Low Light Filter

[ukcatfan]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0706/07061401kodakhighsens.asp

This may be a technology to keep an eye on.

Kevin

 

[WebmasterCricket]

Many DLP projectors use a clear color wheel segment to make an image look brighter in a room with more than desired ambient lighting. This sounds like the same thing but in reverse (or is it inverse?)

In almost every case with a DLP PJ, the picture color/contrast suffers when the clear segment is used and not in a higher ambient light condition. One of the first rules of HT viewing is to shut off the clear segment.

Thinking in reverse, how will this perform in higher ambient light conditions that are brighter than normal? I would have to think color or contrast will suffer quite a bit.

I'm not a scientist but usualy when you remove something in favor of another, something in the balance is upset.

 

[Groucho]

Many DLP projectors use a clear color wheel segment to make an image look brighter in a room with more than desired ambient lighting. This sounds like the same thing but in reverse (or is it inverse?)

In almost every case with a DLP PJ, the picture color/contrast suffers when the clear segment is used and not in a higher ambient light condition. One of the first rules of HT viewing is to shut off the clear segment.

Now, maybe things have changed in the few years since I bought my HT projector, but at the time, the big issue with DLP projectors was the spinning color wheel and that it caused headaches with some people. I'd guess that newer ones spin faster and reduce that issue, but since you're talking about a spinning wheel, you can't really just shut off a quarter of the wheel...?

Back on topic... I dunno. That technology sounds a bit too specialized to be able to replace the Bayer sensors. I'd rather have a larger sensor than a smaller one that is trying tricks to reduce noise at the expense of color.

 

[Gdad]

Filter pledges crisp photos in low light

By BEN DOBBIN, AP Business Writer
Thu Jun 14, 7:44 AM ET

A year from now, capturing a crisp, clear image of a candlelit birthday party could be a piece of cake — even with a camera phone. Eastman Kodak Co. said Thursday it has developed a color-filter technology that at least doubles the sensitivity to light of the image sensor in every digital camera, enabling shutterbugs to take better pictures in poor light.

"Low light can mean trying to get a good image indoors of your kid blowing out the birthday candles. It can mean you want to take a photograph on a street corner in Paris at midnight," said Chris McNiffe, general manager of the photography company's image sensor business. "We're talking about a 2-to-4-times improvement in (light) sensitivity."

Analyst Chris Chute doesn't doubt that the new filter system, intended to supplant an industry-standard filter pattern designed by Kodak scientist Bryce Bayer in 1976, represents a breakthrough in boosting photo quality — especially when light conditions are not ideal.

"It's often the most simple concepts that can have the most profound impact," said Chute of IDC, a market research firm near Boston. "This could be revolutionary in terms of just changing that very simple filter on top of the sensor and basically allowing companies to use it in all different kinds of cameras."

Kodak expects to provide samples of its new technology to a variety of camera manufacturers in the first quarter of 2008. The technology is likely to be incorporated first in mass-market point-and-shoot cameras and camera-equipped mobile phones beginning sometime next year.

"Typically new features like this would be more likely to show up in high-end products and then trickle down," said analyst Steve Hoffenberg of Lyra Research Inc. "But I think the biggest potential benefit of this may come in the camera phone environment. Camera phones are using smaller sensors to begin with and smaller sensors generally mean smaller pixels, which means lower sensitivity."

When the shutter opens on a digital camera, an image is projected onto the sensor, which converts light into an electric charge. Most sensors use the Bayer mask: Half of the millions of cells on a checkerboard grid are filtered to collect green light and a quarter each are filtered to let through red and blue light. A computer chip then reconstructs a full color signal for each pixel in the final image.

The new method, which has been under development for more than five years, adds "panchromatic" cells that are sensitive to all wavelengths of visible light and collect a larger amount of light striking the sensor. Tailoring software algorithms to this unique new pattern enables faster shutter speeds, which reduces blurring when capturing a moving subject, McNiffe said.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070614/ap_on_hi_te/low_light_photos

 

[gokenin]

ok as someone thinking about making the move to DSLR should I think about delaying now since night shots and fireworks as well as zooms are the things that i am intrested in when it come to DSLR's sooo hard to decide I may just stick with my p/s for a while

 

[deletedpenguin]

Very interesting, although even with this new technology on its way out of the development stage, I'd assume it'd most likely be years until it reaches the standard consumer market. Saying it's next year seems optomistic.

Then again, who knows...

 

[WebmasterCricket]

I'm breaking this into two threads since we are hijacking it to Cleveland. Give it a minute to update.....

 

[WebmasterCricket]

I think I did that right...

Feel free to use the new thread for display discussion: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1485931

 

[webshark3]

ok as someone thinking about making the move to DSLR should I think about delaying now since night shots and fireworks as well as zooms are the things that i am intrested in when it come to DSLR's sooo hard to decide I may just stick with my p/s for a while

I wouldn't delay buying a DSLR over this.

1) It ain't replacing what a DSLR and a good lens will do.
2) If it is "all that", just imagine what it will do in front of the DSLR. I could finally capture the HM! 2-4 time more sensitive doesn't mean much on a P&S or cameraphone (think noise, tiny sensor), but on a DSLR....wow.
3) Fireworks don't require high sensitivity.
4) Night shot will still need long exposures to avoid noise.

 

[WebmasterCricket]

Jeff is off doing things far more glamorus than I am so I merged these two threads because they are discussing the same thing...