Camera sensors

Camera sensors

I noticed that there are only limited sensor manufacturers for digital
cameras. For the known brands such as Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Panasonic/
Lumix, they are basically supplied by 4 companies: Canon (for Canon
cameras), Matsushita/National/Panasonic for Panasonic brands, Fuji for
Fuji cameras and Sony (for others including Nikon, Sony, Pentax and
Samsung).
I am surprised that Nikon is using Sony's sensor in all of their DSLR
(except for Nikon D1 and D2H, which is manufactured by Nikon).
I wonder whether all of the sensors made by these four suppliers are
generally the same (Just like coke or pepsi)? Any superiority among
the others in term of their function? Has any of the manufacturers
made better or known to supply better sensor type than the others
(i.e. CMOS vs CCD?). I also noticed tha Sigma DSLR's sensor is made by
Feveon. What sensors are in Kodak cameras?

Re: Camera sensors


<aniramca@gmail . com > wrote in message
news:1178493704.518704.192980@o5g2000hsb.googlegroups . com ...
>I noticed that there are only limited sensor manufacturers for digital
> cameras. For the known brands such as Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Panasonic/
> Lumix, they are basically supplied by 4 companies: Canon (for Canon
> cameras), Matsushita/National/Panasonic for Panasonic brands, Fuji for
> Fuji cameras and Sony (for others including Nikon, Sony, Pentax and
> Samsung).
> I am surprised that Nikon is using Sony's sensor in all of their DSLR
> (except for Nikon D1 and D2H, which is manufactured by Nikon).
> I wonder whether all of the sensors made by these four suppliers are
> generally the same (Just like coke or pepsi)? Any superiority among
> the others in term of their function? Has any of the manufacturers
> made better or known to supply better sensor type than the others
> (i.e. CMOS vs CCD?). I also noticed tha Sigma DSLR's sensor is made by
> Feveon. What sensors are in Kodak cameras?

First, Foveon:
* w w w .digitaldingus . com /news/2006/09/09262006dongbuelectronics.php

Second, it does not much matter from a consumer point of view.

Third, quality is a hop-scotch game. Tune in and be amazed at the changes.

Fourth, it is the whole camera (like a car ... not too often that the
transmission makes a huge difference).

Re: Camera sensors

On Sun, 06 May 2007 19:32:08 -0400, Charles wrote:

>
> <aniramca@gmail . com > wrote in message
> news:1178493704.518704.192980@o5g2000hsb.googlegroups . com ...
>>I noticed that there are only limited sensor manufacturers for digital
>> cameras. For the known brands such as Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Panasonic/
>> Lumix, they are basically supplied by 4 companies: Canon (for Canon
>> cameras), Matsushita/National/Panasonic for Panasonic brands, Fuji for
>> Fuji cameras and Sony (for others including Nikon, Sony, Pentax and
>> Samsung).
>> I am surprised that Nikon is using Sony's sensor in all of their DSLR
>> (except for Nikon D1 and D2H, which is manufactured by Nikon).
>> I wonder whether all of the sensors made by these four suppliers are
>> generally the same (Just like coke or pepsi)? Any superiority among
>> the others in term of their function? Has any of the manufacturers
>> made better or known to supply better sensor type than the others
>> (i.e. CMOS vs CCD?). I also noticed tha Sigma DSLR's sensor is made by
>> Feveon. What sensors are in Kodak cameras?
>
> First, Foveon:
> * w w w .digitaldingus . com /news/2006/09/09262006dongbuelectronics.php
>
> Second, it does not much matter from a consumer point of view.
>
> Third, quality is a hop-scotch game. Tune in and be amazed at the changes.
>
> Fourth, it is the whole camera (like a car ... not too often that the
> transmission makes a huge difference).

That's true, but you certainly don't want to buy a car which is known to
have transmission problems. And I certainly hesitate to buy the first year
model when a manufacturer changes technology significantly - e.g. last
year when Dodge came out with Caliber - CVT.

Re: Camera sensors




> That's true, but you certainly don't want to buy a car which is known to
> have transmission problems. And I certainly hesitate to buy the first year
> model when a manufacturer changes technology significantly - e.g. last
> year when Dodge came out with Caliber - CVT.

Please cite a recent example in digital photography.

Re: Camera sensors


"Charles" <charlesschuler@comcast . net > wrote in message
news:1pOdnWmyp-EsBaLbnZ2dnUVZ_gydnZ2d@comcast . com ...
>
>
>
>> That's true, but you certainly don't want to buy a car which is known to
>> have transmission problems. And I certainly hesitate to buy the first
>> year
>> model when a manufacturer changes technology significantly - e.g. last
>> year when Dodge came out with Caliber - CVT.
>
> Please cite a recent example in digital photography.
My Minolta phi has just had its sensor replaced free of charge because Sony
made a lot of 5mp sensors for just about every manufacture cept Fuji that
have developed a failure. Its old hat now but it was a good indication of
many manufactures use the same sensor.

Re: Camera sensors

On May 6, 7:32 pm, "Charles" <charlesschu...@comcast . net > wrote:
> <anira...@gmail . com > wrote in message
>
> news:1178493704.518704.192980@o5g2000hsb.googlegroups . com ...
>
> >I noticed that there are only limited sensor manufacturers for digital
> > cameras. For the known brands such as Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Panasonic/
> > Lumix, they are basically supplied by 4 companies: Canon (for Canon
> > cameras), Matsushita/National/Panasonic for Panasonic brands, Fuji for
> > Fuji cameras and Sony (for others including Nikon, Sony, Pentax and
> > Samsung).
> > I am surprised that Nikon is using Sony's sensor in all of their DSLR
> > (except for Nikon D1 and D2H, which is manufactured by Nikon).
> > I wonder whether all of the sensors made by these four suppliers are
> > generally the same (Just like coke or pepsi)? Any superiority among
> > the others in term of their function? Has any of the manufacturers
> > made better or known to supply better sensor type than the others
> > (i.e. CMOS vs CCD?). I also noticed tha Sigma DSLR's sensor is made by
> > Feveon. What sensors are in Kodak cameras?
>
> First, Foveon: * w w w .digitaldingus . com /news/2006/09/09262006dongbuelectronics.php
>
> Second, it does not much matter from a consumer point of view.
>
> Third, quality is a hop-scotch game. Tune in and be amazed at the changes.
>

Nothing radical is likely to happen. Sensor physics has been static
for ages. The only thing they've improved on is how fast they can get
the data out and how well they can process it.

Re: Camera sensors

aniramca@gmail . com wrote:
> I noticed that there are only limited sensor manufacturers for digital
> cameras. For the known brands such as Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Panasonic/
> Lumix, they are basically supplied by 4 companies: Canon (for Canon
> cameras), Matsushita/National/Panasonic for Panasonic brands, Fuji for
> Fuji cameras and Sony (for others including Nikon, Sony, Pentax and
> Samsung).
> I am surprised that Nikon is using Sony's sensor in all of their DSLR
> (except for Nikon D1 and D2H, which is manufactured by Nikon).
> I wonder whether all of the sensors made by these four suppliers are
> generally the same (Just like coke or pepsi)? Any superiority among
> the others in term of their function? Has any of the manufacturers
> made better or known to supply better sensor type than the others
> (i.e. CMOS vs CCD?). I also noticed tha Sigma DSLR's sensor is made by
> Feveon. What sensors are in Kodak cameras?
>

CCD and CMOS sensors are pretty mature technology. All good
digital cameras, from small sensor P&S to large sensor DSLRs
have noise dominated by photons noise (Poisson statistics),
and as a result the major performance difference between
sensors is due to the size of each pixel.

See:
* w w w .clarkvision . com /imagedetail/index.html#sensor analysis

(Kodak makes sensor too.)

Roger

Re: Camera sensors

On May 6, 11:44 pm, "Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)"
<usern...@qwest . net > wrote:
> anira...@gmail . com wrote:
> > I noticed that there are only limited sensor manufacturers for digital
> > cameras. For the known brands such as Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Panasonic/
> > Lumix, they are basically supplied by 4 companies: Canon (for Canon
> > cameras), Matsushita/National/Panasonic for Panasonic brands, Fuji for
> > Fuji cameras and Sony (for others including Nikon, Sony, Pentax and
> > Samsung).
> > I am surprised that Nikon is using Sony's sensor in all of their DSLR
> > (except for Nikon D1 and D2H, which is manufactured by Nikon).
> > I wonder whether all of the sensors made by these four suppliers are
> > generally the same (Just like coke or pepsi)? Any superiority among
> > the others in term of their function? Has any of the manufacturers
> > made better or known to supply better sensor type than the others
> > (i.e. CMOS vs CCD?). I also noticed tha Sigma DSLR's sensor is made by
> > Feveon. What sensors are in Kodak cameras?
>
> CCD and CMOS sensors are pretty mature technology. All good
> digital cameras, from small sensor P&S to large sensor DSLRs
> have noise dominated by photons noise (Poisson statistics),
> and as a result the major performance difference between
> sensors is due to the size of each pixel.
>
> See: * w w w .clarkvision . com /imagedetail/index.html#sensor analysis
>
> (Kodak makes sensor too.)

Kodak is fascinating. They make some of the finest high-end sensors
for scientific and medium format cameras,
they also make cheapo CMOS sensors for cell phones and low end P&S
cameras. But they threw in the towel and watched the DSLR market
become the most lucrative in photography. What a group of losers.

>
> Roger

Re: Camera sensors

aniramca@gmail . com wrote:

> I wonder whether all of the sensors made by these four suppliers are
> generally the same (Just like coke or pepsi)? Any superiority among
> the others in term of their function? Has any of the manufacturers
> made better or known to supply better sensor type than the others
> (i.e. CMOS vs CCD?). I also noticed tha Sigma DSLR's sensor is made by
> Feveon. What sensors are in Kodak cameras?

Fuji's sensors used in their DSLRs (S5 Pro etc.) have a unique design
with large and small photodiodes for each photosite, which enables them
to give about 2 stops more dynamic range, at the expense of some loss
of detail.

Foveon sensors used by Sigma use a 3-layer design which enables red,
green & blue to be captured at each photosite, giving better colour
resolution at the expense of luminance resolution.

Re: Camera sensors

Greetings Animarac,

Actually, Kodak makes their own sensors. We also make them for some other
camera manufacturers. You can review details on Kodak sensors, which are
pretty good. You will enjoy the read.

* w w w .kodak . com /US/en/dpq/site/SENSORS/name/ISSHome

Talk to you soon.

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company



<aniramca@gmail . com > wrote in message
news:1178493704.518704.192980@o5g2000hsb.googlegroups . com ...
>I noticed that there are only limited sensor manufacturers for digital
> cameras. For the known brands such as Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Panasonic/
> Lumix, they are basically supplied by 4 companies: Canon (for Canon
> cameras), Matsushita/National/Panasonic for Panasonic brands, Fuji for
> Fuji cameras and Sony (for others including Nikon, Sony, Pentax and
> Samsung).
> I am surprised that Nikon is using Sony's sensor in all of their DSLR
> (except for Nikon D1 and D2H, which is manufactured by Nikon).
> I wonder whether all of the sensors made by these four suppliers are
> generally the same (Just like coke or pepsi)? Any superiority among
> the others in term of their function? Has any of the manufacturers
> made better or known to supply better sensor type than the others
> (i.e. CMOS vs CCD?). I also noticed tha Sigma DSLR's sensor is made by
> Feveon. What sensors are in Kodak cameras?
>