LOFIC Sensor

Sony has introduced the Lytia 910, its first LOFIC camera sensor for smartphones, and the headline feature is difficult to ignore. The company says the sensor can reach 100dB of dynamic range in a single exposure, a figure that immediately puts it among the most notable mobile imaging announcements of the year. That capability matters because single-exposure HDR can avoid the motion problems that often appear in multi-frame processing. In practical terms, it could make high-contrast photos and HDR video look more stable when people or objects are moving through the frame. Why one exposure changes the equation LOFIC stands for Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor. The technology places a capacitor beside each photodiode so pixels do not saturate as quickly when exposed to bright light. By increasing the light-handling capacity of each pixel, the sensor can capture brighter highlights and darker shadows within the same scene more effectively. Sony says the Lytia 910 reaches 100dB of dynamic range with just one exposure, while sensors such as the Lytia 901 need multi-frame exposure to achieve the same level. That difference is more than a technical footnote. It reduces the risk of ghosting and other artifacts that can appear when multiple frames must be merged for HDR output. Triple reading inside a single exposure The Lytia 910 also supports Triple Conversion Gain HDR, or TCG HDR. In this system, each pixel is read three times at low, medium, and high conversion gain before the data is combined into one HDR image. This approach keeps the capture tied to a single exposure while still extracting three sets of information from the same frame. For scenes with motion, that is a major advantage because it does not rely on separate frames that can fall out of alignment. The same design should also help in video. Sony says the sensor can record 4K 60fps HDR video, extending its high dynamic range capability beyond still photography. LOFIC-based sensors are also considered more resistant to flicker from artificial lighting, which is one reason similar technology has long been relevant in automotive cameras. Key specifications and noise performance Sony equips the Lytia 910 with a 50MP resolution. The sensor uses a 1/1.28-inch format, a Quad Bayer filter, and 1.22µm x 1.22µm pixels. Beyond HDR performance, Sony has added an Ultra High Conversion Gain circuit. It activates in low-light conditions and is claimed to reduce random noise by around 30% compared with the previous generation sensor. That noise reduction claim suggests the Lytia 910 is not aimed only at bright, high-contrast scenes. Sony appears to be targeting balanced image quality across both difficult lighting extremes and low-light environments. Specification Detail Resolution 50MP Sensor size 1/1.28 inch Pixel format Quad Bayer Pixel size 1.22µm x 1.22µm HDR mode Triple Conversion Gain HDR Video support 4K 60fps HDR Production timeline and likely smartphone debut Sony says mass production of the Lytia 910 will begin in the summer. Based on that schedule, the sensor is expected to appear first in smartphones launching in the fourth quarter. That timing has already sparked speculation about which brand will move first. Earlier reporting had linked the vivo X500 Pro Max to a Sony LOFIC 50MP sensor in the 1/1.28-inch class, which now lines up with the Lytia 910. Even so, the final device adoption still depends on formal announcements from phone makers. For now, Sony has only confirmed the sensor itself and its core technical claims. Competition in LOFIC sensors is heating up The Lytia 910 is Sony’s first LOFIC sensor, but it is not the first LOFIC solution on the market. In 2024, the Honor Magic6 Ultimate used OmniVision’s OV50K 50MP sensor, while the Xiaomi 17 Ultra adopted OmniVision’s Light Fusion 1050L 50MP sensor, which is also based on LOFIC. That backdrop shows where premium smartphone camera development is headed. The race is no longer only about resolution, but about delivering HDR that is more efficient, more stable, and less vulnerable to motion artifacts. Sony is now entering that contest with a 100dB single-exposure claim as its main talking point. Samsung is also said to be developing a LOFIC sensor, and it is reportedly expected to debut first on the Galaxy S27 Ultra. Digital Chat Station was among the names mentioned in earlier leaks, having said last year that Sony was working on a 1/1.3-inch LOFIC sensor. With the Lytia 910 now announced at 1/1.28 inches, the direction of flagship mobile imaging hardware is becoming clearer. Source: www.gsmarena.com

Sony’s Lytia 910 Raises the Bar, 100dB HDR in One Shot Without Motion Artifacts