This could be the 200MP camera for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Samsung has unveiled a new camera sensor that we could possibly see in the S23 Ultra
The main sensor behind the rumored 200MP camera on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra might have just been launched by Samsung. The ISOCELL HPX is the third camera sensor launched by the tech giant which follows last year's ISOCELL HP1 and the ISOCELL HP3 that we saw this year.
The upcoming Galaxy S23 Ultra has been long-rumored to come with a 200MP camera. Initially, this was tipped to be the ISOCELL HP1 sensor that is also on the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra and the Xiaomi 12T Pro. But now, it could be that Samsung has decided to give its top flagship a new sensor after all. This has not been confirmed by Samsung, but going by the timing of the launch and the fact that this is a 200MP camera sensor, there could be a high possibility that we see the HPX sensor on the S23 Ultra.
According to reliable leaker Ice Universe, the 200MP sensor on the Galaxy S23 Ultra will have 0.6µm pixels on a 1/1.3" sensor with an f/1.7 aperture in front. These specs don’t match the ISOCELL HP1 or the HP3 sensor.
Do not believe any imaginary news, everything is subject to me.100% confirmed, S23 Ultra main camera:< 200MP,0.6μm,1/1.3",F1.7 >It's only slightly bigger than the iPhone 14 Pro and smaller than other Android flagship phone sensors in 2023. pic.twitter.com/UeHH5C6aJoSeptember 10, 2022
ISOCELL HPX has a 0.56-micron pixel size that ties in with the specs that Ice Universe has tweeted though the HP3 sensor has the exact same pixel size. The 0.56-micron pixel size is apparently capable of reducing the size of the camera module by 20% which could mean a slimmer smartphone chassis for the S23 Ultra.
The HPX sensor also utilizes Samsung’s Advanced DTI (Deep Trench Isolation) technology, which isolates each pixel separately and boosts sensitivity to take clearer and more vivid pictures.
In low light scenarios, HPX can automatically switch between three different lighting modes based on the available light. It will combine pixels so users will be able to take 50MP pictures and in extremely low light environments, the sensor will combine 16 pixels to create one pixel so that an image can be taken at 12.5MP as well. This means that the ISOCELL HPX is capable of sharp pictures with any kind of lighting.
We recently heard that the 200MP camera on the S23 Ultra could have excellent night photography, which again ties in with the capabilities of the HPX sensor.
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For video, the Samsung HPX sensor, like its predecessors, is capable of recording 8K video at 30 frames per second and supports dual HDR shooting in 4K and FHD modes.
The HPX seems to be a big step up from the HP1 and HP3 sensors though it will be able to render an image at over 4 trillion colors (14-bit color depth). The availability of the sensor is not known, but if this is the sensor that we see in the S23 Ultra, it could give the Pixel 7 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro some tough competition in the title for the best camera phone.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could launch in mid-January 2023. Other than a 200MP camera, it is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, although leaked benchmarks of the S23 Ultra show that it could possibly trail the iPhone 14 Pro. The 5,000 mAh battery from the Galaxy S22 Ultra might remain unchanged and there could be only a few tweaks made to the phone’s design this time around.
You can read about the 5 biggest rumors so far on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra to learn more about the upcoming phone.
Sanjana loves all things tech. From the latest phones, to quirky gadgets and the best deals, she's in sync with it all. Based in Atlanta, she is the news editor at Tom's Guide. Previously, she produced India's top technology show for NDTV and has been a tech news reporter on TV. Outside work, you can find her on a tennis court or sipping her favorite latte in instagrammable coffee shops in the city. Her work has appeared on NDTV Gadgets 360 and CNBC.