News in Short

• Samsung ISOCELL HPC features a 200-megapixel resolution.
• New DeepPix architecture increases full well capacity by 60 percent.
• The sensor supports single-frame 16-bit HDR.
• It can record 4K video at up to 180fps.
• Samsung has not confirmed the first smartphone to use it.

Samsung has introduced a new 200-megapixel smartphone camera sensor aimed at improving HDR, low-light photography and zoom performance. The ISOCELL HPC is also the first Samsung sensor to use its new DeepPix pixel architecture.

The sensor is already in mass production. However, Samsung has not revealed which smartphone will use it first.

DeepPix is the biggest change

The main difference is Samsung’s new DeepPix architecture. It builds on the company’s Front Deep Trench Isolation technology.

According to Samsung, DeepPix increases each pixel’s full well capacity by 60 percent over the previous generation. As a result, the sensor can capture more light before the pixel becomes saturated.

This should help reduce noise in darker scenes. It can also improve detail in bright highlights and shadows.

Samsung has also added High Precision Microlens and High Transmittance ARL technologies. These systems help direct more light towards the photodiodes while reducing reflections and scattering.

Single-frame 16-bit HDR could improve dynamic range

Another major addition is single-frame 16-bit HDR. Unlike traditional HDR methods, the sensor can capture the full dynamic range in one exposure.

Samsung claims this can provide up to four times more colour information than conventional HDR.

The sensor also supports HDR at multiple zoom levels. It can maintain single-frame HDR at 1x, 1.5x, 2x, 3x and 4x zoom.

Sensor downscaling helps retain image quality and dynamic range as users zoom in.

200MP photos and fast video

The ISOCELL HPC uses a 1/1.3-inch optical format with 0.6-micrometre pixels. It has an effective resolution of 16,384 x 12,288 pixels. For video, the sensor supports up to 8K recording at 30fps. It can also record 4K video at 180fps and Full HD video at up to 360fps.

Samsung notes that autofocus is unavailable when recording Full HD video at 360fps. The sensor can capture 200-megapixel images at up to 7.5fps. It also supports 50-megapixel images at up to 30fps and 12.5-megapixel images at up to 180fps.

What it means for smartphone cameras

The ISOCELL HPC is designed to improve more than just resolution. Samsung is focusing on how much light the sensor can capture and how it handles difficult lighting conditions.

That could mean cleaner night photos, better highlight retention and more consistent image quality while zooming.

The sensor also supports Super QPD autofocus, Tetra-squared pixel technology and Smart ISO Pro HDR. It supports RAW10, RAW12, RAW14 and RAW16 output formats.

For now, the biggest question is which smartphone will get the ISOCELL HPC first. Samsung has confirmed mass production but has not announced its first commercial device.