You might be forgiven, if you’re fond of counting megapixels, for thinking that Samsung’s Galaxy S7’s 12MP camera was a step backwards from the Galaxy S6’s 16MP snapper. We’ll let that one go but we won’t be able to do that a second time – the company’s newly-announced 12MP sensors, which build in Dual Pixel tech normally only seen in DSLR sensors, means that the Galaxy S8 will take even better snaps than its predecessors.
The new 1.4μm-pixel-based image sensor, which Samsung says is already in mass production, will enable speedier auto-focus. That’s something that LG, the company’s main camera competition, already has nailed down with its laser autofocus. Samsung are also using their own ISOCELL tech for these sensors.
Samsung explains that the new Dual Pixel sensors use “…two photodiodes located on the left and right halves of a pixel, while a conventional image sensor dedicates less than five percent of its pixels, with one photodiode each that converts light particles into measurable photocurrent for phase detection.”
“As each and every pixel of the Dual Pixel image sensor is capable of detecting phase differences of perceived light, significantly faster auto-focus has become possible. With such groundbreaking improvements, the image sensor ensures clear and sharp images especially for moving objects even in poor lighting conditions.”
Just when we will see these mini-cameras in action hasn’t been revealed. It’s possible that we’ll see them as soon as this year, probably in any S7 upgrades that Samsung might have lurking on their launch roster. Failing that, the Galaxy S8 is a good bet.