| Electronics greatest technological | | | | pixels, then that red color pixel is treated |
| breakthrough in this modern age is the | | | | as white color, since the color white is a |
| digitization of analog signals. Digital | | | | combination of the colors, red, blue, and |
| information, which is represented by 1s and | | | | green. After demosaicing is complete, the |
| 0s, is formed upon successful conversion of | | | | image is further subjected to the |
| analog information, which is represented by a | | | | photographer`s settings of the camera, like |
| fluctuating wave. This conversion of analog | | | | adjustments made for brightness, color |
| to digital has made the world of science and | | | | saturation, contrast, etc. |
| technology make great advances into the field | | | | |
| of computers, Internet, satellites, and space | | | | High-end digital cameras usually do not do |
| research. | | | | anything more to the image thus produced. |
| | | | However, professional digital cameras have a |
| On the consumer domain, the benefits of this | | | | sharpening algorithm, which heighten the |
| technological breakthrough can be witnessed | | | | sharpness and clarity of the demosaiced and |
| in consumer electronic products like TVs, | | | | settings adjusted image. Professional digital |
| computers, cameras, camcorders, CDs, DVDs, | | | | cameras also have the option of saving the |
| etc. Digitization gave rise to microchips, | | | | image in its RAW data before any demosaicing |
| which could be programmed to perform any | | | | or adjustments are made by the computer chip. |
| task. With the utilization of the microchip, | | | | This is to give control to the professional |
| the digital camera was born. | | | | photographers to make changes to the RAW data |
| | | | as per their own choices. |
| In a digital camera, the lens focuses the | | | | |
| image, the shutter allows the entry of light | | | | The image can be saved in an uncompressed |
| reflecting from that image into the camera, | | | | format like TIFF or a compressed format like |
| for a fraction of a second, and the aperture | | | | JPEG. Uncompressed formats preserve greater |
| determines the quantity of light allowed | | | | information; thus, the detail of the |
| inside the camera. When the light enters the | | | | photograph is much more than a compressed |
| camera, it does not fall on a photographic | | | | format, where detail is less, as lesser |
| film as it does in a conventional camera, | | | | information is stored. Hence, compressed |
| rather it falls on an image sensor. | | | | formats are also known as lossy formats, |
| | | | since details are lost. An uncompressed |
| The image sensor is an electronic device, a | | | | format increases the file size, whereas a |
| semiconductor, made up of photosites that | | | | compressed format reduces the file size. |
| measures the light intensity. The photosite | | | | Depending upon the need, the image can be |
| can only measure the intensity of light and | | | | saved either in an uncompressed or a |
| cannot recognize any color. To overcome this, | | | | compressed image format, as bits and bytes in |
| each photosite is covered with a color filter | | | | a memory card. The stored image can be viewed |
| of red, or a green, or a blue color according | | | | on the digital camera`s display screen as a |
| to a pattern known as the Bayer pattern. | | | | digital photo. |
| Since the human eye is twice sensitive to the | | | | |
| green color, the number of photosites having | | | | This digital photo can then be transferred |
| green color is twice the number of photosites | | | | from the digital camera to the computer`s |
| having red or blue color. Millions of | | | | hard disk via the serial port or USB port or |
| photosites are covered by this Bayer pattern. | | | | FireWire port or Bluetooth wireless using |
| Each color occupies a single photosite, which | | | | Wi-Fi connectivity. RAW data and uncompressed |
| is known as a pixel. | | | | data like TIFF take a longer time to transfer |
| | | | than compressed data like JPEG or GIF. |
| The more the number of pixels, the greater is | | | | |
| the amount of detail that can be captured. | | | | Once the data has been transferred to the |
| The detail of the image is called as | | | | computer`s hard disk, any photo editing |
| resolution, which is determined by the | | | | software can manipulate and adjust it, as per |
| quality of the lens and the number of pixels | | | | the individual tastes and requirements of the |
| in the image sensor. High-end digital cameras | | | | photographer. The digital photo can then be |
| have about 12 million pixels, whereas | | | | printed on photographic paper, specially |
| professional digital cameras have about 20 | | | | coated paper, or any other paper via a color |
| million pixels. | | | | inkjet or laser printer. Utilizing a plotter, |
| | | | it can be printed in larger sizes, in any |
| The information of the pixels is recorded as | | | | other medium like canvas, acrylic, vinyl, |
| electrical analog signals, is amplified, and | | | | etc. The digital photo can be saved on a hard |
| then is fed into a converter, which converts | | | | disk, pen drive or a CD, for archival |
| the amplified analog signals into digital | | | | purposes. |
| binary numbers, with respect to the color | | | | |
| information of each pixel. These digital | | | | With passing time, more and more features are |
| binary numbers are then fed into a computer | | | | being introduced in a digital camera. |
| chip residing inside the camera. The computer | | | | Nowadays, audio-video recording is also fused |
| chip analyzes the digital binary numbers that | | | | with the still image capturing capability of |
| have been made as per the color of individual | | | | the digital camera, making them small |
| pixels. This information is known as RAW | | | | camcorders (camera + recorders). |
| data. For analysis, the computer chip | | | | |
| subjects this RAW data using a technique | | | | This article is under GNU FDL license and can |
| known as demosaicing. | | | | be distributed without any previous |
| | | | authorization from the author. However the |
| In this technique (demosaicing), the pixel | | | | authors name and all the URLs (links) |
| color is determined as per the color of the | | | | mentioned in the article and biography must |
| neighboring pixels. For example, if a red | | | | be kept. |
| color pixel is surrounded by blue and green | | | | |