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More pixels.
More detail.Inspired by ISOCELL

Undertaking a tremendous printing challenge with the 200MP ISOCELL image sensor

The image sensor engineers at Samsung Electronics have accepted a lofty challenge. They are trying to print a picture that was taken with ISOCELL's 200-megapixel (MP) mobile image sensor on an enormous 616㎡ sized canvas.

Let’s check out how the 28-meter-wide, 22-meter-high photograph (about one and a half times the size of a basketball court) came out.

"Our desire to truly test the limits of the
high-performance 200MP image sensor and
its image quality is what brought this challenge about."

How big can
we print out
a 200MP image?

"I have always wondered just how big you could go when it comes to printing out a 200MP image," said Minhyuk Lee, an engineer from the Sensor Solutions Team at Samsung’s System LSI Business. "As exciting as it was, the challenge was a demanding one, as this was our first time showcasing the quality of an image sensor that has yet to be adopted in smartphones."

Why we chose a cat
as subject

Taking a picture with an image sensor that is still under development, for a camera module that is not yet fully optimized, is indeed a very tricky task. Nonetheless, the team decided to push themselves by working with a lively, moving subject rather than going with an inanimate object.
"Choosing a cat as our subject was a difficult decision. It gave us a lot of obstacles to overcome, such as capturing such an active subject with a test board. However, the team concluded that the subject should be something that would show off a high level of detail and that was a popular photography subject at the same time."

A man looking at a 200 megapixel Samsung ISOCELL image sensor.

"I was truly astonished
by the degree of detail."

Since the photo was taken using a test board, the photographer first checked the screen and adjusted the composition. Then, the engineers modified the settings to optimize exposure and focus. After observing the cat’s movements, the film crew then used different methods to take a series of pictures. Photographer Hyunjoong Kim was curious to see the result, since 200MP resolution is not easy to come by, even in DSLR cameras. He said "I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the raw image enlarged to 100%. I was truly astonished by the degree of detail. At that moment, I knew any prejudices I had previously had regarding smartphone photography had been proven wrong."

The stunning detail of
200 million pixels

The printing process was far from easy, as obviously a 616㎡ image cannot be printed all at once. The picture had to be printed on twelve separate 2.3-meter-long pieces of fabric and then stitched together. The printout was then transported over on a truck and installed on the wall of a building using a crane. The project leader observed the entire installation process and said, "When the picture was unfurled for the big reveal, the true enormousness of it really struck me, and not just because of its actual size. The moment I witnessed the 200 million pixels depicting the stunning detail of the cat’s eyes and fur, I was overwhelmed by all of the efforts that had gone into developing this final product."

A tremendous cat print made with a 200 megapixel Samsung ISOCELL image sensor posted on a building

Capture an image that can be cropped without compromising on quality

The challenge of truly visualizing the next-level capabilities of 200MP technology was a thrilling one. Going forward, Samsung Electronics will continue to expand its leadership in the high-resolution market.
Offering final comments, Kaeul Lee and Minhyuk Lee stated, "The ultimate benefit of the 200MP image sensor is to allow users to capture an image that can be zoomed in on and cropped without compromising on image quality." They added, "The 200MP image sensor will soon become the optimal solution for 8K video recording."

Going forward, keep an eye out for what other new experiences the thumbnail-sized ISOCELL image sensor will deliver next.

* All product specifications reflect internal test results and are subject to variations by the user’s system configuration. Actual performance may vary depending on use conditions and environment.

* All images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of the product or images captured with the product. All images are digitally edited, modified, or enhanced.

* Samsung reserves the right to change images and specifications at any time without notice. Nonmetric weights and measurements are approximate. All data were deemed correct at the time of creation. Samsung is not liable for errors or omissions.