Samsung announces 108 MP camera sensor that also supports 6K 30 fps video recording

tech2 News StaffAug 12, 2019 12:36:15 IST

Samsung has officially launched its 108 MP image sensor called ISOCELL Bright HMX today. This sensor uses 0.8 μm-sized pixels and as per the company, it will allow users to click DSLR-like pictures.

Because of the Smart ISO mechanism, this image sensor is capable of clicking good pictures in low light as well as in a bright environment. The 1.33-inch size sensor comes with this Smart ISO mechanism where it automatically adjusts according to the illumination of the environment. It switches to low ISO in a bright environment to improve pixel saturation and produce vivid photographs and in a low light environment, it switches to high ISO to capture a less noisy and clearer picture. The HMX supports 6K (6016 x 3384) 30-frames-per-second (fps) video recording.

This sensor is unveiled by Samsung in collaboration with the Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Xiaomi.

Image: Reuters

While most DSLR and mirrorless camera makers barely crossing the 25 MP mark these days, it may seem odd that smartphones-makers are coming up with ridiculous megapixel counts for their phones.

The difference here is that these large cameras use large sensors with larger pixels. Larger pixels result in images that are less noisy. Companies like Apple and Google, and Samsung in its flagship phones, use smaller sensors with larger pixel sizes for the same reason.

These 64 MP and 108 MP cameras use smaller pixels (in comparison to the DSLR sensors) and use a process called binning to combine four or more pixels to simulate a larger pixel. Images shot with these 48 MP and 64 MP sensors at their native resolution aren't likely to be sharper or less noisy than those shot on 12 MP or 16 MP smartphone camera sensors.

Massive images are also harder to process, and shooting at 48 MP or higher means that processes like real-time HDR and the like are not possible in all but the most ideal of lighting conditions. While a higher pixel count has its benefits, it all indeed depends on the smartphone manufacturer's camera software which will be able to make the best use of it.