SmartSens Launches 50MP 0.7μm CMOS Image Sensor for Smartphone Cameras

Shanghai, China, December 25, 2025, SmartSens Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (SSE STAR MARKET: 688213), a technologically advanced CMOS image sensor supplier, announced SC525XS, a 50-megapixel (MP) 0.7μm CMOS Image Sensor (CIS) for smartphone cameras. Based on SmartClarity^®-SL Pro technology, SC525XS is manufactured in a 28nm+ Stacked BSI process and equipped with patented technologies such as PixGain HDR^®, SFCPixel^®-SL and AllPix ADAF^®. It features multiple performance advantages including high dynamic range, low noise, all-pixel all-directional autofocus and low power consumption. As a fully domestically developed and produced high-end CMOS image sensor, SC525XS innovatively features a low-power Always-On function. It is applicable to various auxiliary cameras in flagship smartphones, including front cameras and wide-angle cameras. With its finely tuned features and excellent overall performance, SC525XS enhances the imaging experience for the auxiliary camera category.

Always-On

SC525XS supports an Always-On low-power standby function. In this mode, SC525XS operates continuously at a low frame rate to meet the all-day standby visual detection requirements of high-end smartphones - including facial unlock and wake-on-gaze for front cameras.

For example, in facial recognition applications for smartphone front cameras, SC525XS continuously captures low-resolution images at a reduced frame rate when no activity is detected. Once a face is identified, it quickly wakes up and switches to standard imaging mode, enabling fast and accurate facial unlock. Thanks to SmartSens’ advanced low-power management technology, SC525XS consumes only 1.7mW in Always-On mode, significantly helping preserve smartphone battery life.

Built on the full-process domestic 28nm+ Stack process platform, SC525XS achieves a significant reduction in overall power consumption. In normal operation mode, its power draw is approximately 30% lower than that of comparable industry offerings, effectively minimizing device heat generation during extended video capture and enabling longer maximum shooting durations.

High Dynamic Range & High Frame Rate

SC525XS is equipped with SmartSens’ patented PixGain HDR^® technology, which helps SC525XS achieve a maximum dynamic range of 80dB. This allows the camera to capture more details in both highlights and shadows, resulting in video footage with vivid light and shadow gradations. Leveraging the technology’s single-exposure dual-frame fusion capability, SC525XS effectively suppresses motion artifacts. Even when filming fast-moving subjects, the smartphone camera can produce high dynamic range (HDR) video with clear gradation and without motion blur.

SC525XS supports various high-frame-rate video recording modes, including 4K at 120fps, 4K at 60fps with PixGain HDR^®, 12.5MP at 30fps with PixGain HDR^®+VS, and 4K at 60fps in 2x zoom. This flexibility meets diverse shooting scenario requirements, which significantly enhances the video performance of flagship smartphone auxiliary cameras, making the final video output notably smoother and more refined.

Low Noise & High Sensitivity

Thanks to SmartSens' advanced SFCPixel^®-SL technology and its low-noise peripheral readout circuit, SC525XS achieves higher sensitivity while effectively suppressing noise. Its sensitivity reaches 1904 mV/lux*s, enabling clearer and brighter imaging in low-light conditions such as nighttime or twilight. The readout noise of SC525XS is only about 0.86e-, which is approximately 38.6% lower than that of competing products with similar specifications, enhancing image quality in night scenes, delivering finer and cleaner details.

SC525XS uses its outstanding low-light imaging capabilities to improve night recognition in smartphone front cameras, making nighttime selfies brighter, more vivid, and effortlessly capture-worthy.

AllPix ADAF^® & Sparse PDAF^® technologies

SC525XS is equipped with SmartSens AllPix ADAF^® and Sparse PDAF^® Technologies, supporting two fast focusing modes. In low-light conditions such as dusk or nighttime, SC525XS can operate in AllPix ADAF^® mode. It uses 100% pixel autofocus to deliver accurate and fast autofocus performance, which allows for quick and clear captures even in dark environments. In bright conditions, SC525XS switches to the Sparse PDAF^® mode, which performs phase detection using only 6% of the pixels, ensuring precise focus while effectively reducing power consumption.

On-Chip Remosaic

SC525XS supports on-chip remosaic, allowing it to output 50MP full-size high-resolution photos and 12.5MP full-size HD video without relying on the smartphone SoC's processing power. On-chip remosaic reduces the computational load on the smartphone SoC when delivering high-definition images. This reduced load helps improve the efficiency of later image processing tasks, such as AI-powered photo enhancement, and flexibly meets the evolving imaging requirements of premium flagship smartphones.

SC525XS is currently available for sampling and will enter mass production in Q2 2026. For more information or to request a sample, please contact SmartSens Sales Representatives: cs@smartsenstech.com

About SmartSens Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

SmartSens Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (SSE STAR MARKET: 688213) is a high-performance CMOS image sensor (CIS) chip design company. It is headquartered in Shanghai and has research centers in many cities around the world. SmartSens has been dedicated to advancing the frontier of imaging technology and growing in popularity among customers since it was established. SmartSens’ CMOS image sensors provide advanced imaging solutions for a broad range of areas such as surveillance, machine vision, automotive and cellphone cameras. SmartSens is committed to continuous product innovation and to fueling growth in numerous industries by delivering a more comprehensive portfolio of image sensors. Learn more at SmartSensTech.com.