Sony has just announced a new camera sensor for smartphones, and this one has 17 stops of dynamic range. The camera sensor in question is called the Sony LYT-828. It may surprise you that it’s not a member of the LYT-900 series, but… there’s nothing to scoff at here. Some great camera smartphones use LYT-800 series sensors, and this one is… interesting, to say the least.
Sony’s new camera sensor could be a real game-changer for smartphone photos
What does 17 stops of dynamic range mean for the end consumer? Well, it means that this sensor is very capable of capturing high-contrast scenes. It’s actually very capable in that regard, even when zooming.
The Sony LYT-828 is a 50-megapixel CMOS sensor that delivers a dynamic range of over 100 dB, which is equivalent (roughly) to 17 stops. This is a huge step forward for smartphone sensors, as it puts it in the same ballpark as cinema-grade sensors.
The Sony LYT-828 is a 50-megapixel camera sensor that tries to get HDR right
Smartphones have been trying to get HDR right for quite some time now. Some of them did a great job, others not so much. Well, the Sony LYT-828 will definitely help with that. It actually fuses single-frame HDR using dual conversion gain with multi-frame HDR. That creates a blend that is supposed to maximize highlight and shadow retention.
The application processor is supposed to make this happen. It enables high-contrast scenes to be captured with realism, even while zooming. Sony says that, unlike traditional sensors which can mess things up when switching focal lengths, the LYT-828 maintains full dynamic range performance. It can do this thanks to a clever switch to full resolution mode during zoom.
It is also utilizing UHCG technology to improve low-light shots
Another thing worth noting is that this sensor should work great in low light. It comes with Ultra-High Conversation Gain (UHCG) technology. It is a proprietary circuit that improves efficiency in charge-to-voltage conversion. It is supposed to drastically cut random noise in low-light scenes. It remains to be seen how well it’ll work, though.
This camera sensor also enables constant HDR preview and capture. You’ll see exactly what you’ll be getting, with HDR processing done. That’s not something we’re used to seeing. So this camera should do great in a ton of scenarios. We’re not sure when will smartphone OEMs start using this camera sensor, we’re hoping it will happen later this year, though.
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