[eddiewood]

BBC News - Gigapixel camera offers super sharp shots

[RajP]

Awesome... is it a Point and shoot? How many batteries does it need?? Ohh and don't forget a Flash for that!!!

[loz]

The researchers believe that within five years, as the electronic components of the cameras become miniaturised and more efficient, the next generation of gigapixel cameras should be available to the general public.
"The camera is so large now because of the electronic control boards and the need to add components to keep it from overheating," Mr Brady said.

"As more efficient and compact electronics are developed, the age of hand-held gigapixel photography should follow."

A gigapixel+lightfield camera will redefine how we take pictures.

Just record one image of your entire field of view, and then focus and zoom at your leisure at home.

[JSW]

What sort of pc will be needed to process those 50 gigapixels image files

[RajP]

Originally Posted by JSW

What sort of pc will be needed to process those 50 gigapixels image files

Giga Retina display with the new IBM Super Computer thAt they announced this week...

[loz]

Originally Posted by JSW

What sort of pc will be needed to process those 50 gigapixels image files

You wont.

All the processing will be done in the cloud.

[RajP]

Originally Posted by loz

You wont.

All the processing will be done in the cloud.

No wonder we be soo much rain.....

[GIZTO29]

The guys who do the stadium interactive panos have been doing Gigapixel shots for a while now.
Heres one of them which was done at Wembley. 20 Giga Pixels :O
Its done using a device like this...
https://vimeo.com/14602062

[loz]

Originally Posted by GIZTO29

The guys who do the stadium interactive panos have been doing Gigapixel shots for a while now.
Heres one of them which was done at Wembley. 20 Giga Pixels :O
Its done using a device like this...
https://vimeo.com/14602062

The one linked to by the OP is a bit different in nature though as it takes a 50 gigapixel image in one shot, not by moving the camera around as those interactive panos are done.

Mind you, the prototype they have actually built is only capable of 2 gigapixels, and consists of 98x 14mp sensors. So to get a 50gp image I guess you are talking about 2500x 14mp sensors... (or use bigger sensors of course)

[YourFunnyUncle]

"Within 5 years" is usually code for "give me 5 more years of research funding." I'm sure the technology will trickle down, but I don't know if it will be quite so fast...

[twist]

It's taken what 35 years to go from digital to a 36mp full frame and that's 2.6k. I think it's gonna take a long long time before consumers see this technology.

[loz]

Originally Posted by twist

It's taken what 35 years to go from digital to a 36mp full frame and that's 2.6k. I think it's gonna take a long long time before consumers see this technology.

I disagree in that this approach is not about developing new sensors and packing in ever more pixels, it is about arranging existing sensors in an array. As such it is more of an an optical and image processing challenge.

Yes it might take a lot longer than 5 years before we have consumer 50gp cameras we can put in our pockets , but I wouldn't put it past someone like Samsung using the approach to construct consumer cameras in the next few years with a far higher resolution than we have today whilst still using today's sensors. e.g. an array of 9x 14mp sensors would give us 126mp images, yet need be no bigger than a DSLR.

[GIZTO29]

Originally Posted by loz

The one linked to by the OP is a bit different in nature though as it takes a 50 gigapixel image in one shot, not by moving the camera around as those interactive panos are done.

Mind you, the prototype they have actually built is only capable of 2 gigapixels, and consists of 98x 14mp sensors. So to get a 50gp image I guess you are talking about 2500x 14mp sensors... (or use bigger sensors of course)

Oh yeh, i appreciate that. I was just saying that there are Giga pixel shots about now