Sony LYT-901 Announced as the First 200MP Mobile Sensor With 4× Hardware Zoom

Sony has officially introduced the LYT-901, its first-ever 200MP mobile camera sensor, marking one of the most significant advancements in smartphone imaging for 2024. Previously referred to as the IMX09E, the new LYT-901 is built around a large 1/1.12-inch footprint, making it one of the biggest high-resolution sensors designed for mobile devices. With brands pushing boundaries in computational photography, Sony’s latest addition aims to deliver stronger dynamic range, improved low-light performance, and lossless zoom capabilities. More upcoming imaging-related developments and flagship camera comparisons can be found on passionategeekz.com.

The sensor features a 0.7μm pixel size, enabling high-resolution detail capture while still maintaining balance across highlight and shadow regions through Sony’s Hybrid Frame-HDR (HF-HDR) technology. The LYT-901 boasts a dynamic range exceeding 100dB, equivalent to nearly 17 stops, giving it significantly more flexibility for bright scenes and complex lighting environments. This is further supported by its DCG-HDR system and a fine 12-bit ADC pipeline, which enhances tonal accuracy and produces cleaner RAW output for photographers and videographers.

One of the most important aspects of the LYT-901 is its advanced zoom structure. It offers 4× lossless, near-optical zoom thanks to its hardware-level in-sensor zoom (ISZ) module. This is currently the only smartphone sensor capable of supporting 4× hardware zoom while also enabling 4K video capture at 30fps. For creators who need high-speed capture, the sensor can also deliver 120fps recording at 4K resolution when using 4× binning mode, opening doors for more cinematic footage and smoother action shots.

Leveraging a Quad-Quad Bayer arrangement, the LYT-901 integrates an AI-driven rebayer circuit directly into the sensor, allowing heavy computational tasks to be processed within the imaging hardware itself. This reduces post-processing load on the ISP and helps improve color accuracy, clarity, and overall image consistency. The sensor also supports 4K HDR video recording up to 60fps, appealing to mobile filmmakers and content creators who rely on smartphones for professional-grade output.

The LYT-901 includes two major pixel-binning configurations: 50MP (2×2) and 12.5MP (4×4), both optimized for improved low-light performance. These binning modes help produce softer noise levels and cleaner textures even in darker scenarios. Integer-based pixel-bin steps—from 200MP to 50MP to 12.5MP—also enhance zoom clarity and are a key reason behind the rising adoption of 200MP sensors in the premium smartphone segment. According to Sony, the LYT-901 is particularly effective for concert zoom scenarios, offering greater reach without compromising detail retention.

Flagship devices such as the Oppo Find X9 Ultra and Vivo X300 Ultra are expected to be among the first to adopt this powerful sensor, further pushing the boundaries of mobile photography in upcoming launches. More updates on these upcoming flagships and their camera performance will be available soon on passionategeekz.com. Thanks for reading! Join our tech community on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/passionategeekz