Samsung reveals the first 200MP telephoto sensor for smartphones

Now we know what the Galaxy S25 Ultra will use: the new 200MP and 50MP sensors from Samsung, which aim to bridge the gap between main and sub cameras for enhanced imaging across all angles.

Introduced by Samsung as the industry’s first 200MP telephoto sensor for smartphones, the new ISOCELL HP9 features 200 million 0.56-micrometer (am) pixels in a 1/1.4-inch optical format. The company says that “with its proprietary high-refractive microlens featuring a new material, the HP9 significantly enhances light-gathering capability by directing more light accurately to the corresponding RGB color filter. This results in more vivid color reproduction and improved focus with 12% better light sensitivity (based on signal-to-noise ratio 10) and 10% improved autofocus contrast performance compared to the previous product.”

Notably, Samsung continues, “the HP9 excels in low-light conditions, addressing a common challenge for traditional telephoto cameras. Its Tetra²pixel technology merges 16 pixels (4×4) into a large, 12MP 2.24μm-sized sensor, enabling sharper portrait shots — even in dark settings — and creating dramatic out-of-focus bokeh effects.”

 

As main cameras in premium smartphones grow in size, the room for telephoto cameras is also increasing. The HP9’s large optical format makes it suitable for telephoto modules, delivering performance that matches premium main cameras in image quality, autofocus, high dynamic range (HDR) and frames per second (fps).

Powered by a remosaic algorithm, the HP9 offers 2x or 4x in-sensor zoom modes, achieving up to 12x zoom when paired with a 3x zoom telephoto module, all while maintaining crisp image quality. It’s clear, now, what Samsung wants to use the sensor for: a 12x optical focal length achieved through cropping in the sensor and a 3x lens module. Not a “real” zoom as photographers are used to, but nonetheless an interesting – at least on paper – option that will contribute to better telephoto photography using smartphones. That’s how Samsung has progressed from the 10MP sensor used in the 10x telephoto (not zoom but a prime lens) used in the Galaxy S22 Ultra. This is something that would convince me to buy the upcoming S25 Ultra.

“Enhancing image sensor performance and bridging the gap between main and sub cameras to offer a consistent photography experience across all angles is the new direction of the industry,” said Jesuk Lee, Executive Vice President and CTO of the System LSI Sensor Business Team at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to set industry standards and push technological boundaries with our new lineup of mobile sensors that integrate the latest advancements.”

The new ISOCELL HP9 was revealed with two other new sensors that also aim to set a new standard for mobile photography and video, the ISOCELL GNJ and the ISOCELL JN5.

The ISOCELL GNJ is a dual pixel sensor with 50 million 1.0μm pixels in a 1/1.57-inch optical format, integrating, the company says, “cutting-edge pixel technology innovations.” Each pixel houses two photodiodes, enabling fast and accurate autofocus, similar to the way human eyes focus. The image sensor also simultaneously captures full color information for quick focusing with sustained image quality.

The GNJ combines dual pixel technology with an in-sensor zoom function to deliver clearer footage in video mode and higher-resolution images free from artifacts or moiré patterns in photo mode. The newly improved high-transmittance anti-refractive layer (ARL), coupled with Samsung’s proprietary high-refractive microlenses, not only boosts light transmission and reduces unwanted reflections but also ensures that dark areas are not overly brightened for more accurate photos with well-preserved image details.

In addition, the GNJ includes an upgraded pixel isolation material in deep trench isolation (DTI) from polysilicon to silicon oxide, minimizing crosstalk between adjacent pixels. This allows the sensor to capture more detailed and precise images. Samsung adds that “all of these innovations have been achieved with less power consumption, featuring a 29% improvement in preview mode and 34% in video mode at 4K 60fps.”The third sensor announced is the ISOCELL JN5, which aims to offer consistent camera experience from every angle with broad color range and excellent autofocus. Featuring 50 million 0.64μm pixels in a 1/2.76-inch optical format, the sensor uses dual vertical transfer gate (Dual VTG) technology to increase charge transfer within pixels, substantially reducing noise in extreme low light conditions for clearer image quality.

Leveraging Super Quad Phase Detection (Super QPD), the JN5 adjusts focus by comparing phase differences both vertically and horizontally, catching even the smallest details of rapidly moving objects with minimal shake. Additionally, Samsung notes, “the JN5 incorporates dual slope gain (DSG) technology to enhance its HDR. This technology amplifies the analog light information entering the pixels into two signals, converts them into digital, and then combines them into one data, expanding the range of colors that the sensor can produce.”

The implementation of hardware remosaic algorithms improves camera shooting speed while enabling real-time zoom in both preview and capture modes without any delay, says Samsung. The JN5’s slim optical format makes it highly versatile, the company claims, “allowing it to be used across main and sub cameras — including wide-angle, ultra-wide-angle, front and telephoto — promising a consistent camera experience from various angles.”