RE: [APML] OT. Canon vrs Nikon

["Lane, Jason R" <jason.lane@navy.mil>]

Hi Glenn,

Tell your son congratulations on his degree and welcome to the field!  My advice:  don't let non-optical engineers know how easy this stuff is.  :)

There was a recent article in Photonics magazine about the current state of CMOS technology.  Canon doesn't have that much of a monopoly on low-noise CMOS.  Rockwell has been delivering CMOS sensors for several years for use in astronomy applications (the article mentions a 1024 x 1024 pixel IR imager used to capture Shoemaker-Levy collision w/ Jupiter in 1996) and recently delivered a 2048 x 2048 IR imager with random noise less than 5 e.  Micron Technology Inc. has a CMOS chip out with a 75 dB dynamic range and a noise floor of 15 e rms.  I don't think there's anything magical about Canon's new CMOS chip.  It's simply the typical progress you'd expect in such a budding field.

-Jason

  

-----Original Message-----
From: glenn shaw [mailto:glennshaw@alaska.net]
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 11:33 PM
To: astro-photo@seds.org
Subject: [APML] OT. Canon vrs Nikon


New consumer grade digital cameras in the $1k price bracket are now able to 
compete with film and are "essential" like film cameras. Many stricking 
photos have been published lately of astrophysical objects taken with the 
Canon Rebel and/or Canon D-10. These pictures seem to be of the quality of 
the high priced SBIG chips and they don't require a computer. Only a 
camera. Just like film. No fuss no muss and suitable to discuss on this forum.

Now, after that long introduction, here is my burning question...... Is 
there any data any information comparing the Canon new CMOS chip camera 
with other digital cameras, such as those made by Nikon in the $1k price 
range? I hear "rumors" and strong rumors that the Nikon chip is 
uncompetitive, but I've seen no data or heard of any side by side 
comparison. I've only heard that Nikon chips are "very noisy". I've heard 
that Canon engineers have developed a completely new quasi CMOS chip 
technology that has reduced noise virtually to zero and made 
astrophotography application possible.

My son tells me I'm nuts. He might know, actually, with a fairly new PhD in 
optical engineering.

Do any of you know anything about the Canon vrs the other comercial camera 
grade chips??

regards,

Glenn Shaw

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