EXR Technology: High Sensitivity & Low Noise

To Natural High Sensitivity Image with Reduced Noise

Like the human eye, striving to maximize lightness and minimize noise in dark places.

Aiming for Compactness x High Sensitivity Shooting

The Super CCD EXR utilizes its unique color filter array as it realizes natural high sensitivity shooting performing unlimited ability to parallel “how objects are seen with the eye.” Taking beautiful photographs in dark places requires increasing sensitivity—in other words, greater light gathering area. Although micro lens can be made larger, increasing lens size will mean compromising compactness. Fujifilm considered how to increase light collection while maintaining the compact size of the whole unit by adopting one of their many technologies—“Pixel Binning.”

Problem on False Colors

“Pixel Binning” is performed to improve high sensitivity shooting problems by reading multiple pixels as a single pixel. However, the conventional approach to binning along the horizontal and vertical axis, creates large distances between the same-colored pixels. As a result, in scenes that require numerous high-frequency components and minute expressions, “false colors” were generated which were not originally found in the photographic image. Furthermore, in reducing false colors, technology to shade-off only high-frequency components of an image was considered effective, but this caused detailed areas ambiguous because the effect was too strong.

Solution Given by the Pixel Fusion Technology

The Pixel Fusion Technology of the Super CCD EXR suppressed false colors by employing a new color array positioning the same colors side-by-side in a diagonal orientation (i.e. “blue-blue” and “red-red”). Moreover, with the adoption of the Close Incline Coupling method (C.I.C.), two diagonally side-by-side, same-colored pixels are read as a single pixel which made it possible to double the area of imaging elements, sensitivity to increase by twofold, and “dark noise” extremely small.

Previous Pixel Binning
EXR Pixel Binning

Unlike the former method of raising sensitivity by increasing the gain on a single pixel which results with more noise, it is now possible to create high sensitivity images with extremely little noise. Equipped with new technology, the Super CCD EXR can compensate for false colors without lowering the resolution to derive clearer and sharper images.