Well, with that (mostly) out of the way, I guess one could set the practical, production-related problems as being:
As long as no disruptive technology like a production-scale manufacture of the nano-dot technology or an angle-invariant type of the symmetric deflector color-splitter like in Panasonics latest patents surface (in millions-per year sample quantities) we're stuck with Bayer, like it or not. And for sharpening (deconvolution) and noise reduction (pattern recognition) the much improved per-pixel statistical quality you get by downsampling an image that originally contains more resolution than you need is actually cost- and energy efficient compared to pouring computational power on insufficient base material.
But what we want in the end is to find something other than Bayer - that actually uses more of the energy the lens actually sends through to the sensor. As I mentioned earlier we're only integrating about 10-15% of the light projection into electric current today. A GOOD implementation of a "Foveon-type" sensor that can use all the visible wavelengths, over the entire surface - without first sifting away more than 65% of the light in a color filter array. This would also solve many of the problems with deconvolution, since it would make the digital image continuous in information again - not sparsely sampled.
Foveon though is a dead end, a unique player in the field with very good - but limited - uses. That they managed to do as well as they did in the last generation is really impressive, but the principle in itself has serious shortcomings. Not only in the low overall efficiency of the operation principle, but also things like the very limited color accuracy.
- Increasing pixel resolution - without increasing efficiency loss or making angle sensitivity worse
- Presenting this to the unbeknowing average "user" as a good thing
- Implementing better versions of the m- and sRaw type "smaller than original" raw files for those who want it
As long as no disruptive technology like a production-scale manufacture of the nano-dot technology or an angle-invariant type of the symmetric deflector color-splitter like in Panasonics latest patents surface (in millions-per year sample quantities) we're stuck with Bayer, like it or not. And for sharpening (deconvolution) and noise reduction (pattern recognition) the much improved per-pixel statistical quality you get by downsampling an image that originally contains more resolution than you need is actually cost- and energy efficient compared to pouring computational power on insufficient base material.
But what we want in the end is to find something other than Bayer - that actually uses more of the energy the lens actually sends through to the sensor. As I mentioned earlier we're only integrating about 10-15% of the light projection into electric current today. A GOOD implementation of a "Foveon-type" sensor that can use all the visible wavelengths, over the entire surface - without first sifting away more than 65% of the light in a color filter array. This would also solve many of the problems with deconvolution, since it would make the digital image continuous in information again - not sparsely sampled.
Foveon though is a dead end, a unique player in the field with very good - but limited - uses. That they managed to do as well as they did in the last generation is really impressive, but the principle in itself has serious shortcomings. Not only in the low overall efficiency of the operation principle, but also things like the very limited color accuracy.
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