Sony Unveils Revolutionary 200MP LYTIA 901 Sensor with AI-Powered Processing and 17-Stop Dynamic Range

Sony's New 200MP Sensor Promises Nearly 17 Stops of Dynamic Range

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation has announced the launch of the new Lytia 901 mobile image sensor. The 200-megapixel sensor is slightly smaller than the Lytia 900 found in many high-end smartphones, but promises many more megapixels and improved HDR. The Sony Lytia 901 is a 200-megapixel Type 1/1.12 sensor, meaning its pixel size is 0.7μm. In contrast to the Lytia 900, which is a 50-megapixel Type 1/0.98 sensor with 1.6μm pixels. Both sensors promise 4K recording at rates of 120 frames per second and include Sony's DCG-HDR technology for capturing single-frame HDR photos. However, the Lytia 901 sensor has a new trick up its sleeve: Hybrid-Frame HDR. Hybrid Frame-HDR, or HF-HDR, composites frames captured using short exposure with dual conversion gain data. HF-HDR promises to significantly improve dynamic range compared to conventional HDR technology, Sony says, and can deliver performance "over 100 dB," which equates to over 16 stops of dynamic range. "This significantly suppresses highlight blowout in bright areas, as well as blackout in dark areas, delivering images that more closely resemble what the human eye actually sees," Sony Semiconductor says of its new HF-HDR tech. The new Sony Lytia 901 has other fascinating technological advancements. The sensor has a new Quad-Quad Bayer Coding (QQBC) array, which combines 16 (4×4) adjacent pixels into a cluster with a filter of the same color, red, green, or blue. In typical shooting situations, these clusters are treated as a single pixel, ensuring a strong balance between resolution and sensitivity. However, during zoom shooting, the sensor can remosaic the pixels to replicate a regular pixel array. This conversion processing technique requires significant processing power, Sony says. As a result, the Lytia 901 features a new AI-based processing circuit mounted inside the sensor, a "Sony industry-first." "This new technology makes it possible to process high-frequency component signals, which are generally difficult to reproduce, offering superior reproduction of details such as fine patterns and letters," Sony promises. "Furthermore, incorporating AI learning-based remosaicing directly in the sensor enables high-speed processing and up to 30 fps high- quality video capture when shooting with up to 4x zoom in 4K resolution." The new sensor's other specs are similarly impressive. The Lytia 901 can shoot full-resolution, 200-megapixel RAW images at up to 10 frames per second and 50-megapixel ones at 30 frames per second. The sensor can also shoot 8K video at 30p plus 4Kp120, as mentioned earlier. The new Sony Lytia 901 image sensor is available to customers now and should be implemented in new smartphones in the very near future.

Sony LYTIA 901 200MP 1/1.12-type CMOS image sensor announced

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation today announced the upcoming release of the LYTIA 901, a 1/1.12-type stacked CMOS mobile image sensor featuring approximately 200 effective megapixels. The sensor introduces a redesigned pixel architecture, improved low-light capture, and AI-based image processing embedded inside the sensor to preserve detail during zoom shooting and video recording. The LYTIA 901 uses a 1/1.12-type (14.287 mm diagonal) format with a 0.7 μm pixel pitch to achieve its approximately 200-effective-megapixel resolution. It also marks the start of Sony's new unified naming format in which all upcoming models will follow the structure "LYTIA (product number)." Key features Quad-Quad Bayer Coding (QQBC) for high resolution and sensitivity The QQBC arrangement clusters 16 same-color pixels to maximize sensitivity for regular shooting, especially in dim environments. For zoom capture, remosaicing restores full pixel layout to maintain high resolution. AI learning-based remosaicing inside the sensor Sony has developed a new AI learning-based remosaicing technique for the QQBC structure and integrated the processing hardware directly into the sensor. This enables reproduction of high-frequency visual elements while supporting real-time zoom recording. HDR technologies for tonal accuracy and wide dynamic range The LYTIA 901 combines DCG-HDR, Fine12-bit ADC, and HF-HDR to maintain tonal precision and detail across bright and dark regions. In 16-pixel additive mode, HDR processing achieves an effective dynamic range of over 100 dB. Sony states that mass-production shipments of the LYTIA 901 will begin in November 2025. The sensor is set to appear in upcoming flagship Android smartphones, with real-world performance expected once consumer products launch. Reports indicate that the OPPO Find X9 Ultra and vivo X300 Ultra are likely to be among the first devices to adopt it in Q1 2026.