# Layer-based sensor patent by Sony



## well_dunno (Oct 31, 2012)

Hi all

Not sure if it is possible to make sense of the technology from what's available here but anyway:

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/next-sony-foveon-alike-patent/

Cheers!


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 31, 2012)

Canon has a similar patent as well, a couple of years old. The issue is making one that is competitive. With all the camera manufacturers hurting for sales, it would be a big risk to come out with something completely new, because people have stopped buying luxury items.
Most of the high end sales are in europe and the USA, and the storm on the east coast will be tieing up the money of many people potentially for years. So, R&D keeps going, but production is going to be very cautious.


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## well_dunno (Oct 31, 2012)

Indeed! If any, Canon is probably the most likely candidate to come out with a cam using a layer -based sensor considering that they have had the R&D for it for some time and currently their sensor tech is receiving a lot of critics...


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## Drizzt321 (Oct 31, 2012)

Maybe that's what they are going to do for their next major sensor revision. Still use the current 500nm process, but go to layer based since that can provide for an increase in 'effective' pixels? Plus, with larger structures, you keep the larger wells which may help in the performance at higher ISOs.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 31, 2012)

well_dunno said:


> Indeed! If any, Canon is probably the most likely candidate to come out with a cam using a layer -based sensor considering that they have had the R&D for it for some time and currently their sensor tech is receiving a lot of critics...


I doubt if anyone will use that technology, the issues to overcome are very difficult. Companies crank out patents to protect a unique type of design, but I don't believe we will see one in production soon. Sigma has it all to themselves, and are not doing very well with it. If Canon, Nikon, or Sony really believed in it, they would have bought up Foveon rather than let Sigma do it.


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## verysimplejason (Nov 6, 2012)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Canon has a similar patent as well, a couple of years old. The issue is making one that is competitive. With all the camera manufacturers hurting for sales, it would be a big risk to come out with something completely new, because people have stopped buying luxury items.
> Most of the high end sales are in europe and the USA, and the storm on the east coast will be tieing up the money of many people potentially for years. So, R&D keeps going, but production is going to be very cautious.



The problem is if somebody take the risk even at a lower price point. It's happening already with Sony and Nikon. Both are so aggressive now with their pricing. I think they want to take the market little by little. Lets accept the fact that Canon is losing customers little by little due to their very conservative tech and pricing. If you analyze the lens offering of Nikon right now, I think they are continually closing the gap between Canon and Nikon lens availability. 70-200 F4? I hope Canon takes an affirmative action now and not tomorrow. It happened once when Canon put AF into their lenses. This time, it may happen again but with Nikon and Sony partnership with their state of the art sensors.


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