SmartSens SCC62HS: China's first 200MP stacked sensor takes aim at Samsung
Chinese sensor maker SmartSens has unveiled the SCC62HS, its first 200MP image sensor built on a Stacked BSI (back-side illumination) platform. The chip matches Samsung's ISOCELL HP5 on pixel size — 0.5μm — making it the first Chinese sensor to reach that benchmark. Mass production is scheduled for Q3 2026, with the first phones likely arriving late 2026 or early 2027.
The specs
The SCC62HS uses a 55nm manufacturing process and fits into a 1/1.55-inch optical format, placing it squarely in the upper-mid-range or sub-flagship tier. Cramming 200 million pixels into that space means each pixel is physically tiny, so SmartSens has leaned hard on sensitivity engineering: the sensor claims 3574mV/lux·s sensitivity and a read noise of just 0.92 electrons — figures that, on paper, suggest usable low-light performance despite the small pixel pitch.
The sensor supports full 200MP capture as well as pixel-binning modes that combine adjacent pixels for better results in dim conditions.
On-chip HDR
HDR processing is one of the more interesting angles here. SmartSens's PixGain HDR technology handles frame fusion directly on the sensor itself, delivering a 86.3dB dynamic range without offloading that work to the phone's main processor (SoC), per Gizmochina (June 2026). That reduces both SoC load and motion artifacts — a real-world benefit for anyone who shoots fast-moving subjects. Staggered HDR and NDOL HDR modes are also supported, which makes the sensor credible for video-focused devices too.
For autofocus, SmartSens uses AllPix ADAF — an all-pixel phase-detection system — competing directly with Samsung's comparable ISOCELL tech, per Samsung Semiconductor. A Sparse PDAF mode activates only a subset of phase-detection pixels during everyday use, cutting power draw when full autofocus precision isn't needed.
Who gets it first
Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo are the most likely launch partners, given SmartSens's China-first strategy. No Western retail partnerships or US/UK device launches have been announced. If Q3 2026 production holds, devices reaching Amazon or carrier shelves in the US and UK before 2027 are unlikely.
The SCC62HS is a meaningful step for Chinese sensor independence — for years, premium smartphone cameras have relied almost entirely on Samsung and Sony silicon. Whether SmartSens can deliver on its spec sheet in independent testing remains to be seen.