ISOCELL HPX specs and features
The ISOCELL HPX appears to be an improved or optimized version of the ISOCELL HP3 intended for certain markets. Perhaps for China, which is where Samsung announced the new sensor. It offers more or less the same specs and features as the previous-gen solution. For starters, the new 200MP camera has 0.56-micrometer (μm) pixels, which is the industry’s smallest pixel size yet. It measures 1/1.4-inch in optical format, which is about 12 percent smaller than the 1/1.22-inch ISOCELL HP1 with 0.64μm pixels. This camera employs the DTI (Deep Trench Isolation) technology for pixel separation. This increases light sensitivity, enabling brighter images. And, if it gets too dark, the sensor can automatically kick in the pixel-binning technology to merge neighboring pixels and absorb more light. It can use 2×2 pixel binning (merging four neighboring pixels) to convert into a 1.12μm 50MP sensor. If the light still isn’t enough, the sensor uses 4×4 pixel binning (merging 16 neighboring pixels) to become a 12.5MP sensor with 2.24μm pixels. The ISOCELL HPX boasts Super QPD auto-focusing, staggered HDR, and Smart-ISO Pro. It can capture 8K videos at 30fps (frames per second) and 4K videos at 120fps. The sensor also supports 14-bit color depth for over four trillion colors. That’s 64 times higher than the ISOCELL HP1’s 68 billion colors (12-bit). However, nothing on the ISOCELL HPX is new from the ISOCELL HP3. This should mean it’s specifically designed for the Chinese market.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra may not feature the new 200MP camera
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is all but officially confirmed to feature a 200MP camera. However, the ISOCELL HPX likely isn’t the sensor it’ll equip. This sensor appears to be a China-exclusive solution and may only feature on phones from local brands. Additionally, the specs we see today are different from what rumors have told about the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 200MP camera. Samsung is reportedly developing an ISOCELL HP2 sensor that will sit in between the ISOCELL HP1 and ISOCELL HP3 in terms of sensor and pixel size (1/1.3-inch, 0.60μm). Also, rumors are that it may not offer a 50MP mode, but only 200MP and 12.5MP. We will have to wait and see if these rumors are true, or if the ISOCELL HPX will ever make it into Samsung smartphones globally.
