OmniVision OV50H 50MP camera sensor debuts to bring next-gen auto-focus and low-light performance to future smartphones

The OV50H introduces OmniVision's latest QPD technology to the world, backed to help build smartphones with improved "2×2" phase detection autofocus (PDAF), as its inaugural horizontal/vertical (H/V) mode is rated to expedite focus thanks to improved PD coverage across more of the sensor.

H/V mode is also touted to improve depth perception and light sensitivity in the new OV50H. It packs 50 million 1.2 micron (µm) pixels with 2x crop zoom into a relatively small 1/1.3‑inch footprint, and is rated for video recording at either 8K "with on-chip remosaic", 4K/120 fps with electronic image stabilization (EIS), or 4K/60 fps with HDR.

Alternatively, the OV50H can, like many high-end CMOS from Samsung, bin down to 12.5MP for "4x" low-light performance, which it may still achieve at 120 fps. However, OmniVision asserts that its features go even further beyond that thanks to its dual conversion gain (DCG) technique.

It is rated to deliver HDR at 30 fps in some modes, with a dynamic range of ~100 decibels (dB), as well as staggered HDR in "very short" or 3-exposure intervals. Then again, it may be some time before the first OV50H-equipped smartphone launches, as OmniVision does not plan to sample it until April 2023.

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