1-inch 8K 18 stops of dynamic range

[Emanuel]

https://ymcinema.com/2025/04/15/omnivision-unleashes-a-game-changing-1‑inch-8k-18-stops-of-dr-sensor-for-smartphones/

https://ymcinema.com/2025/09/30/omnivision-ov50r-8k-sensor-action-cameras/

https://www.ovt.com/press-releases/omnivision-launches-ultra-high-dynamic-range-1-inch-image-sensor-for-movie-grade-video-capture-in-flagship-smartphones/

 

Breaking news: currently in mass production...

 

Imagine that reaching the mirroless/compact cameras segment, no less...

Why not? ; )

 

In a single line:

economies of scale.

 

The funny part of the equation is the smartphones market pushing the boundaries of this industry in every front, from iPhone sales to Android.

 

;- )

[ND64]

Same technology used in Xiaomi 17 Pro. It has more DR than G9m2, but the lens quality and the algorithm used to combine low gain and high gain are horrible and so the extra highlight stops are wasted. 

[Clark Nikolai]

6 hours ago, ND64 said:

 

 

I was looking at the Chinese characters and wondering what rice would have to do with lenses. I looked it up and 小米 is pronounced xiao mi. Hah!

[ND64]

2 hours ago, Clark Nikolai said:

I was looking at the Chinese characters and wondering what rice would have to do with lenses. I looked it up and 小米 is pronounced xiao mi. Hah!

For anyone who knows one or two things about imaging science, it was obvious we can't go beyond 16 stops with current combinations of tech, as DR is not just about pixel's saturation. You can save harsh highlights from clipping but you get an overall contrast level that doesn't match to that saved highlights, which is what exactly demonstrated here.

[Emanuel]

5 hours ago, ND64 said:

For anyone who knows one or two things about imaging science, it was obvious we can't go beyond 16 stops with current combinations of tech, as DR is not just about pixel's saturation. You can save harsh highlights from clipping but you get an overall contrast level that doesn't match to that saved highlights, which is what exactly demonstrated here.

For sure.

The “18 stops” claim comes from the manufacturer (sensor-level, special HDR mode). It’s plausible as a sensor specification under controlled conditions/multi-exposure HDR — but practical DR measured in real cameras has been substantially lower due to optical and pipeline factors.

Although the sensor itself has a “theoretical” 18 stops, many other factors (noise, analog-to-digital conversion, image pipeline, compression, amplifier architecture, pixel readout, linearity, saturation capability) limit the actual practical performance.

 

Manufacturer's claim = sensor under optimized conditions (two/more readings, dual-gain, on-sensor HDR, internal measurements). This isn't necessarily the DR you'll get in a final phone/camera.

Actual limits: optics (flare/veiling glare), amplifiers, pipeline noise, compression, RAW/JPEG processing — all of which reduce useful DR.

 

https://www.imatest.com/docs/full.html

Imatest/DxOMark measure the system, not just the sensor die (photodiodes (light-capturing pixels), transistors, amplifiers, readout lines, A/D converters, etc.). 

Lab values applied to cameras tend to show much lower useful DR on sensors of this size — hence the large difference between manufacturer claims and practical DR.

 

However, if this OmniVision sensor actually comes to fruition with 18 practical stops, that will be revolutionary for such small sensors — it would be worth watching for announcements and technical tests.