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Thread: Digital camera sensor color temperature sensitivity response

  1. #1
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    Digital camera sensor color temperature sensitivity response

    Hi all,
    I have a special application where a fluorescent light is illuminating the scene and I need to keep the illumination level as low as possible. I can, however, change the light color temperature and I wonder if the digital camera image sensor is like human eye that is more sensitive to some color than others.
    If that is correct, what color temperature would be the best? (this is not a white balance question)
    Thank you in advance!

  2. #2
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    I think the sensors on DSLRs are based on the fact that we are more sensitive to green, so they have a checkerboard pattern of sensors like this (spacing added to help show the checker grid)

    R G R G R G
    G B G B G B

    R G R G R G
    G B G B G B

    So to get the most detail, you'll want whatever temperature emphasizes green.

    (Searched for confirmation: http://www.anandtech.com/show/2529 )

  3. #3
    Senior Member neuroanatomist's Avatar
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    Correct, David. Empirically, DxOMark measured the T1i/500D spectral sensitivity and showed that the green channel is the most sensitive (click image for full article). So...5500-6000K should give the most sensitive response, at least based on the CIE standard for constant correlated color temperature.



    Last edited by neuroanatomist; 07-10-2012 at 07:12 PM.

  4. #4
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    Thank you Dave and 'neuroanatomist' your answers certainly helped me!

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