Samsung produces large 98mm² camera sensor for smartphones

Samsung announces the Isocell GN2. That is a 50-megapixel camera sensor for mobile devices that should distinguish itself from its GN1 predecessor in particular with improved autofocus. With a surface of 98mm², the sensor is relatively large.

At 98mm², the Isocell GN2 is larger than the GN1, which Samsung announced last year and which was already on the hefty side with 72mm². Samsung reports that it applies dual-pixel autofocus technology to the Isocell GN2 in which pixels are not only divided horizontally, as with the GN1 and other sensors, but also diagonally. This allows the sensor to focus quickly in all directions, even if there are no pattern changes horizontally.

The company also claims that focusing in moderate lighting conditions and tracking moving objects has been improved with the GN2. Compared to the GN1, the pixel size has been increased from 1.2μm to 1.4μm for better performance in low-light conditions. It is still a 50-megapixel sensor. Samsung does talk about the presence of a 100-megapixel mode. The sensor captures three 50-megapixel frames, after which the Isocell scales them up and merges them for a 100-megapixel image.

Samsung has started mass production of the sensor. It is not known in which devices the Isocell GN2 will end up. The GN1 appeared in the X60 Pro+ from Vivo, among others.

Samsung Isocell GN2 Samsung Isocell GN1 Samsung Isocell Bright HM3