Sony enters the 200MP race

Link: https://www.sony-semicon.com/en/info/2025/2025112701.html

Sony Semiconductor Solutions to Release Approx. 200-Effective Megapixel Image Sensor for Mobile Applications with Built-in AI Technology Achieving high definition and high image quality for high-powered zooming on monocular cameras

Atsugi, Japan — Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony) today announced the upcoming release of the 1/1.12-type large-format LYTIA 901 mobile image sensor with a high resolution of approximately 200-effective megapixels.*1 This product uses a pixel array format that delivers both high resolution and high sensitivity, further incorporates an image processing circuit utilizing AI technology within the sensor. It achieves high-definition image quality even with high-powered zooming of up to 4x on monocular cameras and offers new experiential value when shooting on mobile cameras.

Main Features
■Approximately 200-effective megapixels and Quad-Quad Bayer Coding (QQBC) array deliver both high resolution and high sensitivity
 The new sensor uses a pixel pitch of 0.7 μm for an approximately 200-effective megapixel resolution on a 1/1.12 large-format sensor. Advances in pixel structure and color filter design increase the saturation signal level, contributing to improved dynamic range.
 To leverage the high resolution of approximately 200-effective megapixels, the new product employs a Quad-Quad Bayer Coding (QQBC) array in which 16 (4×4) adjacent pixels are clustered with filters of the same color. During normal shooting, the signals of the 16 clustered pixels are processed as a single pixel unit, allowing the camera to maintain high sensitivity even at night and in dim indoor shooting conditions. On the other hand, during zoom shooting, a form of array conversion processing known as remosaicing reverts the clustered pixels to a normal pixel array, to deliver high-resolution imaging. 

 

■Equipped with an AI learning-based remosaicing function for high quality imaging while zooming
Array conversion processing (remosaicing), which reverts the QQBC array to a normal pixel array, requires extremely advanced calculation processes. For this product, Sony has developed a new AI learning-based remosaicing for the QQBC array and mounted the processing circuit inside the sensor, for another Sony industry-first.*2 This new technology makes it possible to process high-frequency component signals, which are generally difficult to reproduce, offering superior reproduction of details such as fine patterns and letters. Furthermore,incorporating AI learning-based remosaicing directly in the sensor enables high-speed processing and up to 30 fps high- quality video capture when shooting with up to 4x zoom in 4K resolution.

■High dynamic range and rich tonal expression enabled by various HDR technologies
 DCG-HDR and Fine12bit ADC technologies deliver high dynamic range and tonal expressions across the entire zoom range up to 4x
 In addition to Dual Conversion Gain‐HDR (DCG-HDR) technology, which composites data read at different gain settings in a single frame, the new sensor is equipped with Fine12bit ADC (AD converter) technology that improves the quantization bit depth from the conventional 10 bits to 12. These features deliver a high dynamic range and rich tonal expression across the entire zoom range up to 4x.
 HF-HDR technology delivers over 100 dB*3 high dynamic range performance
 Hybrid Frame-HDR (HF-HDR) is an HDR technology that composites frames captured in short exposures with DCG data on a post-processing application processor. HF-HDR significantly improves the dynamic range compared to conventional HDR technology, delivering performance of over 100 dB.*3 This significantly suppresses highlight blowout in bright areas, as well as blackout in dark areas, delivering images that more closely resemble what the human eye actually sees.