Apple testing a custom image sensor with dynamic range on par with the human eye

Apple is reportedly developing a custom image sensor for future iPhones that could achieve dynamic range levels comparable to the human eye.

The company is reportedly quietly moving toward a breakthrough in mobile photography with a custom image sensor that could match the dynamic perception of the human eye. Weibo leaker “Fixed Focus Digital” claims Apple has already developed the sensor in-house and is now testing it in developmental hardware.

If the sensor performs well, Apple might use it in future iPhone cameras instead of Sony-made image sensors that it currently uses. The leaker says the sensor would take up less space in the camera module and offer custom features.

Apple is working on a custom image sensor for iPhone cameras

Apple’s work on the sensor came to light recently as the United States Patent and Trademark Office published an Apple patent filing for “Image Sensor With Stacked Pixels Having High Dynamic Range And Low Noise.” The invention describes an image sensor overlaid on a sensor die that would be capable of reaching up to 20 stops of dynamic range.

This would make it on par with the human eye, which is capable of detecting around 20 to 30 stops of dynamic range. In contrast, cameras used in flagship smartphones are capable of capturing between 10 and 13 stops. Such a sensor would also beat many cinema cameras, like the ARRI ALEXA 35, in terms of dynamic range.

The patent describes a stacked design with a sensor die that captures light stacked on top of a logic die, dedicated to image processing functions including noise reduction and exposure control.

Hartley Charlton, MacRumors:

One of the most important parts of the sensor design is a system called a Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor (LOFIC). This allows each pixel in the sensor to store different amounts of light depending on how bright the scene is, all in the same image. With this, the sensor can handle extremely wide lighting differences, such as a person standing in front of a bright window, without losing detail in the shadows or highlights.

And:

Another part of the design focuses on reducing image noise and grain. Each pixel has its own built-in memory circuit that measures and cancels out heat-related electronic noise in real time. This is done on the chip itself, before the image is saved or edited by software.

It’s unclear how far along the project is and whether it will soon reach a level where the sensor could be used in commercial devices. So far, no other leaker or publication has backed the report.

Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/08/04/apple-testing-iphone-image-sensor-human-eye-dynamic-range/