Samsung Introduces ISOCELL HM3 with massive 108Mp Image Sensor for Smartphones
Samsung today introduced its latest 108-megapixel (Mp) mobile image sensor, Samsung ISOCELL HM3. With a wide spectrum of advanced sensor technologies, the HM3 can capture sharper and more vivid images in ultra-high resolution with faster auto-focus and extended dynamic range.
“While a pixel is just a single dot of color, when in millions, these dots can be transformed into stunning snapshots of life. With more pixels, images are sharper, with fuller details that can maintain their integrity even when enlarged. Samsung has been at the forefront of bringing the most pixels to mobile image sensors as well as various supporting technologies that take sensor performances to the next level,” said Duckhyun Chang, executive vice president of the sensor business at Samsung Electronics. “The ISOCELL HM3 is the culmination of Samsung’s latest sensor technologies that will help deliver premium mobile experiences to today’s smart-device users.”
The 1/1.33” ISOCELL HM3 with 0.8μm-sized pixels is a new addition to Samsung ISOCELL’s 108Mp product line-up.
For faster auto-focus, the HM3 integrates an improved Super PD Plus feature. Super PD Plus adds AF-optimized micro-lenses over the phase detection focusing agents, increasing measurement accuracy of the agents by 50-percent. The enhanced phase detection auto-focusing (PDAF) solution helps to keep moving subjects in sharp focus and delivers optimum results in dark environments.
In mixed light environments, such as at the end of a tunnel, the HM3 adopts Smart ISO Pro, a high-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging technology which uses an intra-scene dual conversion gain (iDCG) solution. 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, it can significantly reduce motion-artifacts. In addition, with a low-noise mode, it improves the light sensitivity by 50-percent to capture brighter and clearer results in low-light environments than its predecessor.
The HM3’s pixel layout is especially 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-percent, offering added power efficiency to the overall mobile device.
Samsung ISOCELL HM3 is currently in mass production.
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Senior Member
Posts: 1811
Joined: 2001-06-09
Truthfully it depends on what you want to do with a camera.
For taking photo's it's best to have a large sensor, you could want faster burst speeds, but lenses play a big part as well.
No matter the size of a sensor on a smartphone, you still don't have enough quality zoom, then it goes to digital and gets worse.
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Posts: 62
Joined: 2018-08-22
1 megapixel (or just 1 pixel) is not = 1 megapixel. Its is only a quantitative statement about the amount, not about the quality. Its like saying 4K video is better than 1080p. No. Its just a quantitative statement. Its like saying a 4.5GHz CPU is better than a 4.0GHz CPU. The truth is there are so many variables that makes up a sensor - not even talking about the much more complicated final image.
108mp does not mean anything. Its a marketing term. It does not saying anything qualitative about an image. I can take a much more technical good image with a 10 year old DSLR than a smartphone from tomorrow.
I would say the size and the tech used in that sensor is what is going to do most about the image. Physical size will just be better from a natual law perspective. Bigger sensor, more photons. Of cause this also need an equal size lens to support it.
If you arent happy with your 18mp camera, try and buy some new highend glass for it. I will promise you that the images will be instantantly better (if the photographer knows what he/she is doing).
Senior Member
Posts: 1826
Joined: 2013-06-04
Smartphone sensors have come a long way, and some of them take truly amazing pictures in daylight.
Sadly most of the software offers little to no settings control and even with all the development you can't just beat a full or medium format camera: larger sensor area = more photons captured = less noise
Plus, the fake blur is horrible. The natural blur can't be beaten by software. But for low quality Instagram pictures, good enough!
Senior Member
Posts: 2979
Joined: 2013-03-10
1 megapixel (or just 1 pixel) is not = 1 megapixel. Its is only a quantitative statement about the amount, not about the quality. Its like saying 4K video is better than 1080p. No. Its just a quantitative statement. Its like saying a 4.5GHz CPU is better than a 4.0GHz CPU. The truth is there are so many variables that makes up a sensor - not even talking about the much more complicated final image.
108mp does not mean anything. Its a marketing term. It does not saying anything qualitative about an image. I can take a much more technical good image with a 10 year old DSLR than a smartphone from tomorrow.
I would say the size and the tech used in that sensor is what is going to do most about the image. Physical size will just be better from a natual law perspective. Bigger sensor, more photons. Of cause this also need an equal size lens to support it.
Yeeeeeeeeah... I'm not trying to compare apples to oranges here. What I'm saying is that a Canon DSLR with a 18MP sensor Canon has approved is worse than a Canon DSLR with a 50MP sensor that Canon has approved. The imagine quality will automatically be a whole lot better in the latter, plus you can crop it quite a lot and still have an image of some size. I also believe that when you combine signals from multiple sensor pixels using a sophisticated processor, you may get a less noisy image than with a sensor of the same size but less pixels, although the final image might have the same dimensions, just like the article suggested. Or in your terms the same CPU architecture with a 4.5GHz unit would, surprise surprise, beat the 4.0GHz variant straight out of the ring. However, if few people bother to buy DSLRs these days, it means there's not much business in trying to upgrade them massively. The investment wouldn't pay itself back. That's why we don't see that much development, by the looks of it.
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When I checked Canon and Nikon DSLRs, I see that unlike in smartphones, the megapixel race seems abandoned. My ancient Canon DSLR is over 10 years old, but the new Canon ones in the same class have only raised the MP amount from 18 to 24. If you pay over 1000 euros, you'd get 32.5MP. If you pay thousands of euros, you'd get 50MP. I suppose you can tell that the manufacturers consider DSLR to have totally lost the competition against smartphones in the more casual market. Thus people who really want to use DSLR are willing to pay a lot or alternatively don't really care about fancy specs. Nevertheless, as long as my current one works, I'm not going to pay 600-700 euros to upgrade from 18 to 24MP, plus some miscellaneous stuff like a touch screen. If the hobbyist cameras had at least 50MP, I might actually consider it.