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How About a Gigapixel Digital Camera?

Posted by michael on from the eye-spy dept.

vcullen writes "Ever wondered where digital cameras will end up? What about a 1 Gigapixel digital camera? It would certainly beat the latest array of new digital cameras - the biggest of which only has an 8.2MP sensor! The 1 Gig Digital Camera might not quite fit in your pocket but the thought of it does make one's mind spin a little. The European Space Agency is building this massive camera (actually it's made from 170 cameras) for its Gaia space telescope, due for launch in 2010. Why? They want to map the entire universe 'down to a resolution one million times fainter than the human eye can see.'"

3 of 52 comments (clear)

  1. Re:How about fewer, but faster by PatrickThomson · · Score: 2, Interesting

    foiled again! cool idea though, isn't that what the human brain uses to increase eye resolution?

    --
    I am one of many. My idea is not unique, nor do I expect my voice alone to sway you. I speak in a chorus of opinion.
  2. What are you talking about, 8mps? by AllMightyPaul · · Score: 4, Interesting

    You can already get 14 megapixel cameras from Kodak. And as other people have said, the pixels aren't important, it's the sensor and the lenses you use.

    http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/kodakdcs14n/

  3. How about FOUR of them? by dbirchall · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Pan-STARRS will have a gigapixel Orthogonal Transfer CCD array on each of its four telescopes.

    (The site surveys are going on right now, and I work at one of the sites being surveyed.)

    If you can put one of something in orbit, you can probably put a whole lot more of something on the ground for a whole lot less money. ;)