New curved DSLR sensors

[reddoss]

Came across this article. It sounds an interesting development.

https://petapixel.com/2017/06/01/microsoft-develops-curved-sensor-greatly-improves-image-quality/

[DaveS]

I'd not come across that before, in fact I had to check the date to make sure it wasn't April 1 .

I think it will be a while before we see it in our astrocams.

[ronin]

Could be a negative aspect to astrophotography, the curvature of the scope would have to match the curvature of the sensor and that is the focal length. So a 400mm scope may match but then a 600mm one will not. If aimed at the DSLR market then really focal lengths are around the 20-200mm area. At least at present it seems that you simply make it flat immaterial of the scope parameters.

Not sure therefore if it is a step in the right direction necessarily. Bit like LED street lights - better control of light pollution but white and bright and everyone dislikes them now.  Initially people wanted them and to be rid of the sodium ones.

[Alien 13]

As said by Ronin matching the scope to sensor would be critical but I am positive most mobiles will have curved sensors within a year or two, it would be good thought to see some professional scopes running at f/1 or lower with curved sensors.

Alan

[wimvb]

I'll hold off buying one until the price drops below that of a decent field flattener.

As for LED lights, the problem is that part of the savings is lost to turning up the intensity. I don't think the authorities bother to do light metering.

[The Admiral]

19 hours ago, ronin said:

Could be a negative aspect to astrophotography, the curvature of the scope would have to match the curvature of the sensor and that is the focal length. So a 400mm scope may match but then a 600mm one will not. If aimed at the DSLR market then really focal lengths are around the 20-200mm area. At least at present it seems that you simply make it flat immaterial of the scope parameters.

Indeed, and this raises a couple of thoughts. The first is that this may be an opportunity for interchangeable-lens camera manufacturers to lock people in to their own lenses, and also deny third party manufacturers a look-in. After all, there is only one flat surface, but there is a multiplicity of spherical surfaces, so without standardisation the lenses would have to be matched to their manufacturers' specification. The second thought is that if ever the curved sensor completely superseded the flat sensor, what would astro camera manufacturers do? It is so much easier to use the flat plane as the default shape. Or are we headed for a world of a multiplicity of optical adapters to match each 'scope to each camera?

Ian

[Salvatore Antonio]

I'm not 100% happy hearing that, but actually I foresaw it. So the future world of field flatteners will be so various, with adjustable field flatteners too, I guess.

Owners of Schmidt systems will look for their dream sensor which matches the curvature of the field.

Manufacturers will develop their fancy in designing optical devices around dedicated sensors.

Perfectionists having to deal with Astrometry will find a solution in order to get correct coordinates values, expecially with extreme curvature that future substrates will allow.

I would presume somebody will have to write some lines of code for turning a sphere to a rectangle, and I wonder if they will put that software inside the sensor as a firmware or in the player tool only. Just to make things simpler in the jungle of the file formats, headers and so on (I recall what a big Author said about video formats).

Hopefully, a "standard" related to the ROC of the sensors will be created, after an uncertain exordium. Who knows what tomorrow may bring?

Currently I love flats, rectangular sensors with square pixels. My pattern indicates two dimensional thinking, sorry for my poor contribution here :-)

Greetings

[wimvb]

Yes, this is devastating news for anyone expecting to do AP with a cell phone or tablet.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2017/06/01/microsofts-new-curved-sensors-promise-dramatic-improvement-compact-cameras

[101nut]

20 hours ago, wimvb said:

Yes, this is devastating news for anyone expecting to do AP with a cell phone or tablet.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2017/06/01/microsofts-new-curved-sensors-promise-dramatic-improvement-compact-cameras

Will it? The standard lens remains in place when using these devices so curvature of the presented focal plain should be optimum for the sensor.

As I understand it the problem will only arise if that lens is removed. Or an I wrong ...?

AndyG

[Stub Mandrel]

Sensors will eventually become so cheap that lenses will come with a matched sensor that plugs into a camera body that is just a control box.

>poof<

I hope that this thread shows up when the patent lawyers start looking for prior art!

[The Admiral]

19 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Sensors will eventually become so cheap that lenses will come with a matched sensor that plugs into a camera body that is just a control box.

Now that's a thought!

Some of the small format compact fixed-lens cameras have the lens and sensor as a single unit.

Ian