Sony has unveiled the LYTIA 610, a new smartphone camera sensor aimed at improving zoom photography and video recording. The sensor introduces a redesigned pixel arrangement that promises sharper image output while maintaining reliable autofocus performance, an area where manufacturers often face trade-offs.
A new pixel structure focused on image quality
The LYTIA 610 is a 1/2-inch stacked CMOS sensor with approximately 64 megapixels and marks the industry’s first mass-produced sensor to feature Sony’s RB2×2 On Chip Lens (OCL) pixel structure. Unlike conventional designs, the new arrangement combines different lens structures within the same sensor to improve both detail capture and phase-detection autofocus.
Sony says green pixels, which contribute significantly to image clarity, use a dedicated 1×1 lens structure for better resolution. Meanwhile, red and blue pixels are grouped under a 2×2 lens design that supports autofocus functions. The company has also developed a dedicated remosaicing algorithm tailored to this layout. Together, these changes deliver more than 20 percent higher spatial resolution compared to the LYTIA 601, despite both sensors sharing the same 0.7μm pixel size.
Beyond photography, Sony has improved the sensor’s internal processing and data conversion system to significantly increase readout speeds. According to the company, the LYTIA 610 can read data at roughly twice the speed of its previous 1/2-inch sensor generation.
This improvement enables 4K video recording at up to 120fps, a first for Sony in this sensor category. The sensor also supports 4K 60fps HDR recording, making it suitable for scenes with challenging lighting conditions. Faster data handling can also help reduce visual differences between primary and secondary cameras in multi-camera smartphone setups, resulting in smoother transitions while recording video.
The LYTIA 610 measures 1/2 inch in optical format, offers around 64 effective megapixels, and supports output through MIPI C-PHY and D-PHY interfaces. Mass production shipments are scheduled to begin by the end of June 2026.
For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.
Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!
Comments