Sony has officially entered the 200MP smartphone camera sensor market with its new Lytia 901, a highly anticipated release poised to compete directly with Samsung's 200MP sensors. The Lytia 901 features a 1/1.12" type sensor with a diagonal of 14.287 mm, designed to deliver exceptional high-definition image quality even when using up to 4x in-sensor zoom.
This sensor boasts a pixel size of 0.7 μm and utilizes Quad-Quad Bayer Coding (QQBC), which clusters a 4x4 group of pixels with the same color filter. The combined signals from these 16 pixels are processed as a single unit, producing 12.5MP images by default. When zooming in-sensor, a remosaicing process converts the clustered pixels back to a normal array, assisted by a pioneering AI-enhanced processing circuit embedded within the sensor itself.
Sony promises that this innovative approach will yield superior detail reproduction, capturing fine patterns and text with remarkable clarity. The Lytia 901 is also capable of high-speed processing, supporting up to 30fps 4K video recording at 4x zoom. Advanced dynamic range and tonal expression are maintained throughout the zoom range thanks to DCG-HDR and Fine12bit ADC technologies, the latter increasing quantization depth from 10 to 12 bits.
Hybrid Frame HDR (HF-HDR) further amplifies image quality by delivering over 100dB of dynamic range in QQBC mode. This results in dramatically reduced highlight blowouts on bright areas and minimized blackouts in shadows, producing images that closely resemble the human eye’s natural perception.
In terms of video capabilities, the sensor supports 8K recording at 30fps, 4K at 120fps, and offers various burst shooting modes, including 60fps at 12.5MP, 30fps at 50MP, and 10fps at the full 200MP resolution.
Rumors suggest that Oppo’s Find X9 Ultra and vivo’s X300 Ultra will be among the first devices to incorporate the Lytia 901 sensor, with more manufacturers expected to follow. Sony has started shipping the sensor to smartphone makers this month, marking a significant step forward in mobile photography technology.
