Foveon is an interesting company in Silicon Valley that’s developing a different kind of digital sensor array for digicams, one which could significantly change the resolution and quality of those images. Instead of having an array of sensors that each pick up a single color (red, blue, or green), it’s three layers of sensors which determine the proper color based on how deeply light passes through them. The New York Times has an article about the technology; I found that I didn’t really understand what they were talking about (and thus how you could get better resolution out of the same size array) without also checking out the multimedia illustration (linked right under the photo at the top) and Foveon’s own explanation.

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A professional photographer / friend suggested that I look into this company over a year ago as an investment opportunity, but I was as dismayed then as I am now to read that “Foveon is a privately held corporation and is not traded on any stock exchange. At this time Foveon has not announced any plans for an initial public stock offering.”

• Posted by: steveriden on Feb 14, 2002, 12:49 PM

If Foveon can wed their technology with “user friendly” software, they will make all other digital imaging systems obsolete. If Microsoft enters into an alliance for this purpose, the software will be available. Commercial photography should be the first market, with the big demand for motion picture and television production for digital TV and theaters. Kodak will have mean competion for the amateur market.
Any consortium without at least one of the major camera manufacturers would delay development of the the amateur market. Kodak would have to get on board fast or lose their traditional market and perhaps their corporate life.

• Posted by: jhickman on Nov 25, 2002, 2:05 AM
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