Samsung just announced its 108MP (12032×9024 pixel resolution) ISOCELL Bright HMX 0.8-micrometer (μm) pixel image sensor, the first mobile sensor to go beyond 100 million pixels and is also the first mobile image sensor to adopt a large 1/1.33-inch size. This is the result of close collaboration between Xiaomi Corp. and Samsung, which was announced last week.
Highlights of Samsung ISOCELL Bright HMX 108MP sensor
- With over 100 million effective pixels enabling extremely sharp photographs rich in detail, the ISOCELL Bright HMX also produces exceptional photos even in extreme lighting conditions
- 1/1.33-inch sensor with HMX can absorb more light in low-lit settings than smaller sensors and its pixel-merging Tetracell technology allows the sensor to imitate big-pixel sensors, producing brighter 27MP images.
- In bright environments, the Smart-ISO, a mechanism that intelligently selects the level of amplifier gains according to the illumination of the environment for optimal light-to-electric signal conversion, switches to a low ISO to improve pixel saturation and produce vivid photographs. The mechanism uses a high ISO in darker settings that helps reduce noise, resulting in clearer pictures.
- For advanced filming, the HMX supports video recording without losses in field-of-view at resolutions up to 6K (6016 x 3384) 30-frames-per-second (fps).
The Samsung ISOCELL Bright HMX will enter mass production from later this month. This will be first used in a Xiaomi smartphone, which is rumored to be Mi MIX 4 that is expected later this year.
Commenting on this, Lin Bin, co-founder and president of Xiaomi, said:
For ISOCELL Bright HMX, Xiaomi and Samsung have worked closely together from the early conceptual stage to production that has resulted in a groundbreaking 108Mp image sensor. We are very pleased that picture resolutions previously available only in a few top-tier DSLR cameras can now be designed into smartphones. As we continue our partnership, we anticipate bringing not only new mobile camera experiences but also a platform through which our users can create unique content.
Yongin Park, executive vice president of sensor business at Samsung Electronics, said:
Samsung is continuously pushing for innovations in pixel and logic technologies to engineer our ISOCELL image sensors to capture the world as close to how our eyes perceive them. Through close collaboration with Xiaomi, ISOCELL Bright HMX is the first mobile image sensor to pack over 100 million pixels and delivers unparalleled color reproduction and stunning detail with advanced Tetracell and ISOCELL Plus technology.