Sony Imx519 Datasheet May 2026

This specification had two profound real-world implications. First, it enabled at full resolution, allowing devices to capture a buffer of 16MP images before the user even pressed the shutter. Second, and more importantly, it made high-frame-rate video accessible. The datasheet confirms 720p at 480fps and 1080p at 120fps. For a mid-range sensor in 2017, this was unprecedented. It democratized slow-motion videography, moving it from a niche feature to a mainstream tool.

However, the datasheet also hints at the sensor’s Achilles’ heel: the lack of on-chip phase detection for all pixels (2x2 OCL). It relied on fewer masked PDAF pixels, which worked adequately in good light but caused focus hunting in dim scenes—a flaw that engineers attempted to mask with laser assist modules in the system design.

No datasheet is complete without the timing diagrams and power sequencing tables. The IMX519 datasheet details four primary operating modes: Preview (low-res, low power), Still Capture (16MP, high power), Video (4K at 30fps), and Slow Motion (720p at 480fps). The power consumption curve is revealing: the sensor draws a modest 180mW during 1080p video recording but spikes to nearly 400mW during sustained 480fps burst modes. This explains why early IMX519-equipped phones often limited slow-motion recordings to short 30-second bursts—a direct consequence of thermal dissipation limits outlined in the datasheet’s absolute maximum ratings. sony imx519 datasheet

If one were to highlight a single line from the IMX519 datasheet that changed smartphone design, it would be the . The sensor supports 60 frames per second (fps) at full 16MP resolution. To put this in perspective, its predecessor, the IMX398, typically maxed out at 30fps. This doubling of speed is achieved via a high-speed digital interface (likely MIPI CSI-2 with multiple lanes) and a redesigned column-parallel ADC architecture.

Where competitors used two separate exposures (short and long) in software, leading to ghosting with moving subjects, the IMX519’s DCG allowed a single exposure to capture both highlights and shadows. For the engineer reading the datasheet, this is the moment the sensor transforms from a commodity part into a sophisticated optical instrument. This specification had two profound real-world implications

From a 2025 perspective, the IMX519 datasheet reads as a document of intelligent trade-offs. It was never designed to beat the Sony IMX378 (1.55µm pixels) in pure low-light sensitivity, nor the IMX400 (with DRAM layer) in extreme slow motion. Instead, its genius was balance . It offered 80% of the flagship speed at 60% of the power and cost.

At first glance, the IMX519 datasheet identifies it as a stacked CMOS image sensor utilizing Sony’s proprietary technology. The “stacked” designation is critical. Unlike previous generations where the pixel array and signal processing circuitry shared the same substrate, the IMX519 separates them onto different layers connected by through-silicon vias. The datasheet reveals a 1/2.6-inch optical format with 16 megapixels (MP) at a pixel pitch of 1.22µm. This specification is modest compared to the larger 1.4µm pixels of contemporary flagships. However, the datasheet’s true value lies not in the pixel size, but in the transistor-level improvements. The datasheet confirms 720p at 480fps and 1080p at 120fps

Scrolling further into the datasheet’s analog characteristics reveals the presence of . This is the sensor’s secret weapon. In low light, the sensor operates in High Conversion Gain (HCG) mode, where the floating diffusion capacitor is small, amplifying the signal from the photodiode to overcome read noise. In bright light, it switches to Low Conversion Gain (LCG), using a larger capacitor to prevent saturation. The datasheet shows that this switching can happen on a per-row basis, effectively creating a native, hardware-level HDR (High Dynamic Range) stream.