A sensor is the digital camera's equivalent to film. It contains millions of tiny light-detecting areas called photosites, which convert light into an electric charge. After exposing the sensor to light, this charge is read from each pixel and converted into a digital image.
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2answers
131 views
Why are there no digital cameras with ultra-bright integrated lenses, like f1.0, f1.2 or even f1.4?
One would think that with smaller sensors vs. film, it would be much cheaper to build an ultra bright lens. It's easy to find superzooms, 20X or 35X, but I have not been able to find a camera with a ...
4
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6answers
500 views
Have cropped digital sensors reached their peak design limits?
APS-C and smaller sensors seem to have plateaued off in terms of their megapixel counts, possibly due to diffraction limits. The ISO performance of these sensors has not increased substantially in the ...
7
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3answers
228 views
Why does a bigger sensor have better dynamic range?
I already understand all the theory behind how a bigger sensor leads to better control of depth of field, and lower noise. But I've yet to find a place that can explain why a bigger sensor gives you a ...
2
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6answers
937 views
Is small sensor always a bad thing?
I own a DSLR. I want to buy some not-too-expensive compact, and there are a lot of compacts in the range 100-250$ with 1/2.3" sensors.
Can such a sensor/camera set give a quality somewhat comparable ...
2
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1answer
68 views
Signal:noise ratio not really decreasing with ISO for Pentax
In SNR graphs for Pentax K-30 and Pentax K5 there is something I do not get.
For ISO after 1600 the SNR doesn't really decrease. Moreover comparing with Nikon D3200, we can clearly see that until ISO ...
3
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2answers
112 views
Why is on sensor PDAF drastically slower than traditional PDAF?
Why is on sensor PDAF drastically slower than traditional PDAF? I assume the technology is the same, doesn't matter if the module is on the sensor or located behind a mirror. But the performance is ...
17
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1answer
378 views
How does automatic sensor cleaning work?
My Canon 5D MKIII DSLR often does sensor cleaning when powered off and occasionally I'll go through the menu and specifically run a sensor clean when I've been shooting in unusually hazardous ...
14
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3answers
4k views
Are digital sensors sensitive to UV?
Is there any way, shape, or form that ultraviolet light is recorded by a digital sensor? Ideally, this question is related strictly to the sensor, without even a glass lens in between which could cut ...
2
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2answers
199 views
Canon 1Ds Mk II's scratched Low Pass filter. Now what?
Besides our workhorses (Canon 5D3 and 60D), we have an old camera - Canon 1Ds Mk II which has its OLPF scratched. That is, the camera works (ok, more or less because the signs of time are present on ...
2
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2answers
249 views
Is “Ultrapixels” just marketing or is there a real benefit?
HTC has branded the sensor in its new phone (the HTC One) to be "Ultra pixels". For the same sensor size it only gives you 4MP where today's standard for top of the line smartphones is 8MP and up. Of ...
24
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11answers
2k views
What is the best way to clean the sensor on a digital SLR?
I've got a couple of spots of dust on the sensor of my Canon 20D - a rocket blower isn't shifting them, and I'm ridiculously scared of some of the more direct methods for cleaning sensors -- what ...
7
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3answers
200 views
Is Poisson Noise (“Shot Noise”) a significant source of noise for typical photography?
In this answer, @jrista states that even a camera with a perfect, noiseless sensor would still have noise due to "Poisson noise" aka "Photon Shot Noise" - noise caused by the random variations of ...
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1answer
116 views
What characteristics make a digital sensor good?
Generally, the technical image quality of a digital image (before we get to the post-processing stage) is the product of the characteristics of the lens and the recording medium, with an important ...
39
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6answers
20k views
Can the sun damage the camera sensor? Under what conditions?
I want to experiment taking photos where the sun appears. I'm afraid of what might happen if I take one with a narrower angle (where sun would be bigger). Can the lens act as a magnifying glass and ...
11
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3answers
370 views
How does the D800E reverse the effect of an antialiasing filter by adding another filter?
According to http://mansurovs.com/nikon-d800-vs-d800e the D800E differs from the D800 in that one of the layers of the filter reverses the effect of the initial low-pass filter. How does this work?
...
2
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2answers
635 views
Nikon D600: how to fix hundreds of photos with dust on them?
Like many D600 owners, I'm hoping that the dust on sensor issue that comes with this otherwise nice camera will somehow solve itself. In the meantime, I have hundreds of shots that I took with an ...
2
votes
3answers
301 views
Image quality when using the same lens on 16Mpix vs 24Mpix
I'm considering buying a new camera and my two candidates are Nikon D7000 and Nikon D7100. I heard that 24Mpix sensor needs very good lens to produce sharp images. Considering that I currently have ...
7
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5answers
325 views
Why is the main sensor not used instead of the separate AF sensor to focus a DSLR?
From this answer I understand that the reflex mirror of a DSLR is actually not reflecting all the light, but it passes a certain amount on to the AF sensor.
So if the reflex mirror can pass light, ...
5
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1answer
180 views
Where is the AF sensor located in a DSLR?
As I understand every DSLR has a separate, smaller sensor that handles phase detection focusing. Where is it located?
If this location is different for every DSLR, and therefore this broad question ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
Why is the sensor size small in D3100 as compared to D3000?
I thought Nikon D3100 must be more advanced than D3000 (because of the higher number and the increased price).
But, the D3000's sensor size is 23.6mm x 15.8mm and the D3100's sensor size is actually ...
27
votes
4answers
5k views
What's the difference between CCD and CMOS image sensors?
I keep reading articles about CCD vs CMOS image sensors. What is the difference between these two types? What exactly do these sensors do in terms of photography?
Is a CCD-based camera going to be ...
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4answers
221 views
Question About the D600 Dirty Sensor Test - Why Use a High f-Stop? [duplicate]
There is a lot of buzz about the dirty sensor problem on the D600, which is apparently caused by some lubricant splattering onto the sensor and accumulating over time.
My question is about the test ...
9
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4answers
706 views
Why is sensor sensitivity called “ISO”?
I was curious to know how the term "ISO" was coined for referring the image sensor's sensitivity. Is there any reason or circumstance that contributed for terming "ISO"?
Also, does ISO has a literal ...
6
votes
3answers
212 views
How to clean an actual CMOS sensor? (Not the IR low pass filter)
All of the "sensor cleaning" instructions I've found are actually for cleaning the IR low pass filter in front of it. Unfortunately, I've got a tiny bit of tape residue on the actual CMOS sensor of ...
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vote
3answers
173 views
Do these colored streaks mean that my CF card is bad?
I have been shooting with the same Nikon d700 for about three years (about 200k clicks). I started seeing a streak run across one out of every 250 images (example here: http://wp.me/aRb6L-1lT). So, I ...
14
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7answers
497 views
Why do cameras use a single exposure rather than integrating across many very quick reads?
I have never understood why cameras need a shutter with a specific speed and why this cannot be adjusted in postprocessing. I think that present sensor works in an integral way: they save the amount ...
61
votes
7answers
18k views
When do the differences between APS-C and full frame sensors matter, and why?
I'm trying to decide on a higher-end digital SLR, and I'm down to choosing between an APS-C model and a full-frame model.
I understand that the sensors are of different sizes, and as such have an ...
10
votes
3answers
2k views
Should I clean my camera sensor, or take it to a professional?
Possible Duplicate:
Best way to clean the sensor on a digital SLR?
Can anyone offer me advice on how to clean my camera's sensor?
Should I do this myself, or take the camera to a ...
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vote
2answers
150 views
How linear are DSLR sensors?
To be more precise, let's say we are taking a W&B photograph.
Picture 1 : And let's say we take it once with a 1/1000 shutter speed, so that the values for R/G/B range from 0 to MAXVALUE / 2
...
3
votes
1answer
372 views
How to show Sony NEX F3 image quality is better than Nikon 1 J1?
According to this site, Sony NEX F3's sensor is 3x as large as Nikons, and it's image quality is 73 vs Nikon's 56 (how on earth do you come up with a number for this?). I have been experimenting with ...
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3answers
176 views
Shooting images smaller than the sensor size
I have a d600 and I appreciate very much the high resolution I get (useful especially for landscapes), but for most other subjects I find 6000 x 4000 to be overkill, making post-processing ...
4
votes
3answers
484 views
How common are hot pixels on new cameras?
How common are hot pixels on new cameras?!
I read that people may check up to 5 cameras at stores to actually find a perfect one, is this true? so how commons is this? what is the chance of getting a ...
8
votes
4answers
1k views
What are the pros and cons of different Bayer demosaicing algorithms?
Bayer sensors use a pattern of red, green, and blue pixels, and merge those together into a final color image, with one pixel for every single color sensor. This could be done through a "naive" ...
17
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7answers
3k views
How can I photograph welding?
My partner is creating a sculptural work using MIG welding and has asked me to document the process. I have a few questions regarding how to photograph it?
Looking at the arc can damage your ...
2
votes
3answers
760 views
How can I easily tell if a sensor or lens is damaged?
I am pretty interested in recognizing any damage to digital camera in very low level (without any advanced tests).
For example, how can I identify the damage of a sensor or lens?
If there are any ...
8
votes
2answers
347 views
Why doesn't a Medium Format camera exist with good performance at high ISO?
I have had a look at enough medium format offerings, but all the products seems to offer many megapixels and poor performance at high ISOs.
Why doesn't a brand exist to offer slightly lower ...
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vote
3answers
278 views
Which camera/lens combination achieves the highest possible image quality for macro?
Doing lots and lots of research I have a hard time time finding the ultimate answer to this question. I would like to shoot macro and products and aim for maximum sharpness and reproduction. Maximum ...
3
votes
2answers
343 views
Can video shooting have a negative effect on a DSLR sensor?
When compared to shooting still photographs, does shooting video have any negative effect on DSLR sensors? For example, I wonder if shooting video may produce more heat, which might be harmful for ...
17
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5answers
2k views
What is so special about ISO 1600?
I have heard many times that to minimize noise, the highest ISO you want to use is ISO 1600, and that no matter what camera or sensor you use, once you have passed this (ISO 1600) threshold, the noise ...
6
votes
2answers
411 views
Why does my sensor require frequent cleaning?
I have a Nikon D300 and in the past couple years I've found that it seems to require sensor cleaning very frequently, something like once a week or more. I've been dry cleaning with a combination of ...
6
votes
4answers
438 views
Has low-light ISO performance really improved over the past 3-4 years?
I have a Canon 40D and I always shoot RAW. I am overall pleased with the 40D except for its low-light performance. Anything at or above ISO 800 is unusable for my taste. Just to solve this problem I ...
8
votes
4answers
1k views
Where is the color mosaic filter on a DSLR sensor?
I have been looking at this tutorial from Astostuff on taking off the hot mirror on a D70, but cannot figure out from the page where the color mosaic filter is located.
Is it possible to remove the ...
3
votes
2answers
286 views
The Lowdown on Image Quality on DSLRs
I have seen sites that use measure DSLR performances with Image QUality (in numbers). So I was thinking, given a D800 and a D7000, with the same lens, the same lighting condition and many other ...
2
votes
0answers
83 views
How Focal Lengths is related to Sensor Size? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the difference between focal length and crop factor?
I was watching a video review of Tamron 70-300 lens where he mentioned that effective Focal length for a ...
3
votes
3answers
113 views
How is shots per second of a camera is measured?
I was just curious to know what are settings used in testing the camera's shots per second?Especially the shutter speed. Whether its set to the camera's maximum capability or any standard shutter ...
2
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2answers
412 views
Does the Nokia Lumia 920 truly present any significant advancements in cameras?
Nokia is touting the new Nokia Lumia 920 as a breakthrough on many fronts for digital photography, even going so far as to say that it can achieve DSLR like results.
Of course one of the things that ...
16
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2answers
1k views
What are the advantages or disadvantages of a back illuminated CMOS sensor?
The iPhone 4s uses a backlit CMOS sensor, and I have noticed that some other point and shoot cameras do as well. What does that mean for photography, and if it is a benefit why do DSLR cameras not use ...
3
votes
1answer
215 views
What are causes for image sensor getting heated? Does Live View cause more heat?
As I have known so far, image sensor gets heated when being exposed to light for longer time.
Is there any other reason why an image sensor gets heated? Does heating depends on sensor type (like CCD, ...
3
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1answer
1k views
Which digital cameras are using which sensors?
I was surprised to learn from http://photo.stackexchange.com/a/3434/4795 that Sony built sensors are used by a few major camera manufacutrers (eg. Nikon, Pentax...)
Does anyone have a list or a link ...
2
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1answer
351 views
What is the structure of a photosite?
I know that sensors are made from several (million) photosites. But what is in the photosites? What chemicals, if any? How are they made?
What actually detects the light? I am looking for both CMOS ...
