Skip to content

  • Superior HDR
    Breathtaking shots
    Superior HDR
    Breathtaking shots
    Superior HDR
    Breathtaking shots

    Inspired by ISOCELL

    Inspired by ISOCELL

    Inspired by ISOCELL

    A close-up 3D-rendered image of an ISOCELL sensor embedded inside a smartphone camera
There’s a reason the smartphone camera experience is getting better and better. Samsung is developing a variety of high dynamic range (HDR) technologies, which expand a camera’s dynamic range to provide vivid and clear images in a wider variety of lighting environments. There’s a reason the smartphone camera experience is getting better and better. Samsung is developing a variety of high dynamic range (HDR) technologies, which expand a camera’s dynamic range to provide vivid and clear images in a wider variety of lighting environments. There’s a reason the smartphone camera experience is getting better and better. Samsung is developing a variety of high dynamic range (HDR) technologies, which expand a camera’s dynamic range to provide vivid and clear images in a wider variety of lighting environments.

What is HDR? What is HDR? What is HDR?

HDR extends the range of brightness levels to represent images as closely as possible to human perception. It can vividly differentiate highly illuminated scenes rather than simply show them as white, or it can clearly distinguish extremely low-light scenes rather than just express them as black. This means you don’t have to worry as much about the lighting when you snap pictures. Furthermore, in non-HDR mode, there is a trade-off where resolving noise leads to overexposure and fixing overexposure increases noise, while HDR technologies address both issues simultaneously, resulting in a cleaner, more precise HDR scene.

Samsung ISOCELL What is HDR

Multi exposure Multi exposure Multi exposure

Staggered HDR
Staggered HDR
Staggered HDR

Staggered HDR improves the contrast ratio by capturing a couple of frames under different exposure conditions and combining them at the AP. Each frame focuses on differently illuminated scenes, so the combined image can describe the entire scene vibrantly by taking vivid part of each frame.

However, due to the limitations of rolling-shutter processing, it may introduce wavy distortion into moving objects, which is called the jello effect. To reduce this distortion, technologies like Smart ISO Pro and Dual Slope Gain, which are based on single exposure, have been introduced.
Staggered HDR improves the contrast ratio by capturing a couple of frames under different exposure conditions and combining them at the AP. Each frame focuses on differently illuminated scenes, so the combined image can describe the entire scene vibrantly by taking vivid part of each frame.

However, due to the limitations of rolling-shutter processing, it may introduce wavy distortion into moving objects, which is called the jello effect. To reduce this distortion, technologies like Smart ISO Pro and Dual Slope Gain, which are based on single exposure, have been introduced.
Staggered HDR improves the contrast ratio by capturing a couple of frames under different exposure conditions and combining them at the AP. Each frame focuses on differently illuminated scenes, so the combined image can describe the entire scene vibrantly by taking vivid part of each frame.

However, due to the limitations of rolling-shutter processing, it may introduce wavy distortion into moving objects, which is called the jello effect. To reduce this distortion, technologies like Smart ISO Pro and Dual Slope Gain, which are based on single exposure, have been introduced.
Samsung ISOCELL Staggered HDR Samsung ISOCELL Staggered HDR Samsung ISOCELL Staggered HDR

Single exposure Single exposure Single exposure

Smart ISO Pro
Smart ISO Pro
Smart ISO Pro

Smart ISO Pro enhances contrast ratio by merging two different ISO images captured at the same time. Low ISO using a low-conversion gain extends color reproduction of highly illuminated parts, and High ISO using a high-conversion gain effectively intensifies tiny signals of extremely dark parts. This wide color reproduction can provide vibrant images under various illumination conditions. In addition, its single-exposure method minimizes the jello effect, and a sensor can be fully independent of the AP’s performance by processing HDR internally.
Smart ISO Pro enhances contrast ratio by merging two different ISO images captured at the same time. Low ISO using a low-conversion gain extends color reproduction of highly illuminated parts, and High ISO using a high-conversion gain effectively intensifies tiny signals of extremely dark parts. This wide color reproduction can provide vibrant images under various illumination conditions. In addition, its single-exposure method minimizes the jello effect, and a sensor can be fully independent of the AP’s performance by processing HDR internally.
Smart ISO Pro enhances contrast ratio by merging two different ISO images captured at the same time. Low ISO using a low-conversion gain extends color reproduction of highly illuminated parts, and High ISO using a high-conversion gain effectively intensifies tiny signals of extremely dark parts. This wide color reproduction can provide vibrant images under various illumination conditions. In addition, its single-exposure method minimizes the jello effect, and a sensor can be fully independent of the AP’s performance by processing HDR internally.
Samsung ISOCELL Smart ISO Pro Samsung ISOCELL Smart ISO Pro Samsung ISOCELL Smart ISO Pro

Dual Slope Gain
Dual Slope Gain
Dual Slope Gain

To use Smart ISO Pro, the pixel needs enough signal to carry out two conversion gains (high & low). In a full field of view (FoV), which utilizes a pixel-binning mode with an abundant signal, both high & low gains can be used to enable HDR shots at up to 12.5MP. The challenge is that zoom mode operates using a single pixel without pixel-binning and therefore has a smaller signal, which only allows for one conversion gain, limiting the use of Smart ISO Pro.

Dual Slope Gain solves this issue. It reads the single signal with two different analog gains (high & low) and then combines them into a single image to expand the dynamic range. In particular, this allows it to amplify the extremely weak signal in low-light areas with high analog gain, enabling more detailed image capture. Thanks to this, you can shoot up to 50MP HDR images when zooming.
To use Smart ISO Pro, the pixel needs enough signal to carry out two conversion gains (high & low). In a full field of view (FoV), which utilizes a pixel-binning mode with an abundant signal, both high & low gains can be used to enable HDR shots at up to 12.5MP. The challenge is that zoom mode operates using a single pixel without pixel-binning and therefore has a smaller signal, which only allows for one conversion gain, limiting the use of Smart ISO Pro.

Dual Slope Gain solves this issue. It reads the single signal with two different analog gains (high & low) and then combines them into a single image to expand the dynamic range. In particular, this allows it to amplify the extremely weak signal in low-light areas with high analog gain, enabling more detailed image capture. Thanks to this, you can shoot up to 50MP HDR images when zooming.
To use Smart ISO Pro, the pixel needs enough signal to carry out two conversion gains (high & low). In a full field of view (FoV), which utilizes a pixel-binning mode with an abundant signal, both high & low gains can be used to enable HDR shots at up to 12.5MP. The challenge is that zoom mode operates using a single pixel without pixel-binning and therefore has a smaller signal, which only allows for one conversion gain, limiting the use of Smart ISO Pro.

Dual Slope Gain solves this issue. It reads the single signal with two different analog gains (high & low) and then combines them into a single image to expand the dynamic range. In particular, this allows it to amplify the extremely weak signal in low-light areas with high analog gain, enabling more detailed image capture. Thanks to this, you can shoot up to 50MP HDR images when zooming.
Samsung ISOCELL Dual Slope Gain Samsung ISOCELL Dual Slope Gain Samsung ISOCELL Dual Slope Gain

Comparison of single exposure
HDR technologies Comparison of
single exposure
HDR technologies Comparison of
single exposure
HDR technologies

Although Dual Slope Gain is an up-to-date technology designed to compensate for the limits of Smart ISO Pro, Smart ISO Pro still provides superior HDR performance. This is because during sensor operation, conversion gain amplifies the signal at the very front of the signal chain — where the least noise is introduced — while analog gain is located at the middle, so it amplifies the signal after additional circuit noise has been introduced. Assuming the same ratio for conversion and analog gain (high to low), this is why Smart ISO Pro has less noise and delivers better HDR.

Video Thumbnail of Comparison of Smart ISO Pro and Dual Slope Gain
gradient banner
Looking forward, the market will likely demand improvements in dynamic range for both high and low brightness conditions. To achieve this, Samsung is carrying out R&D to increase the full well capacity (FWC) of pixels, enabling the storage of more electrons in high-capacity capacitors. Additionally, extremely high conversion gains will be applied to achieve clearer, more vivid images in low-light conditions. Through these technologies and others, Samsung will continue to push the boundaries of HDR performance. Looking forward, the market will likely demand improvements in dynamic range for both high and low brightness conditions. To achieve this, Samsung is carrying out R&D to increase the full well capacity (FWC) of pixels, enabling the storage of more electrons in high-capacity capacitors. Additionally, extremely high conversion gains will be applied to achieve clearer, more vivid images in low-light conditions. Through these technologies and others, Samsung will continue to push the boundaries of HDR performance. Looking forward, the market will likely demand improvements in dynamic range for both high and low brightness conditions. To achieve this, Samsung is carrying out R&D to increase the full well capacity (FWC) of pixels, enabling the storage of more electrons in high-capacity capacitors. Additionally, extremely high conversion gains will be applied to achieve clearer, more vivid images in low-light conditions. Through these technologies and others, Samsung will continue to push the boundaries of HDR performance.