Kodak color-filter technology could redefine low-light shooting

We already knew that Kodak was up to something good when it began to phase out low-end digicams and refocus on developing new technologies, and now it seems like we've got one more innovation from its laboratory to look forward to. Reportedly, Kodak has developed a "color-filter technology that at least doubles the sensitivity to light of the image sensor in every digital camera." Bold words, we know, but even Chris McNiffe, general manager of the photography company's image sensor business, went so far as to say that this very invention would enable a "2x-4x improvement in light sensitivity." The company also suggested that a variety of camera manufacturers could expect samples of said technology during the first quarter of next year, and while consumer rollouts weren't detailed, we do know that this magical concoction will hit P&S cameras first with cameraphones to get equipped shortly thereafter.

[Jon @ Jun 13th 2007 5:26PM]

Wow! That sounds very cool indeed.

[Nando @ Jun 13th 2007 5:34PM]

This sounds awesome! Better-looking nighttime/indoor picture quality.

[TVGenius @ Jun 13th 2007 6:03PM]

Just shoot in black and white. Works better.

[Roger Singh @ Jun 13th 2007 6:30PM]

shooting black and white shouldn't have any affect with ASA/ISO rating of the sensor.

[craig @ Jun 13th 2007 6:18PM]

CMY filters already do that but they produce crappy color. Hopefully this does better.

BTW, "2x-4x improvement in light sensitivity" is 1-2 stops. That's a nice improvement but it's hardly "profound". Digicams will really like it.

[mike @ Jun 13th 2007 6:31PM]

love that logo

[Stephan @ Jun 13th 2007 6:43PM]

Uhm do they call the F31fd? I guess someone besides Fuji has finally figured out that having a chance at getting a good picture is more than megapixels.

[Dan @ Jun 13th 2007 6:50PM]

Fuji already has phenomenal cameras that perform extremely well in lowlight. Fuji should release their technology, its already proven better then anything Kodak will surely concoct.

[js @ Jun 13th 2007 6:52PM]

This technology means nothing if more megapixels are cramped into an ultracompact sensor. Soon, we'll see 32 megapixel P&S with ISO 20000 sensitivities which is good in a marketing sense, but photo-quality wise it is crap.

[John Stracke @ Jun 13th 2007 8:35PM]

Kodak was probably driven to this because their point-and-shoot cameras are so lousy in low light—and I'm talking the kind of "low light" you'd find in a Best Buy. Their flash is absolutely useless beyond about five feet.

[Foof @ Jun 13th 2007 10:23PM]

Low-light sensitivity may be increased, but that doesn't necessarily mean color accuracy or normal-light shooting performance is maintained.

Since the announcement is so short on details, I'm sure we'll be hearing more about the limitations/drawbacks as time goes on, bu I'm not expecting this to be any kind of panacea.

[revaaron @ Jun 14th 2007 2:58AM]

OMG, someone mentioning the fuji? try the canon 5D and shut it. I own a kodak slrn and a nikon dslr d70,d100, d2H, d2x. I borrow the canon 5D from my gf more than anything. it's amazing at low light.

[Stephan @ Jun 14th 2007 1:40PM]

Even though you won't see this, this is suppose to be for COMPACT cameras.

[Neil @ Jun 14th 2007 5:01AM]

I may be missing somthing.
It's a color FILTER. Therefore it removes light, right?
If there's less light after the filter it cannot increase the light sensitivity!!!

Or is it a filter like system changing the wavelenghth to the sensitive wavelengths fo the optical IC?

I haven't got enough knowledge there to be sure it's physically possibel. I beleve I read somewhere light can only be increased in powers of 2 of it's wavelength, because it can only halve the energy. In anny case, light cannot be decreased in wavelength without additional energy, which is impossible in a filter like structure.

If I am correct, the wavelength of light cannot be shifted a bit (exept for Doppler, but I am guessing that has nothitg to do with this) and therefore this "filter" would be impossible.

If it's true Kodak said it, I'm curious how they did it. They have more than suffcient knowledge of light to make things possible I couldn't dream about.

[Toralf @ Aug 13th 2007 9:03AM]

Yes, I think you are missing something.

What they mean by increased sensitivity is not that the filter adds light, but rather that it removes less than some other filter. Specifically, a filter that is stuck in front of the sensor in a current digital camera. Or all filters that are used today...

[Neil @ Jun 14th 2007 5:30AM]

Thanks, I didn't think of that. Quite stupid of me.

[snogg @ Jun 14th 2007 10:46AM]

All the nerdy details:

http://johncompton.1000nerds.kodak.com/default.asp?item=624876