Samsung’s long-rumored 200MP ISOCELL HP2 camera sensor has finally been made public. The sensor will provide the “ultimate high-resolution experience in flagship smartphones,” the company claimed in a press release.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is widely anticipated to feature the new sensor, despite the fact that Samsung did not state this officially in their introduction. Its announcement falls on the same day as the forthcoming Galaxy Unpacked debut on February 1.
What exactly is the new ISOCELL HP2 about? In any case, it features 200 million 0.6-micrometer pixels in an optical format of 1/1.3 inches, a sensor size that is frequently utilised in 108 MP main smartphone cameras. According to Samsung, the size prevents premium phones from having even larger camera bumps.
The ISOCELL HP2 offers a variety of pixel binning choices that allow it to capture photographs with resolutions as high as 200MP, 50MP, and 12.5MP. Additionally, Samsung employs AI to enhance the 200MP photos.
“When in low-lit environments, the sensor transforms either into a 1.2μm 50MP or 2.4μm 12.5MP image sensor by binding four to 16 neighboring pixels. For fuller 8K video, approximately at 33MP, the HP2 switches to 1.2μm 50MP mode to minimize cropping and capture more of the scene,” Samsung explained in the press release.
With the new sensor, Samsung is improving light capture as well. To lessen washed-out images in strongly illuminated conditions, the company is utilising innovative Dual Vertical Transfer Gate (D-VTG) technology. According to Samsung, the technology improves colour reproduction and reduces overexposure to strong light.
Samsung’s Dual Slope Gain technology, which digitises each pixel’s exposure data at two separate levels to gather bright and dark data when shooting in the 50MP mode, enhances HDR photography as well. The sensor can also focus more quickly even in low-light conditions.
