Skip to main content

Canon’s 250-megapixel sensor can read the side of a plane from 11 miles away

By
Each time a new, higher-resolution sensor is introduced, there is speculation that we’ve reached the theoretical limit of what is possible with today’s technology. As pixels get smaller, image quality suffers. In particular, smaller pixels mean a lower native ISO, and in turn a decrease in low-light image quality. Small pixels also start to be effected by the diffraction of light as it passes through the camera’s aperture. Pushing these two constraints to the limit, Canon has created a stunning 250-megapixel sensor prototype that could be used in a DSLR.




It is an APS-H-size sensor, about 80% of the length and width of a full-frame sensor, and slightly larger than the popular APS-C format. Given its 19,580 x 12,600 pixel resolution, that means each pixel is about 1.5 microns — almost the same as in an iPhone 6. So you could imagine the new sensor as an array of 30 perfectly-aligned, very-high-speed smartphone sensors. It shows its high speed by being able to write out over 1 billion pixels per second, enabling it to capture 250MP video at 5 fps.
Canon’s feat of using the sensor, coupled with a prototype camera, to read the lettering on an airplane at something over 11 miles away is quite impressive. However, since it hasn’t disclosed anything about the camera or lens used, it is a little hard to tell how much of that magic is the sensor. For example, DARPA’s Argus can perform similarly amazing visual feats using a massive array of traditional smartphone-quality sensors.




This may be exactly what Lytro and the lightfield photography business needs


While Canon is looking to eventually market the new sensor to specialized audiences including surveillance, measuring instruments, and industrial equipment, it may also help pave the way for practical lightfield cameras. The big problem with lightfield products to date, like those from Lytro, is how much resolution they give up to gain their ability to capture dimensionality and alter focus in post-production.
Lytro founder Ren Ng has made it clear that the company was built on the premise that sensor resolution would continue to improve, making that tradeoff more reasonable. Depending on how much of the lightfield a camera is designed to capture, it can cut the native sensor resolution by anywhere from 10% to 90%. With a 250MP native resolution, though, even a 90% reduction would yield a very respectable 25MP image.
Source : Extremetech
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nine government sites hit by cyber attacks: NIC

By
The National Informatics Center (NIC) has revealed that as many as nine government websites were defaced by recent cyber attacks. The center further said that the servers, which hosts these government sites, suffer a number of hacking attempts on a daily basis. The websites www.kumbh2010haridwar.gov.in, www.ueppcb.uk.gov.in, www.gov.ua.nic.in/ujn, www.cdodoon.gov.in, www.arunachal.nic.in,www.bee-india.nic.in, www.civilsupplieskerala.gov.in, www.mpcb.gov.in and www.informatics.nic.in were  defaced , prompting authorities to  ramp up  the cyber security safeguards. In an RTI reply, the NIC, which reports to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, said that it was impossible for the body to accurately quantify these attacks but they are usually blocked by security controls put in place. The Ministry was asked to provide details of hacking attempts made on the governments websites in the last ten years (2001-11) along with url names of the portal...
1 comment
Read more

Solar car hits U.S. in round-the-world jaunt

By
Last October, the SolarWorld GT solar-powered car set out from Darwin, Australia on a drive around the world. It has since driven 3,001 kilometers (1,865 miles) across Australia, logged 1,947 km (1,210 miles) crossing New Zealand and been shipped across the Pacific Ocean. This Friday, it will embark on the U.S. leg of its journey, as it sets out across America from the University of California, Santa Barbara.   The SolarWorld GT is the result of a collaboration between solar panel manufacturer SolarWorld, and Bochum University of Applied Sciences in Germany. The four-wheeled, two-door, two-seat car gathers solar energy through photovoltaic panels built into its roof, with its solar generator offering a peak performance of 823 watts. Custom hub motors are located in both of the front wheels. The vehicle manages an average speed of 50 km/h (31 mph), with a claimed top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). In order to demonstrate that solar powered cars needn't be a radical...
Post a Comment
Read more

Google and Stanford early adopters of Honda Fit EV

By
Honda's first all-electric vehicle is hitting the streets a little early. The  Honda Fit EV  debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2011, and it's expected to be     available for lease this summer. However,  Honda announced  that Google and Stanford University got a special early delivery of the tiny EV this week.The Honda Fit EV is equipped with a 20kWh lithium ion battery, and has an EPA estimated driving range of 76 miles. Google added the EV to its  car -sharing service for employees, dubbed the G-Fleet, in    Mountain View, Calif. The search giant maintains several electric and plug-in vehicles that it uses for research and to cart Googlers around town and between buildings on campus. Stanford University also is an early adopter of the Fit EV, but will be using it primarily for research. The university's automotive research department will study the difference in psychological and physical reactions of using battery...
Post a Comment
Read more