Sony has finally entered the world of 200-megapixel sensors for phones, after a long wait. Today the company officially announced the new sensorLytia 901which comes to directly compete with Samsung’s solutions in the same category. The sensor comes in a size of 1/1.12 inches with a diameter of 14.287 mm, and Sony confirms that it is able to provide “very high imaging quality” even when using a 4x zoom.

Sony offers the 200-megapixel Lytia 901 sensor

Each pixel is 0.7 microns, and the sensor relies on a Quad-Quad Bayer Coding (QQBC) array, where 16 adjacent pixels (4×4) are grouped under the same filter color, and processed as a single unit to produce a 12.5-megapixel image.

When using the in-sensor zoom feature, the remosaicing processing system rearranges the pixels into a natural matrix. Sony uses a special processing circuit built into the sensor, “the first of its kind in the industry,” to enhance the quality of details using artificial intelligence. The company promises to show the finest patterns and writings clearly, with fast processing and support for high-quality video recording up to 30 frames per second with 4x zoom in 4K resolution.

The sensor also delivers high dynamic range across the entire zoom range thanks to DCG-HDR and Fine12bit ADC technologies, which raise the processing depth from traditional 10-bit to 12-bit. Using Hybrid Frame HDR technology, the sensor obtains a dynamic range exceeding 100 dB in QQBC mode, which means reducing burning of bright areas and preventing darkening of dark areas, to obtain images close to what the human eye sees.

The sensor supports 8K@30fps and 4K@120fps video recording, in addition to burst shooting at 60 frames at 12.5MP, 30 frames at 50MP, and 10 frames at full resolution 200MP. According to previous leaks, companies such as Oppo will use it in the Find X9 Ultra and Vivo in the X300 Ultra, and it is expected that other companies will adopt it soon. It will begin shipping to manufacturers this month.

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