Sony LYT-901 200MP camera sensor launched for next-gen premium phones

Sony LYTIA has officially launched the LYT-901, its long-awaited first 200MP phone camera sensor. The component directly targets the next generation of flagship camera phones. Known internally during development as the IMX09E, the sensor is Sony's direct response to the 200MP imaging platforms that have been populating the mobile device market for years.

Sony officially launches the LYT-901, its first 200MP phone camera sensor

The LYT-901 centers around a large 1/1.12-inch imaging surface. While this isn't as large as 1-inch sensors available on the market, it's quite close in size while multiplying the resolution by 4. It uses native 0.7μm pixels, a fairly common figure in other 200MP sensors available. As usual, the hardware will combine adjacent pixels to generate photos with a much larger effective μm output.

Sony’s LYT-901 sensor offers standard pixel-binned output modes. It can convert the dense pixel data into high-quality 50MP (2x2) or 12.5MP (4x4) images. These modes aim for improved low-light performance and clean, usable high-zoom crops.

AI-powered image and HDR processing

To manage the heavy data load of 200 million pixels, Sony integrates AI into the sensor's internal circuit. This smart processing pathway makes it easier for the phone's processor (SoC) to handle the high-resolution output efficiently. This could be the solution to the criticized shutter speed of other 200MP sensors—such as those from Samsung.

For dynamic range, the Sony LYT-901 sensor uses a complex Hybrid Frame-HDR (HF-HDR) design combined with Dual Conversion Gain HDR. This mix ensures high dynamic range—exceeding 100dB, or roughly 17 photographic stops—by quickly sampling an extra frame. The approach prevents the “clipping” effect in bright highlights while drastically reducing motion artifacts, or "ghosting," in fast-moving scenes.

Sony promises 4x high quality in-sensor zoom

A major focus of the LYT-901 is versatility in zoom. The sensor supports up to 4x "high quality" zoom, using the "sensor-in-zoom" (ISZ) technique. This allows a phone equipped with this sensor to crop and stream data, creating a "virtual telephoto" view. Plus, the LYT-901 also boasts of offering 4K video recording at 30fps with 4x hardware zoom engaged, which seems ideal for content creators.

According to reports, the OPPO Find X9 Ultra and the Vivo X300 Ultra will be the first flagship phones to feature the recently launched Sony LYT-901 camera sensor next year.