Sony has officially unveiled the Lytia 901, its highly anticipated 200MP smartphone camera sensor, aimed at competing directly with Samsung's 200MP models.
The Lytia 901 features a 1/1.12" sensor size, with a 14.287 mm diagonal, designed to deliver high-definition image quality even with 4x in-sensor zoom. It boasts a pixel size of 0.7 μm and utilizes a Quad-Quad Bayer Coding (QQBC) array. This technology clusters 4x4 adjacent pixels with identical color filters, combining the signals of 16 pixels to produce 12.5MP images.
When using in-sensor zoom, remosaicing converts the clustered pixels back into a standard array. This process is enhanced by an industry-first AI-powered processing circuit embedded within the sensor itself. Sony promises exceptional detail reproduction, including fine patterns and text, alongside high-speed processing capable of delivering up to 30fps high-quality 4K video with up to 4x zoom.
The sensor also offers improved dynamic range and tonal accuracy across the full zoom range, thanks to Sony's DCG-HDR and Fine 12-bit ADC technologies, which increase quantization bit depth from 10 to 12 bits. Combined with Hybrid Frame HDR (HF-HDR), the Lytia 901 achieves over 100dB of dynamic range in QQBC mode, significantly reducing highlight blowouts and dark area noise for images that more closely match human visual perception.
The sensor supports impressive video capabilities, including 8K recording at 30fps and 4K at 120fps. It can capture 60fps bursts at 12.5MP, 30fps at 50MP, and 10fps at the full 200MP resolution. Industry rumors suggest the Lytia 901 will debut in Oppo's Find X9 Ultra and vivo's X300 Ultra, with additional manufacturers likely to adopt the sensor. Shipments to device makers begin this month.
