Sony Shoots For 4-Filter CCD, 8 Megapixel Camera

Artifex writes "If you're looking to spend about $1200 on a new digital camera, check out this Digital Photography Review look at Sony's upcoming 8 MegaPixel Cyber-shot DSC-F828. The most interesting thing isn't the number of pixels in this prosumer-grade camera, but its 4-color filter CCD system. ['Instead of the traditional RGB color filter array, the new CFA is made up of Red, Green, Blue and Emerald (like Cyan) color filters.'] I've always been a strict Canon fan, but this is making me think twice."

Comments

What is 35mm equal to?

[tevenson]

Forgive my ignorance when it comes to photography, but what resolution do we need to reach to achieve 35mm quality pictures. I know my 2.1 megapixel camera can take pictures at 1600x1200 and when those are printed using my HP Photosmart printer they look 'near' perfect.

I'm assuming we're passed 35mm now then, and that these cameras are just going above and beyond what anyone has seen?

$th color layer from Fuji?

[cant_get_a_good_nick]

Fuji color film essentially has this. 4th color layer that renders tones better, especially in non-optimal light. I think Agfa has this as well.

Would be interesting to find out if this becomes widespread enough, if PhotoShop would allow manipulation of this layer someday. Would be interesting.

Re:woah!

[Gothmolly]

It's in the orange range, and its always women. It's caused by the inverse of the gene deficiency which causes red/green colorblindness in men. Women acquire an extra cone type, they are called 'tetrachromatic'.

Re:woah!

[MBCook]

The unfortunate effect of this is because they only have that gene (since it's obviously recessive), all their male offspring are colorblind. Interesting none the less, though.

thanks for the links

[Artifex]

Also worth noting that Sony named this color emerald, probably some patent is protecting the cyan (maybe Nikon)?

I don't know if Nikon has a patent protecting that, but to just make up a plausible reason, I'd guess that the Emerald is close to, but not the same, wavelength as the standard Cyan in a CMY (or CMYK) setup.

I really hope someone does a followup paper (even white papers from one company touting the superiority of its approach to the other's) comparing these. Also, if they could explain whether RGB or CMY is better for sensing light, anyway. My gut instinct is that RGB should be better, because my junior high art teacher and high school physics texts say that light uses RGB and pigments use CMY, but surely Nikon must know something more.