Sony Announces World’s Highest-Res Phone Camera Sensor

Always looking for the perfect camera? Sony just unveiled a phone camera sensor that has the world’s highest resolution. The latest CMOS design, the IMX586, brings an impressive resolution of 48MP (8000 x 6000 px).

Of course, more megapixels don’t always translate into better image quality, so Sony ensured that the IMX586 is up to par by using a quad Bayer color filter array.

“By adopting the Quad Bayer color filter array, where the adjacent 2×2 pixels come in the same color, the new sensor delivers both high sensitivity and high resolution. In low light situations, such as shooting at night, the signal from the four adjacent pixels is added, raising the sensitivity to a level equivalent to that of 1.6 μm pixels (12 effective megapixels), to capture bright, low-noise photos and videos. When shooting bright scenes such as daytime outdoors, the built-in, original signal processing function performs array conversion, making it possible to obtain high-definition 48 effective megapixel images in real time,” explains Sony.

Just how clear is a picture taken with the world’s highest-res phone camera sensor? Sony provided a very helpful comparison, one that’s definitely going to make you want to see a smartphone announcement as well:

Also read: ✍Sony Developed A Smartphone Camera Sensor That Shoots at 1,000fps✍

Fortunately, you won’t have to wait long, since Sony plans to start shipping the IMX586 in September, so phones outfitted with this $27 sensor could be here early next year.

The IMX586 could also show up in the much-awaited Xperia XZ3, which is expected to show up at IFA 2018, in which case stay tuned, we’ll be on the ground to test it.

Also read: ✍Sony Made The First Ever 1.46 MP Backlit Sensor With No Rolling Shutter Effect✍