Shortly before the Galaxy S23: Samsung presents new 200-megapixel sensor

For example, the Isocell HP2 is said to be less susceptible to overexposure and have better autofocus in low light. However, Samsung has not yet revealed many technical details.

200 million pixels on 9.8 × 7.4 millimetres

The 200 megapixels of the Isocell HP2 are spread over a 1/1.3 inch sensor area. This corresponds to edge lengths of 9.8 × 7.4 millimetres. Each individual pixel is 0.6 micrometres in size.

According to Samsung, the new sensor is designed for "pixel binning". This means you will mostly ignore the 200 megapixel option in the camera settings. Instead, four or sixteen pixels are merged into one. This results in resolutions of 50 or 12.5 megapixels. Pixel binning is intended to increase light sensitivity and reduce image noise, for example.

Samsung also claims that the Isocell HP2 ensures less washed-out images in bright environments. The reason for this is the new "Dual Vertical Transfer Gate" technology (D-VTG). It is designed to increase the capacity of each individual pixel and therefore also the data transfer. This reduces overexposure and improves colour reproduction - especially in bright environments. In low light, "Super QPD" is said to accelerate autofocus. The technology can access all 200 million pixels of the sensor and use them for focussing.

For 8K videos, the frame rate has increased from 24 fps on the Isocell HP1 to 30 fps on the HP2. The new sensor is said to be capable of 4K recordings at 60 fps.

200 megapixels may be a high resolution, but it is not synonymous with twice or even ten times the image quality of sensors with a lower resolution. The Xiaomi 12T Pro and the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra with the first 200 megapixel sensor HP1 deliver good images, but do not leave the competition with less resolution behind.

The sensor for the Galaxy S23?

Samsung has only announced that mass production of the Isocell HP2 has begun. The manufacturer is not saying when and in which smartphones it could be used. However, there are many speculations that Samsung has already installed it in the Galaxy S23. The smartphone will most likely be unveiled at the announced "Unpacked" event on 1 February. If Samsung keeps to its usual practice, regular sales will begin around two weeks later.

Leaked specifications of the Galaxy S23 match the Isocell HP2. But time might still be too short. With the Isocell HP1, it took almost a year for the first smartphones with it to appear after the announcement. Samsung did not use it for the Galaxy S22 - despite a longer lead time than now. In order to sell S23 from mid-February, Samsung would already have to send them around the world and not produce them first. On the other hand, Samsung has not revealed exactly when mass production of the sensor has started - only that it has. We will find out for sure on 1 February.