American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 61
digital-imager environment, however, occurred in 1969 at Bell Labs, with George E. Smith and Willard S. Boyle’s creation of the Charge-Coupled Device, or CCD. The CCD imager quickly established itself as a more easily produced technology for the state of semiconductor fabrication capabilities in the 1970s and on through the 1980s. Smith and Boyle were presented with a 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics for their contribution to the birth of digital imaging. CCDs dominated early on partly because of strong R&D by corporations such as Sony, RCA and Bell Labs. In fact, the Sony Corp. Research Center actively developed CCD technology in the early 1970s, and by 1972 displayed a 96-pixel linear CCD sensor at its annual exhibition. By July 1976, Sony had created its first single-chip color camera prototype, and in March 1978, it unveiled its first three-chip CCD camera design that utilized three 110,000-pixel Interline Transfer CCD sensors. Defining the Pixel In order to better understand how digital imagers such as CCDs work, we should first define an oft-misunderstood term: the pixel. The first known use of the word was in a 1965 paper by Fred C. Billingsley and George Peterson, who collaborated at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “The term ‘pixel’ comes from two words: Picture and Element,” says Larry Thorpe, national marketing executive of Canon’s Broadcast and Communication Division and formerly a veteran of more than 20 years in Sony’s HD division. “However, there are several different types of pixels, denoting several different types of things. There are imaging pixels in the sensor of a camera. There are digital pixels associated with the camera digitization processing and interfacing. And today, with fixed-pixel displays, there are also display pixels.” For this discussion, we will focus primarily on imaging pixels and their derived digital pixels used in the
Opposite page: Arri's ALEV-III Super 35mm CMOS sensor used in the Alexa camera. This page, top: At Bell Labs in 1974, Willard Boyle (left) and George Smith demonstrate an experimental camera featuring an early CCD imager. (Reprinted with permission of Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.) Below: The principle behind the charge-transfer and readout of a CCD chip. One row at a time is then shifted through an A/D Converter, which makes the output signal digital.
ww.theasc.com w
May 2011
61
http://ww.theasc.com
American Cinematographer - May 2011
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - May 2011
American Cinematographer - May 2011
Contents
Editor’s Note
President’s Desk
Short Takes
Production Slate
Living Out Loud
A Saint and a Sinner
First Dance
Decoding Digital Imagers: Part 1
A Hollywood Affair
Post Focus
New Products & Services
International Marketplace
Classified Ads
Ad Index
In Memoriam
Clubhouse News
ASC Close-Up
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - American Cinematographer - May 2011
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - Cover2
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 1
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 2
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - Contents
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 4
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 5
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 6
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 7
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - Editor’s Note
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 9
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - President’s Desk
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 11
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - Short Takes
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 13
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 14
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 15
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 16
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 17
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - Production Slate
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 19
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 20
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 21
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 22
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 23
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 24
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 25
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 26
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 27
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - Living Out Loud
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 29
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 30
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 31
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 32
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 33
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 34
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 35
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 36
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 37
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 38
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 39
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - A Saint and a Sinner
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 41
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 42
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 43
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 44
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 45
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 46
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 47
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 48
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 49
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 50
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 51
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - First Dance
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 53
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 54
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 55
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 56
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 57
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 58
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 59
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - Decoding Digital Imagers: Part 1
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 61
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 62
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 63
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 64
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 65
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 66
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 67
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 68
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - A Hollywood Affair
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 70
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 71
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 72
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 73
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 74
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 75
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 76
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 77
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 78
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 79
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 80
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 81
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - Post Focus
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 83
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - New Products & Services
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 85
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 86
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 87
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - International Marketplace
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - Classified Ads
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - Ad Index
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 91
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - In Memoriam
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 93
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - Clubhouse News
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - 95
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - ASC Close-Up
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - Cover3
American Cinematographer - May 2011 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1218_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1118_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1018_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0918_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0818_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0718_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0618_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0518_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0418_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0318_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0218_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0118_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1217_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1117_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1017_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0917_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0817_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0717_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0617_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0517_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0417_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0317_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0217_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0117_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1216_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1116_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1016_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0916_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0816_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0716_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0616_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0516_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0416_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0316_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0216_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0116_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1215_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1115_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1015_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0915_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0815_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0715_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0615_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0515_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0415_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0315_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0215_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0115_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1214
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0914
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0814
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0714
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0614
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0514
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0414
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0314
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0214
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1213
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0913
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0813
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0713
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0613
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0513
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0413
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0313
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0213
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0110
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com