Sony is one of the biggest names in tech today and they have one of the most sought after image sensors, the Sony Exmor RS sensors.

Sony Exmor RS sensors all use CMOS technology, although Sony likes to refer to it as Exmor technology.

These sensors are usually identified by their brand name which is usually Sony IMX with numbers attached. Sony sensors are made available and sold commercially to many Smartphone OEMs to use on their own devices.

This has put them in direct competition with Samsung. This is because Samsung also sells their Isocell sensors in the same market. While Samsung has decided to go chasing big megapixel counts, Sony has decided to remain modest for the time being.

Due to this mindset, Sony IMX sensors are less likely to use Pixel binning when compared to their counterparts from Samsung and Omnivision.

Read: Samsung Isocell CMOS sensors

Sony Exmor RS sensors

NameResolutionPixel sizeSensor size
IMX 30025MP1.08μm1/2.3"
IMX 31512.2MP1.22μm1/2.9"
IMX 31822.5MP1.0μm1/2.6"
IMX 3198MP1.4μm1/3.2"
IMX 3208MP1.22μm1/3.6"
IMX 3247.42MP2.25μm1/1.7"
IMX 33312.2MP1.40μm1/2.55"
IMX 33812.2MP1.12μm1/2.4"
IMX 34512.2MP1.40μm1/2.55"
IMX 35020MP1.0μm1/2.78"
IMX 35116MP1.0μm1/3.09"
IMX 35612.2MP1.0μm1/3.4"
IMX 36212.2MP1.4μm1/2.55"
IMX 36312.2MP1.4μm1/2.55"
IMX 37116MP1.0μm1/3"
IMX 37212.2MP1.0μm1/3.4"
IMX 37410MP1.22μm1/3.2"
IMX 37620MP1.0μm1/2.78"
IMX 37812.3MP1.55μm1/2.3"
IMX 37912.3MP1.55μm1/2.3"
IMX 38012.3MP1.55μm1/2.3"
IMX 3821.27MP3.5μm1/3.2"
IMX 38320MP2.40μm1"
IMX 38612MP1.25μm1/2.9"
IMX 3902.4MP3.0μm1/2.7"
IMX 39816MP1.12μm1/2.8"
IMX 40019.2MP1.22μm1/2.3"
IMX 4082.12MP2.24μm1/3.61"
IMX 40955.16MP3.96μm2.7"
IMX 41212.3MP1.55μm1/1.23"
IMX 4158.46MP1.45μm1/1.28"
IMX 43536MP4.88μm2.7"
IMX 44512.2MP1.40μm1/2.55"
IMX 45161MP3.76μm2.7"
IMX 45813.1MP1.12μm1/3.06"
IMX 4644MP2.9μm1/1.8"
IMX 47116MP1.0μm1/3"
IMX 47620MP1.0μm1/2.78"
IMX 47712.3MP1.55μm1/2.3"
IMX 48116MP1.0μm1/3.09"
IMX 48612MP1.25μm1/2.9"
IMX 49816MP1.12μm1/2.8"
IMX 49916MP1.12μm1/2.8"
IMX 50312.2MP1.4μm1/2.55"
IMX 51916MP1.22μm1/2.6"
IMX 5208MP1.22μm1/3.6"
IMX 55512.2MP1.8μm1/1.98"
1/1.76"
IMX 55712.2MP1.8μm1/1.98"
1/1.76"
IMX 56312.2MP1.4μm1/2.56"
IMX 57126MP3.76μmAPS-C
IMX 57624.8MP0.90μm1/2.78"
IMX 57712.3MP1.55μm1/2.3"
IMX 58248MP0.80μm1/2.25"
1/2.0"
IMX 58648MP0.80μm1/2.25'
1/2.0"
IMX 59848MP1.01μm1/1.95"
1/1.74"
IMX 600
IMX 600y		40MP
1.01μm1/1.95"
1/1.74"
IMX 60312MP1.7μm
IMX 60738MP1/1.7"
IMX 60840MP1.12μm1/1.73"
1/1.54"
IMX 61632MP0.80μm1/2.8"
IMX 66312MP1/2.9'
IMX 67723MP1/2.3"
IMX 68264MP0.8μm
1.6μm		1/1.89"
1/1.72"
IMX 68664MP0.8μm1/1.94"
1/1.72"
IMX 68948MP1.12μm1/1.61"
1/1.43"
IMX 70050MP1.22μm1/1.28"
IMX 70312MP1.9μm1/1.66"
IMX 70750MP1/1.28"
IMX 70812.2MP1.4μm1/2.55"
IMX 75410MP1.12µm1/3.52"
IMX 76650MP1.0μm1/1.56"
IMX 78948MP1.12μm1/1.61"
1/1.43
IMX 98950MP1.60μm1"

Read: How to read smartphone camera specs

Rating

Unlike Samsung, Sony has a linear naming arrangement. It starts from the Sony IMX 200 series all the way to the Sony IMX 700 series but do not blindly follow the numbers. A good example is that IMX 481 is better than IMX 520.

Image sensors are rather notoriously difficult to rate because their performance is usually tied to the SoCs that they’re paired with. A good sensor can underperform due to being paired with a terrible SoC and software combo, while a weak sensor can overachieve when paired with a really good SoC and software combo. These days software also plays a massive part in how Sony sensors performance.

This it would be wise to judge each sensor on its own merit. The bigger the sensor/pixel size, the better the sensor will perform.

You cannot pick a Sony sensor by yourself but you can choose to buy a phone with one. So make sure to do your research and know the image sensor on a phone before splashing your cash.

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