Unveiling ISOCELL Zoom Anyplace by Samsung: Embark on a Visual Odyssey, Seamlessly Capture Full-Frame Videos and High-Definition Zoom Simultaneously

Samsung has released a promotional video showcasing the Zoom Anyplace feature of their ISOCELL sensor, which allows for capturing both regular and high-resolution zoom video simultaneously.

Zoom Anyplace is the result of in-sensor zoom technology in a 200MP sensor, where the desired zoomed portion of the image is remosaic to achieve a sharp and detailed 12.5MP image. This is different from traditional digital zoom, which compromises image quality when cropping (Samsung calls this process Tetra2pixel).

Previously, the remosaic process would occur after capturing raw images, at the image signal processor (ISP) stage. However, Samsung’s new addition, known as End-to-End (E2E) AI Remosaic, enables real-time remosaic, reducing processing time significantly.

Real-time remosaic allows us to capture two video streams simultaneously. The first stream is a regular 200MP image at normal zoom level (full frame), while the second stream is a 2x/4x zoomed image remosaic to a high-quality 12.5MP resolution.

Samsung has also collaborated with Qualcomm AI engine, used in Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, to detect and automatically track subjects we want to zoom in the clip (Track on Any Subject). For instance, in the video clip mentioned above, it showcases zooming in on a moving athlete without the need for manual camera adjustment. This minimizes camera shake, improves video quality, and enables customizable zooming. Additionally, capturing two streams simultaneously from different perspectives opens up new creative possibilities.

Although Samsung hasn’t explicitly stated it, the partnership with Qualcomm and its integration with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset suggests that Zoom Anyplace could be a new feature of the upcoming Galaxy S24, set to launch early next year.

TL;DR: Samsung introduces Zoom Anyplace, a feature enabled by their ISOCELL sensor, allowing for capturing regular and high-resolution zoom video simultaneously. With the assistance of Qualcomm AI engine, it provides automatic subject tracking, reduces camera shake, improves video quality, and enables creative zooming possibilities. This feature is likely to be seen in the upcoming Galaxy S24.