Can Panasonic technology improve Digital images?

Panasonic was working on a new technology that could replace the conventional color filters used in digital cameras. Panasonic Corporation has now declared that it has developed the micro color splitter, which will separate the light that falls on the image sensors at microscopic level by taking advantage of light’s wavelike properties. The micro color splitter separates colors using diffraction instead of filtration. This will immensely improve the low light photography and will also enhance the camera’s color sensitivity two times in comparison with the conventional sensors. The image sensors will allow bright color images even in low light conditions.

The small sensors in small digital cameras cannot capture as much light like the larger cameras. The cameras in smartphones also cannot capture much light. They work well in bright lights but the image quality deteriorates in low light. Panasonic micro color splitter will overcome this and could improve the color and light sensitivity of digital camera sensors in days to come.

Micro Color Splitter

The Bayer color filter array used on the image sensor was the common way of producing color image in digital photography. The Bayer filter is a mosaic pattern of 50-percent green, 25-percent red, and 25-percent blue filters that allow light through to the image sensor, and produces final image with full color depiction. However, Panasonic claims that the Bayer filtering method blocks 50-75-percent of light from ever reaching the sensor. To capture images at low light, the sensor volume needs to be increased and thus reducing the noise in the image. The transparent and highly refractive plate like structure makes sure that there is no loss of light.

Micro Color Splitter

The color splitter diffract light into various combinations of white, red, and blue and produce precise color reproduction via technology and special algorithms. Panasonic claims that the new color splitter technology would double the color sensitivity of image sensors.

The main point to be noted is that the micro color splitter are transparent, enables efficient use of light.  There is a possibility that the micro color splitter will replace the color filters in conventional image sensors irrespective of CCD or CMOS.

One of the prominent feature of the micro color splitter is that it can be manufactured using inorganic materials and that too with the existing fabrication processes used for semiconductors.

Panasonic currently has no timeline for brining the new technology in market. But we will keep you posted when the micro color splitter technology will be available commercially.

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