Apple is working on a new image sensor that could dramatically improve the camera capabilities of future iPhones, Vision Pro, and other devices. A recently granted patent reveals the company’s efforts toward developing a sensor that may match the dynamic range of the human eye — a feat that could bring professional cinema-level imaging to consumer hardware.
The patent, titled “Image Sensor With Stacked Pixels Having High Dynamic Range And Low Noise”, was spotted by Y.M. Cinema Magazine. It describes a stacked sensor design with much improved imaging potential, including the ability to capture up to 20 stops of dynamic range. If commercialised, this technology could place future Apple devices well ahead of current smartphones and even many professional camera systems.
What is 20-stop dynamic range?
In photography and videography,the term “stops” refers to the measurement of a camera sensor’s ability to capture light. More specifically, it relates to the range between the darkest shadows and the brightest highlights a sensor can record in one shot. Each stop represents a doubling of the light captured.
Currently, most smartphone sensors manage around 10 to 12 stops of dynamic range, while full-frame professional cameras can handle about 13 to 14 stops. In contrast, the human eye can perceive roughly 20 stops of dynamic range — allowing it to process very bright and very dark details at the same time.
Apple’s patent outlines a system that could finally bridge this gap between machines and human vision.
What difference will it make for users?
If integrated into future iPhones or headsets like the Vision Pro, a 20-stop image sensor would significantly enhance how photos and videos are captured. Users could shoot in extreme lighting conditions — for example, a dimly lit room with bright sunlight pouring through a window — without losing detail in either shadows or highlights.
The sensor achieves this dynamic range through a “stacked” architecture: one layer for capturing light, and another for managing processing and noise reduction. A key component, called LOFIC (Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor), allows each pixel to store and manage light across three levels, reducing clipping and blown-out areas.
Additionally, Apple’s design features real-time noise cancellation at the pixel level, ensuring clearer images even in low light.
While there’s no timeline for commercial deployment, the patent signals Apple’s push toward high-end imaging. If realised, this could transform the iPhone into a professional-grade tool capable of capturing visuals closer than ever to what the human eye sees.
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