Brand new image sensor for Samsung ISOCELL HM3 smartphones introduced

Samsung Electronics is introducing its latest 108-megapixel image sensor for mobile devices, the Samsung ISOCELL HM3. This sensor will produce sharper, brighter images in ultra-high resolution with support for even faster autofocus and wider dynamic range.

It is a 1 / 1.33 inch optical format sensor with 0.8 μm pixels. Super PD Plus technology uses microlenses that are optimized for autofocus to improve accuracy by 50%.

An advanced phase-detection autofocus (PDAF) solution helps keep you in sharp focus even on moving subjects and also performs well in low light conditions.

In mixed lighting situations, such as when shooting at the end of a tunnel, the HM3 uses Smart ISO Pro high dynamic range image processing technology. Smart ISO Pro technology allows you to capture both high and low ISO images at the same time, and then combine them into one image with 12-bit color depth and reduced noise. Since this technology does not require capturing multiple frames, as is done when building a standard HDR image, it significantly reduces artifacts when shooting moving objects. Low noise mode improves light sensitivity by 50% over previous models.

Pixels in this sensor are grouped in blocks of 9. The 108-megapixel HM3 sensor simulates a 12-megapixel image sensor with oversized 2.4μm pixels for increased light sensitivity when shooting in dark environments. The HM3 sensor supports smooth transitions between 108 and 12MP resolutions. The power consumption of the new sensor is reduced by 6.5% in preview mode.

Samsung ISOCELL HM3 sensors have already entered mass production.