensor in the GN series, again with a 50-megapixel resolution. The Isocell GN5 is significantly smaller than the GN2 and GN1, with a surface area of ​​about 50mm². In the announcement, Samsung specifically mentions the autofocus capabilities of the GN5.

The sensor works with Samsung’s Dual Pixel Pro autofocus and there are a million phase detection points placed on the sensor, covering the entire surface. According to Samsung, the sensor can therefore focus quickly and accurately, even in low light. According to the manufacturer, it is also the first sensor with Dual Pixel autofocus that uses front deep trench isolation. That is a technique to optimize the amount of light that the pixels receive and to reduce crosstalk.

It is also not yet known which smartphones will receive the GN5 sensor. Like the HP1, this image sensor is immediately available to manufacturers.

Samsung Isocell GN5 Samsung Isocell GN2 Samsung Isocell GN1

Samsung Isocell GN5 and HP1