Nikon - CCD tricks with mirrors.
 

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-P...&RS=PN/7138663
or
http://tinyurl.com/2xextp

This has been posted on DPReview.

Interesting comments:
"According to the second embodiment, as in the case of the first
embodiment, since the red, blue, and green light passes through the same
opening, the photon utilization efficiency of the light receiving
element can be increased. In addition, the red, blue, and green light is
in the same spatial position, so that false color does not appear."

So, although photosite size is probably small, this is (at least
partially) offset by not losing light through rgb filters. Patent was
applied for in 2003.

Canon also proposed a more conventional "foveon" type sensor in about
2000, but it hasn't eventuated in a (Canon) camera yet.

Nikon - CCD tricks with mirrors.
 

frederick wrote:

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-P...&RS=PN/7138663

or
http://tinyurl.com/2xextp

This has been posted on DPReview.


Reading the patent is an awkward way to figure out what they are talking
about, has someone written an article about this thing in plain language?

Also quicktime doesn't load the drawings properly, it would be helpful
to see wtf this is.

One thing I noticed is they talk about this Nikon invention being used
in video cameras to avoid bayer filters not still cameras so I'm not
sure it's relevant to still photography. I seem to recall this has been
implemented in video cameras, though I'm certainly not sure, maybe that
was something else.


Interesting comments:
"According to the second embodiment, as in the case of the first
embodiment, since the red, blue, and green light passes through the same
opening, the photon utilization efficiency of the light receiving
element can be increased. In addition, the red, blue, and green light is
in the same spatial position, so that false color does not appear."

So, although photosite size is probably small, this is (at least
partially) offset by not losing light through rgb filters. Patent was
applied for in 2003.

Canon also proposed a more conventional "foveon" type sensor in about
2000, but it hasn't eventuated in a (Canon) camera yet.


--
Paul Furman Photography
http://edgehill.net
Bay Natives Nursery
http://www.baynatives.com

Nikon - CCD tricks with mirrors.
 

Paul Furman wrote:
frederick wrote:

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-P...&RS=PN/7138663

or
http://tinyurl.com/2xextp

This has been posted on DPReview.


Reading the patent is an awkward way to figure out what they are talking
about, has someone written an article about this thing in plain language?

Also quicktime doesn't load the drawings properly, it would be helpful
to see wtf this is.
There's some comment on and a link to drawing on DPreview site.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0708/nikonsensortech.gif

One thing I noticed is they talk about this Nikon invention being used
in video cameras to avoid bayer filters not still cameras so I'm not
sure it's relevant to still photography. I seem to recall this has been
implemented in video cameras, though I'm certainly not sure, maybe that
was something else.

I think that the reference to video cameras was referring to use of 3CCD
systems on video cameras. I haven't gone back and re-read the patent
info but IIRC it refers to it as a related technology.

Interesting comments:
"According to the second embodiment, as in the case of the first
embodiment, since the red, blue, and green light passes through the
same opening, the photon utilization efficiency of the light receiving
element can be increased. In addition, the red, blue, and green light
is in the same spatial position, so that false color does not appear."

So, although photosite size is probably small, this is (at least
partially) offset by not losing light through rgb filters. Patent was
applied for in 2003.

Canon also proposed a more conventional "foveon" type sensor in about
2000, but it hasn't eventuated in a (Canon) camera yet.

Nikon - CCD tricks with mirrors.
 

On Aug 10, 4:10 am, frederick wrote:

There's some comment on and a link to drawing on DPreview site.http://www.dpreview.com/news/0708/nikonsensortech.gif


But is it feasible to mass-produce such an arrangement of dichroic
mirrors? Does anybody have any insight?

Nikon - CCD tricks with mirrors.
 

frederick wrote:

Paul Furman wrote:

frederick wrote:

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-P...&RS=PN/7138663

or
http://tinyurl.com/2xextp

This has been posted on DPReview.


Reading the patent is an awkward way to figure out what they are
talking about, has someone written an article about this thing in
plain language?

Also quicktime doesn't load the drawings properly, it would be helpful
to see wtf this is.

There's some comment on and a link to drawing on DPreview site.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0708/nikonsensortech.gif

Ah, OK, I get it. If that's an accurate diagram, it's an awful lot of
empty silicon & awfully small pixels. I don't think it has any
application in DSLRs.

One thing I noticed is they talk about this Nikon invention being used
in video cameras to avoid bayer filters not still cameras so I'm not
sure it's relevant to still photography. I seem to recall this has
been implemented in video cameras, though I'm certainly not sure,
maybe that was something else.

I think that the reference to video cameras was referring to use of 3CCD
systems on video cameras. I haven't gone back and re-read the patent
info but IIRC it refers to it as a related technology.

3CCD, ah there's a name I can search with!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3CCD
"Three-CCD cameras are generally more expensive than single-CCD cameras
because they require three times as many elements to form the image
detector, and because they require a precision color-separation
beam-splitter optical assembly."

This looks like a variation on that concept with mirrors instead of a
prism. That link links to a Canon 3CCD camcorder for pro use (expensive).

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&tabact=ModelFeaturesTa bAct&fcategoryid=165&modelid=7512&pageno=2

"The Canon GL2 has three CCDs, delivering outstanding picture quality,
highly accurate color reproduction and a wide dynamic range with
virtually no color noise. On top of that, Canon has improved a broadcast
technology to create a new form of Pixel Shift, producing greater
picture quality than that of camcorders using CCDs with almost twice the
number of pixels.

Pixel Shift
In the GL2, Canon uses Pixel Shift, a signal processing method used in
broadcast TV cameras, to exceed the overall picture quality achieved by
camcorders using nearly twice as many pixels.

With the light coming into the camcorder split into three color
components, each of the three CCDs then handles one of three primary
colors: Red, Green and Blue. The green component of a video signal
contains 60% of the picture detail, and the red and blue components only
40%. The green CCD in the GL2 is shifted the equivalent distance of 1/2
pixel from the red and blue CCD. The green signal is then sampled more
frequently to extract the maximum picture detail from the video signal.

In addition to outstanding clarity and natural color, Pixel Shift
provides wider dynamic range, reduced vertical smear from bright light
sources and sharper still images.

Super High Resolution and Super Low Light

There are 410,000 pixels on each of the three CCD image sensors in the
GL2. With the new Pixel Shift technology, the GL2 rivals the resolution
of camcorders using CCDs with 680,000 pixels."

Interesting comments:
"According to the second embodiment, as in the case of the first
embodiment, since the red, blue, and green light passes through the
same opening, the photon utilization efficiency of the light
receiving element can be increased. In addition, the red, blue, and
green light is in the same spatial position, so that false color does
not appear."

So, although photosite size is probably small, this is (at least
partially) offset by not losing light through rgb filters. Patent
was applied for in 2003.

Canon also proposed a more conventional "foveon" type sensor in about
2000, but it hasn't eventuated in a (Canon) camera yet.





--
Paul Furman Photography
http://edgehill.net
Bay Natives Nursery
http://www.baynatives.com