Samsung has launched its latest ISOCELL HM3 1/1.33″ image sensor with 0.8μm and nine-pixel binning offering 12MP output, which is used in the latest Galaxy S21 Ultra smartphone that was launched recently. As we know that the company introduced its first 108MP ISOCELL Bright HM1 1/1.33″ sensor last year that is being used in Galaxy S20 Ultra and Note 20 Ultra phones and then it introduced 108MP ISOCELL HM2 1/1.52″ 0.7μm sensor which is used in Xiaomi’s Mi 10i smartphone that was launched recently in India.
The Samsung ISOCELL HM3 offers an improved Super PD Plus that features adds AF-optimized micro-lenses over the phase-detection focusing agents and increasing the measurement accuracy of the agents by 50%. The enhanced phase-detection autofocusing (PDAF) solution helps to keep moving subjects in sharp focus and delivers optimum results in dark environments.
In mixed-light environments, the HM3 adopts Smart ISO Pro, a high-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging technology that uses an intra-scene dual conversion gain (iDCG) solution. The Smart ISO Pro simultaneously captures a frame in both high and low ISO, then merges them into a single image in 12-bit color depth and with reduced noise.
As Smart ISO Pro does not require multiple exposure shots to create a standard HDR image, but it can significantly reduce motion-artifacts. In addition, with a low-noise mode, it improves the light sensitivity by 50% to capture brighter and clearer results in low-light environments than its predecessor.
The HM3’s pixel layout is specially arranged in three-by-three single color structures suitable for nine-pixel binning. By merging nine neighboring pixels, the 108MP HM3 mimics a 12Mp image sensor with large 2.4μm-pixels, heightening light sensitivity when taking photographs in low-light environments. With an improved binning hardware IP, the HM3 supports seamless transitions between 108Mp and 12Mp resolutions. Designs of the new sensor have also been optimized to reduce energy usage under preview mode by 6.5%. and It supports 8K 30 fps, 4K 120fps, and FHD 240fps video recording.
