Samsung Introduces More Compact Camera Sensors
September 15, 2020Samsung’s venerable ISOCELL image sensor that drive its smartphone cameras, has shrunk to just 0.7μm. By making the hardware more compact, it can offer more features and slimmer designs with the newer smartphones.The new shrunken sensors produce the same level of high resolution detail as the one it replaces.
Though the migration from 0.8μm to 0.7μm sized sensors may not seem like much, the difference can have a significant impact on the camera module’s overall height. This is about 15% smaller than the previous generation’s, 0.8μm of the same resolution. This results in a total reduction in the height of the camera module by 10%.
This new 0.7μm technology will be used for the current 108-megapixel ISOCELL HM2, 64MP ISOCELL GW3, 48MP ISOCELL GM5 and 32MP ISOCELL JD1. The new processes interoperate the ISOCELL Plus and Smart-ISO technologies. The former retains the received light with a wall-like structure around the pixel while the latter intelligently adjusts the ISO for optimal exposure.
Here’s the new 0.7μm lineup:
ISOCELL HM2 is Samsung’s third 108MP image sensor. The HM2 features Super PD, a faster and more effective phase detecting auto focus solution, and comes with a nine-pixel binning technology as well as 3x lossless zoom.
ISOCELL GW3’s 64MP-image sensor is optimized for mainstream devices. The pixel size is smaller, this allows the GW3’s optical size to be nearly identical to the 0.8 μm, 48MP image sensor. The GW3 features a gyro-based electronic image stabilization (EIS) and supports 4K recording at 60 frames-per-second (fps)
ISOCELL GM5 has a 48MP-image sensor designed for telephoto or ultra-wide angles cameras. It supports 5x optical telescoping sensor folded zoom, and ultra-wide shots which provides full-HD recording at 480fps.
ISOCELL JD1 is a 32MP-image sensor, the smallest in the lineup at 1/3.14. Ideal for smartphones,it’s suitable for bezel-less, hole-punch displays or motorized pop-up mechanism for the front-facing camera. The sensor is comparable to those 0.9μm 20Mp or 1.0μm 16Mp sensors.
The new 0.7μm sensors will be fitted into upcoming smartphones later this year. It will provide manufacturers with the flexibility of introducing more bold designs that provide a more aesthetically pleasing look to their camera arrangements.
