GalaxyCore recently unveiled the GC50B5, a 50MP CMOS image sensor designed for smartphones with advanced HDR and all-scenario imaging capabilities.
Equipped with Dual Conversion Gain (DCG) single-frame HDR technology, the GC50B5 supports 100% full-pixel phase detection autofocus (4-Cell PDAF), 2x In-Sensor Zoom, NOMF (Non-Overlap Multi Frame) snapshot, as well as video output capabilities including 4K 120fps DAG HDR and 4K 60fps DCG HDR.
Combining flagship-level imaging capabilities—including high sensitivity, all-scenario HDR, high-spec video recording, and full-pixel autofocus—the GC50B5 is designed for mid-to-high-end smartphone applications, including main cameras, ultrawide cameras, and foldable smartphones.
Single-Frame HDR: Crisp Details in Light and Shadow
The GC50B5 features GalaxyCore’s proprietary DCG HDR single-frame high dynamic range technology.
When converting pixel charge into voltage, this technology switches the additional capacitance connected to the Floating Diffusion (FD) node, enabling high and low conversion gains to read signals from the same exposure. The two signals are converted into different voltage levels, read out separately, and combined to generate HDR image data.
In high-contrast environments, the GC50B5 preserves highlight details while reducing shadow noise, enhancing tonal gradation, and reducing motion artifacts commonly associated with multi-frame HDR fusion.
High-Resolution HDR Video with High Frame Rate Support
Video recording has become a key focus area for smartphone imaging upgrades. The GC50B5 supports high-specification video output to meet diverse shooting scenarios.
The sensor supports 4K 60fps DCG HDR mode, delivering a balance of resolution, smoothness, HDR performance, and continuous recording capability.
For fast-moving subjects and high-definition slow-motion capture, the GC50B5 supports video recording up to 4K 120fps with autofocus and DAG HDR functionality. From real-time preview to final output, it accurately captures moving subjects while preserving highlight and shadow details.
Precise Focus, High-Speed Snapshot
Featuring 100% full-pixel phase detection autofocus (4-Cell PDAF), the GC50B5 enables every pixel to participate in phase detection, improving focus speed and accuracy while maintaining optical efficiency.
Equipped with NOMF snapshot technology, the sensor reduces inter-frame blanking intervals to rapidly capture frames with different exposures. Short exposure frames help freeze moving subjects for sharp images in high-speed capture scenarios.
2x In-Sensor Zoom
As mid-to-high-end smartphones aim to cover broader focal ranges and enable multi-camera synergy with fewer camera modules , using a single high-resolution large-format sensor to achieve multi-fold optical-quality zoom has become an increasingly adopted approach in smartphone imaging.
Through internal cropping and hardware-based Remosaic, the GC50B5 outputs 12.5MP images for 2x optical-quality zoom capability. Compared with traditional digital zoom, this approach minimizes detail loss caused by interpolation and retains more authentic image information.
Enhanced Low-Light Sensitivity, Higher Resolution
Featuring a 1/1.56" optical format and 1.0μm pixel size, the GC50B5 adopts a deeper photodiode structure to enhance photon collection efficiency. Combined with advanced Backside Deep Trench Isolation (BDTI) technology, it reduces crosstalk between adjacent pixels.
Compared with sensors featuring similar specifications, the GC50B5 delivers optimized dark noise performance and color accuracy, with improvements in high-gain temporal noise, dark-field uniformity, and row/column noise control.
Supporting full 8192×6144 resolution output, the sensor reconstructs the 4C Bayer pixel array into a standard Bayer format through Remosaic algorithms, fully leveraging the resolving power of 50MP.
Targeting the high-spec 50MP 1.0μm market, the GC50B5 is built upon GalaxyCore’s advanced GalaxyCell 2.0 process platform. With comprehensive upgrades in dynamic range, autofocus, zoom, and high-frame-rate video output, it addresses the imaging upgrade demands of next-generation mid-to-high-end smartphones. The product is now available for customer sampling.
Since the mass production of its first single-wafer 50MP CMOS Image Sensor (CIS), GalaxyCore has shipped over 120 million 50MP sensors, with continuous adoption in mid-to-high-end smartphone. The launch of next-generation products represented by the GC50B5 demonstrates how GalaxyCore’s FabLite model enables closer integration of design, process development, and manufacturing, accelerating technology commercialization and product innovation while enhancing product iteration efficiency and delivery capabilities.