Posted by Richard Crowley on 09/07/06 17:18

"Spex" wrote ...
> That's not strictly correct. One has to factor in the resolution of the
> CCD. A large high resolution CCD can be and often is less sensitive that
> a smaller low resolution CCD.

I was speaking of the fundamental physics of the
imaging process. Certainly there are exceptions to
the rule. But if it was possible to make sensitive,
high-quality, smaller chips, broadcasters wouldn't
still be lugging those huge cameras (and even larger
lenses) around, would they?

The lenses are now bigger than the cameras. Those
huge (up to 100x!) zoom lenses they use for football
and baseball are mounted on the pan/tilt heads, and
then they hang the camera on the back, almost as an
"accessory" :-)
We can miniaturize and integrate the electronics,
(including the imaging chips), but the optics people
are limited by physics. And, to be fair, the higher
ratio zoom lenses practically require active, optical
image stabilization (servo-driven prisms) and other
tricks of the trade to achieve high quality images
at such extraordinary zoom ratios. For example...
http://www.usa.canon.com/html/industrial_bctv/p_field_DIGISUPER100XS_intro.shtml

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