New Samsung 12-Megapixel Image Sensor Has Faster Auto-Focus, Better Low-Light Photos

Samsung announced a 12-megapixel smartphone image sensor with Dual Pixel technology adopted from digital SLR cameras. The technology enables rapid auto-focus for fast photo shooting while producing premium image quality on mobile devices, including low-light situations, said Samsung Wednesday. The sensor will enable consumers to capture events instantly on a smartphone “regardless of lighting conditions,” said the company. Each pixel of the Dual Pixel image sensor is capable of detecting phase differences of perceived light for a speedier auto-focus experience, said Samsung. The image sensor uses Samsung’s Isocell technology, which isolates the photodiodes in each pixel with a physical wall to reduce color crosstalk and maximize the sensor’s performance, said the company. Chip-stacking technology stacks a 65-nanometer sensor and a 28-nanometer logic chip together to meet the size requirements of a smartphone, it said.