Sony’s first LOFIC sensor, the Lytia 910, delivers 100dB dynamic range
▼ Summary
– Sony announced the Lytia 910, its first LOFIC image sensor, which uses a capacitor next to each photodiode to prevent saturation from too much light.
– The Lytia 910 achieves 100dB of dynamic range in a single exposure, compared to the Lytia 901 which requires multi-frame exposure for the same range.
– It uses Triple Conversion Gain HDR, reading each pixel three times in one exposure to combine into a single HDR image, avoiding motion artifacts.
– The sensor supports 4K 60fps HDR video, is less susceptible to flickering light, and includes Ultra High Conversion Gain circuits that reduce random noise by 30%.
– Mass production of the 1/1.28-inch, 50MP sensor starts this summer, with expected use in smartphones launching in Q4.
Sony has officially unveiled its first-ever LOFIC image sensor, the Lytia 910. The acronym stands for “Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor,” a technology designed to prevent photodiodes from becoming overwhelmed by excessive light. By placing a capacitor adjacent to each photodiode, the sensor dramatically increases the full well capacity of every pixel.
According to Sony, the Lytia 910 achieves an impressive 100dB of dynamic range using a single exposure. To put that in perspective, a sensor like the Lytia 901 requires multi-frame exposure to reach the same 100dB threshold.
The new sensor also supports Triple Conversion Gain (TCG) HDR. This approach reads each pixel three times at low, mid, and high conversion gain levels, then merges those three readouts into a single HDR image. The result avoids common problems found in multi-frame HDR methods, such as motion artifacts. Because it captures just one exposure while extracting three readouts, it is particularly well-suited for HDR video, capable of recording 4K 60fps HDR footage. LOFIC sensors are also less affected by flickering light sources, which explains their widespread use in automotive cameras.
When lighting conditions are low, Ultra High Conversion Gain circuits step in. Sony states these circuits reduce random noise by roughly 30 percent compared to earlier sensor generations.
The Sony Lytia 910 is a 1/1.28-inch sensor with 50MP resolution. It features a Quad Bayer filter and individual pixels measuring 1.22µm x 1.22µm. Mass production is scheduled to begin this summer, meaning the sensor should appear in smartphones launching during the fourth quarter.
It is worth noting that Sony is not the first to market with LOFIC technology. In 2024, the Honor Magic6 Ultimate used a 50MP OV50K LOFIC sensor from OmniVision. More recently, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra adopted another 50MP LOFIC sensor called the Light Fusion 1050L, also from OmniVision.
Turning to industry rumors, reports from a few weeks ago suggested that the vivo X500 Pro Max would feature a 50MP 1/1.28-inch LOFIC sensor from Sony. That prediction now appears accurate. Samsung is also developing LOFIC sensors, with speculation pointing to the Galaxy S27 Ultra as the first device to include one. And credit goes to the leaker Digital Chat Station, who reported last year that Sony would release a 1/1.3-inch LOFIC sensor.
(Source: GSMArena.com)
