Apple’s Interesting Image Sensor Patent

credits: Apple

Apple recently filed a patent for a new kind of image sensor that could push photography tech way beyond what we have today. The filing outlines a stacked sensor design with a massive 120 dB dynamic range which is about 20 stops, close to what the human eye can perceive. If Apple ever brings this to life, it would outperform most cinema cameras on the market. The sensor splits into two layers: one handles the actual light detection, and the other manages the processing, including a smart circuit that reduces noise and adapts to bright or tricky lighting.

What makes it especially interesting is how each individual pixel can behave differently depending on the light hitting it. Some can be extra sensitive in shadowy areas, while others hold back in bright spots, all in the same frame. That means much better highlight retention, richer shadows, and overall cleaner results (without relying on the usual trick of blending multiple exposures). Apple’s design also pushes a lot of the image processing into the sensor itself, which could make it faster and more efficient in general.

Now, just because Apple filed a patent doesn’t mean we’ll see this in a product anytime soon, or ever. Tech companies often patent things just in case. Whether this ends up in a future iPhone or not, the idea of a sensor this smart handling real-time processing on a pixel level is an exciting direction for photography tech to head in.

You can see full details on 9to5mac’s website here