CCD with 4-color (Red, Green, Blue+ Emerald) filter at DVinfo.net

Steve Mullen · September 27th, 2003, 04:45 PM

Tokyo (JCNN) - Sony Corporation (TSE: 6758) today announced the world's first practical consumer (home) use of CCD with 4-color (Red, Green, Blue+ Emerald) filters, together with a new image processor corresponding to the 4-color filter. By this technology, the color reproduction error is halved compared to Sony's conventional 3-primary-color filter CCD and, expression of images closer to the natural sight perception of the human eye is achieved under various shooting conditions.

Conventional digital still cameras mainly use 3-primary-color filter CCD, and the colors are recorded by the intensity of each of the 3 colors, Red(R), Green(G) and Blue(B), corresponding to the color reproduction characteristics of the color TV or monitors. However, the characteristics of these CCD filters are different from those of the human visual system. Color differences therefore emerge compared to natural human sight, resulting in different color reproduction.

In the 4-color filter CCD, a filter with the Emerald (E) color is added to the conventional 3-color RGB filter, in order to reduce the color reproduction errors and to record natural images closer to the natural sight perception of the human eye. As a result, the characteristics of the CCD color filter become much closer to those of the human visual system, achieving dramatic reduction in the color reproduction error.

In addition to the development of the 4 color filter, a new image processor corresponding to the 4-color filter has been developed. With this processor, each of the signals captured by the 4 colors is processed to produce ideal 3 colors close to the natural sight perception the human eye by a matrix calculation. Also, in addition to functioning with 30% less power consumption, by the efficient processor management, functions such as high-speed image shooting and high-speed playback are realized, as well as enhancing the of overall basic functions of digital still cameras.

Sony plans to integrate the newly developed 4 color filter CCD and the new image processor into the new digital cameras which will be introduced in the near future.

Eric Bilodeau · September 27th, 2003, 06:27 PM

Interresting but I have a question; will this new reference color add to the data rate? I guess so. If so it might not be used anytime soon on HDV devices since the data rate is already difficult to maintain with 3 colors... Of course, evolution is always possible and Sony could release a HD format close to HDV of their own soon enough...

Steve Mullen · September 27th, 2003, 07:02 PM

Sony supports the HDV format so, unless they use DVD+RW, it will be HDV.

The question is, will it be used for video or only stills.

Eric Bilodeau · September 27th, 2003, 08:50 PM

Of course they support HDV format but so did they support DV and they still developped DVcam soon afterwards. I suppose if results are good with stills they might try video.

Charles Papert · September 27th, 2003, 09:12 PM

Since it was announced in August I've had my beady eye on this upcoming digital camera from Sony which uses the four chip architecture. I liked the feature set, but the new technology under the hood has me intrigued also. Looking forward to seeing some actual stills when the pre-production models are reviewed this month, I think.

Steve Mullen · September 27th, 2003, 10:22 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Charles Papert which uses the four chip architecture. -->>>

I think it's 4 filters on 1 chip.

Charles Papert · September 28th, 2003, 02:13 AM

yes of course. Thanks for the correction Steve.

Christopher Toderman · September 28th, 2003, 06:35 AM

I remember Sony promoting their 3 CCD sensor system in the past, used on pro video cameras and their subtraction of chroma from luma, claiming that it precisely mimics the human visual functions, which is 3-color, not 4-color.

Yik Kuen · September 28th, 2003, 11:00 PM

If I'm not wrong, the new Sony semi-pro digital camera F-828 (successor to F-717) will have this new 4 filter CCD.

Ignacio Rodriguez · September 28th, 2003, 11:29 PM

> Interresting but I have a question; will this new reference color
> add to the data rate? I guess so.

I don't think so. The extra color is present in the image sensor as a way of capturing a better image in the AD conversion stage, where it is more critical. But once the image is captured, it can be represented in RGB or YUV just like it is today. The difference is the resulting video should have more natural chroma than would have been captured with a 3 color system, at least that seems to be the promise.

September 27th, 2003, 04:45 PM	#1
Steve Mullen HDV Cinema Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 4,007	CCD with 4-color (Red, Green, Blue+ Emerald) filter Tokyo (JCNN) - Sony Corporation (TSE: 6758) today announced the world's first practical consumer (home) use of CCD with 4-color (Red, Green, Blue+ Emerald) filters, together with a new image processor corresponding to the 4-color filter. By this technology, the color reproduction error is halved compared to Sony's conventional 3-primary-color filter CCD and, expression of images closer to the natural sight perception of the human eye is achieved under various shooting conditions. Conventional digital still cameras mainly use 3-primary-color filter CCD, and the colors are recorded by the intensity of each of the 3 colors, Red(R), Green(G) and Blue(B), corresponding to the color reproduction characteristics of the color TV or monitors. However, the characteristics of these CCD filters are different from those of the human visual system. Color differences therefore emerge compared to natural human sight, resulting in different color reproduction. In the 4-color filter CCD, a filter with the Emerald (E) color is added to the conventional 3-color RGB filter, in order to reduce the color reproduction errors and to record natural images closer to the natural sight perception of the human eye. As a result, the characteristics of the CCD color filter become much closer to those of the human visual system, achieving dramatic reduction in the color reproduction error. In addition to the development of the 4 color filter, a new image processor corresponding to the 4-color filter has been developed. With this processor, each of the signals captured by the 4 colors is processed to produce ideal 3 colors close to the natural sight perception the human eye by a matrix calculation. Also, in addition to functioning with 30% less power consumption, by the efficient processor management, functions such as high-speed image shooting and high-speed playback are realized, as well as enhancing the of overall basic functions of digital still cameras. Sony plans to integrate the newly developed 4 color filter CCD and the new image processor into the new digital cameras which will be introduced in the near future. __________________ Switcher's Quick Guide to the Avid Media Composer >>> http://home.mindspring.com/~d-v-c

September 27th, 2003, 06:27 PM	#2
Eric Bilodeau Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Chicoutimi, Canada Posts: 334	Interresting but I have a question; will this new reference color add to the data rate? I guess so. If so it might not be used anytime soon on HDV devices since the data rate is already difficult to maintain with 3 colors... Of course, evolution is always possible and Sony could release a HD format close to HDV of their own soon enough... __________________ Eric Bilodeau video SFX,DOP ___________________ http://www.fictis.net info@fictis.net

September 27th, 2003, 07:02 PM	#3
Steve Mullen HDV Cinema Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 4,007	Sony supports the HDV format so, unless they use DVD+RW, it will be HDV. The question is, will it be used for video or only stills. __________________ Switcher's Quick Guide to the Avid Media Composer >>> http://home.mindspring.com/~d-v-c

September 27th, 2003, 08:50 PM	#4
Eric Bilodeau Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Chicoutimi, Canada Posts: 334	Of course they support HDV format but so did they support DV and they still developped DVcam soon afterwards. I suppose if results are good with stills they might try video. __________________ Eric Bilodeau video SFX,DOP ___________________ http://www.fictis.net info@fictis.net

September 27th, 2003, 09:12 PM	#5
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 6,810	Since it was announced in August I've had my beady eye on this upcoming digital camera from Sony which uses the four chip architecture. I liked the feature set, but the new technology under the hood has me intrigued also. Looking forward to seeing some actual stills when the pre-production models are reviewed this month, I think. __________________ Charles Papert www.charlespapert.com

September 27th, 2003, 10:22 PM	#6
Steve Mullen HDV Cinema Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 4,007	<<<-- Originally posted by Charles Papert which uses the four chip architecture. -->>> I think it's 4 filters on 1 chip. __________________ Switcher's Quick Guide to the Avid Media Composer >>> http://home.mindspring.com/~d-v-c

September 28th, 2003, 02:13 AM	#7
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 6,810	yes of course. Thanks for the correction Steve. __________________ Charles Papert www.charlespapert.com

September 28th, 2003, 06:35 AM	#8
Christopher Toderman Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: New York Posts: 60	I remember Sony promoting their 3 CCD sensor system in the past, used on pro video cameras and their subtraction of chroma from luma, claiming that it precisely mimics the human visual functions, which is 3-color, not 4-color.

September 28th, 2003, 11:00 PM	#9
Yik Kuen Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Johor Bahru, Malaysia Posts: 135	If I'm not wrong, the new Sony semi-pro digital camera F-828 (successor to F-717) will have this new 4 filter CCD.

September 28th, 2003, 11:29 PM	#10
Ignacio Rodriguez Contributor Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Santiago, Chile Posts: 932	> Interresting but I have a question; will this new reference color > add to the data rate? I guess so. I don't think so. The extra color is present in the image sensor as a way of capturing a better image in the AD conversion stage, where it is more critical. But once the image is captured, it can be represented in RGB or YUV just like it is today. The difference is the resulting video should have more natural chroma than would have been captured with a 3 color system, at least that seems to be the promise. __________________ Ignacio Rodríguez in the third world. @micronauta on Twitter. Main hardware: brain, eyes, hands.