Samsung has introduced the world’s first 200 MP sensor for smartphones

The arrival of a 200 MP sensor for smartphone cameras from the workshop of the South Korean giant Samsung has been talked about for a long time. This is the ISOCELL HP1 sensor and is characterized by various technologies, which we will talk about in the continuation of this article. Information about these news was published on the website by the SamMobile portal.

ISOCELL GN5 is the world’s first 200 MP sensor for smartphones

We would like to start by mentioning that Samsung, together with the 200 MP sensor, also showed us the ISOCELL GN5, which is a 50 MP sensor, also of course designed for smartphones. ISOCELL HP1 is a new 1 / 1.22-inch sensor with a record high resolution of 200 MP. Natively, its pixels have a physical size of 0.64 μm.

Depending on the lighting conditions, a new technology called ChameleonCell can offer either the full resolution of the photos taken, but also the folding of four or sixteen pixels into one, physically larger one.

Samsung has enriched this sensor with two pixel folding modes

In the 2 × 2 pixel folding mode, we will see 50 MP images. As for the 4 × 4 folding mode, the resulting photos will be “only” 12.5 MP, but the physical pixel size will increase to an amazing 2.65 μm. In addition, the novelty supports the recording of 8K videos at a frame rate of 30 fps, but also 4k video at 120 fps.

It is definitely worth mentioning a wider angle of view, compared to the one we are used to in the case of primary sensors for smartphones. We can’t say what type of autofocus Samsung used with the new ISOCELL HP1.

ISOCELL GN5 with a resolution of 50 MP is definitely interesting

We also mentioned ISOCELL GN5 at the beginning of the article, so it would be a shame not to say anything more about it. This is the very first 50 MP sensor with Dual Pixel Pro technology used, which is actually omnidirectional autofocus technology. This 1 / 1.57-inch sensor has a native pixel size of exactly 1 μm and supports stacking four pixels into one.

The photos taken will have a resolution of 12.5 MP when using the so-called “pixel binding”. You will see such images mainly in poor lighting conditions, but it already depends on the optimization of the specific manufacturer that will use the sensor in its model.

Samsung knows how to enrich photo sensors with various technologies

Front Deep Trench Isolation, or FDTI for short, is designed to absorb as much light as possible, combined with reduced digital noise. It will be pleased that this sensor also supports video recording at a resolution of up to 8K at a frame rate of 30 fps and also 4K video at 120 fps.

Even though the 200 MP may seem extremely high and gives the impression of high quality in many, it should still not be the best sensor for smartphone cameras that Samsung has in its portfolio. The best is most likely still a 50-megapixel ISOCELL GN2, which is historically the largest sensor in the company’s workshop. It also supports Dual Pixel Pro autofocus.

We should not see the first devices with recently introduced sensors until after the beginning of 2022. We will see what their quality will be in practice. Of course, there is also a lot of software and processor for image processing. Thus, the quality will vary from device to device.