Samsung is one of the global leaders in advanced semiconductor technology. The company has recently introduced its latest 108MP mobile image sensor – Samsung ISOCELL HM3. It can capture sharper and more vivid images in ultra-high resolution with faster auto-focus and extended dynamic range.
Duckhyun Chang, executive vice president of the sensor business at Samsung Electronics said – “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. The HM3 combines an improved Super PD Plus feature for faster auto-focus. The Super PD Plus adds AF-optimized micro-lenses over the phase-detection focusing agents for increased measurement accuracy of the agents by 50-percent. The enhanced phase detection autofocus (PDAF) solution helps keep moving objects in clear focus and provides the best results in dark environments.
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In mixed-light environments, such as at the end of the tunnel, HM3 uses Smart ISO Pro, which is a high dynamic range (HDR) imaging technology that uses in-scene double-conversion gain (iDCG) solutions. Smart ISO Pro can capture high ISO and low ISO frames at the same time, and then merge them into a single image with 12-bit color depth and reduced noise.
Since Smart ISO Pro does not require multiple exposures to create standard HDR images, it can significantly reduce motion artifacts. In addition, in the low noise mode, it can increase light sensitivity by 50% to capture brighter and clearer results in low light environments than before.
The pixel layout of HM3 is particularly arranged in a three-by-three monochrome structure, which is suitable for a nine-pixel combination. By merging 9 adjacent pixels, the 108MP HM3 mimics a 12MP image sensor with 2.4μm large pixels, thereby enhancing the sensitivity when taking photos in low-light environments. Through improved boxing hardware IP, HM3 supports seamless conversion between 108MP and 12MP resolution.
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.
