Samsung has just presented this Tuesday, January 17 its brand new Isocell HP2 photo sensor. It will replace the 108 MP Isocell HM3 found in the Galaxy S22 Ultra. And logically, this new sensor should be inaugurated by Samsung’s next flagship, the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The photo sensor has a resolution of 200 MP The Isocell HP2 is barely larger than the Isocell HM3
Technically, the Isocell HP2 is a 1/1.3 inch sensor, only slightly larger than the 1/1.33 inch size of the Isocell HM3. On the other hand, the resolution is now twice as high with 200 MP instead of 108 MP (16,384 x 12,288 pixels). As this logically leads to space problems on the sensor, the pixel size has also been reduced from 0.8 to 0.6 μm.
The 200MP gives Samsung the option of Tetra2 technology, which is really just another word for 4-in-1 pixel binning. Thus, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could therefore virtually enlarge the pixel size to 1.2 micrometers with a resolution of 50 MP, or even quadruple it to 2.4 micrometers with a final resolution of 12.5 MP.
For video recording, the maximum theoretical values allow shooting up to 8K at 30 FPS. On the Xiaomi 13 I tested, 8K video is limited to 24 frames per second.
Samsung obviously uses very marketable terms like Super QPD, which designates a technology that is supposed to make focusing faster. Isocell HP2 could halve the tripping time compared to Isocell HM3.
Another keyword is Dual Slope Gain (DSG). This technology brings for the first time HDR photography in 50 MP mode, which until now was reserved for 12.5 MP. Finally, the Smart-ISO Pro combines two measurement values created in a single shot. It therefore combines, for example, Low ISO values with Mid ISO values and thus provides very good photos at night or in low light conditions – in theory.
We will of course test this as soon as Samsung officially presents the Galaxy S23 Ultra on February 1 in San Francisco.
What do you think of this new Samsung photo sensor? Think the differences from the old model will be glaring enough to be relevant?
