What They Say
Samsung released details of a new ‘HDR’ imaging sensor that it expects to be used for automotive applications that need to be able to capture images with a high ratio between the darker and lighter parts of the image which is needed to ensure safety. The sensor uses big (3.0µm) and small (1.0µm) pixels that are intended to capture different levels of luminance. The dynamic range is said to be 120db. (I found a converter that puts that at 1,000,000:1
What We Think
I know it’s not a display, but, hey, it is about pixels! (and it’s a quiet day!) It has intrigued me for a long time that HDR in the world of cameras is about capturing as much dynamic range as you can and squeezing it down, whereas HDR displays are about expanding the dynamic range that can be seen.
A contrast of 1,000,000:1 is about the same as 20 stops of exposure, in camera terms. That’s impressive. My nice (although a few years old now) full-frame Sony has around 14 f-stops.
Anyway, I can’t resist thinking about LCDs. It strikes me that this kind of pixel architecture could be used to develop better low grey scale graduation in displays, by switching to the smaller pixels at lower intensity. It would be more complicated, though. (BR)
