Kodak's Filter Helps Cameraphones See In Dark

Kodak has developed a new type of filter that would allow cameraphones and other digital cameras with small sensors to work better in low light. The new filter allows some of the pixels to see a wide range of colors instead of just red, green or blue. By letting in more colors, the filter lets in more light, which helps increase the clarity of low light pictures. Manufacturers will be able to to integrate this new filter technology into products next year, but will need to re-write their camera software to use it.

"Low light can mean trying to get a good image indoors of your kid blowing out the birthday candles. It can mean you want to take a photograph on a street corner in Paris at midnight," said Chris McNiffe, general manager of the photography company's image sensor business. "We're talking about a 2-to-4-times improvement in (light) sensitivity."

Analyst Chris Chute doesn't doubt that the new filter system, intended to supplant an industry-standard filter pattern designed by Kodak scientist Bryce Bayer in 1976, represents a breakthrough in boosting photo quality — especially when light conditions are not ideal.

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