Samsung debuts industry’s first 200MP camera sensor with Isocell HP1

Samsung is pushing the smartphone camera industry into the 200 MP era. The company announced its new Isocell HP1 sensor, which brings new pixel binning technology and improved low-light recording to the market.

The Isocell HP1 is the industry’s first sensor with a resolution of 200 MP. In bright light, the Isocell HP1 can use every 200 MP as individual 0.64 micron pixels. That’s nowhere near the largest single pixel size we’ve seen on a smartphone camera, but Samsung makes up for it in a nifty way. In darker scenes, Samsung uses its new ChameleonCell pixel binning technology, which allows the sensor to combine four or 16 pixels into a single larger pixel. These two configurations effectively transform the Isocell HP1 into a 50 MP sensor with 1.28 micron pixels or a 12.5 MP sensor with 2.56 micron pixels. Samsung notes that the latter configuration increases light absorption and sensitivity for improved low-light shooting.

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Pixel binning is a common way for sensors to extract more light in darker scenarios, but it also has disadvantages. For one thing, the more pixels you group together the color accuracy can be compromised. Of course, software could be used to bypass these limitations, but color accuracy may not be a top priority when shooting in very dark environments.

For videographers, the 200MP sensor can also record 8K / 30fps videos with 4-in-1 pixel binning.

Samsung has also introduced a new sensor in its GN series, but it doesn’t focus on more megapixels. Instead, the Isocell GN5 offers improved autofocus performance through the use of more photo diodes. Samsung claims that this results in almost “instantaneous” autofocus speeds. Notably, the GN5 also contains smaller 1.0-micron pixels than the 1.4-micron pixels of the Isocell GN2, which was launched earlier this year.

When will we see phones with 200MP sensors?

There is no telling when we will see the Isocell HP1 or GN5 sensors in mainstream smartphones. We’ve heard rumors of a Xiaomi flagship with a 200 MP sensor landing in 2022 but no confirmation from the device yet. It is also unclear whether Samsung will use the 200MP sensor in its upcoming flagship series. The tips so far suggest that there are no flagged camera upgrades in the works for the Galaxy S22 Ultra, but the S22 and S22 Plus could land with 50 MP sensors.

Now that a 200 MP sensor is finally available, we can look forward to devices wrapping it up at some point in the future.