Abstract: A method for creation and review of media annotations allows creators to create different types of annotations to one or more media files of different types. Annotations are created in such a way that annotator's commands in making the annotations are also captured. Multiple creators may create annotations simultaneously and reviewers may review all the annotations in real time. Alternatively, multiple people may create annotations one by one and reviewers may review all the annotations created.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus has a color filter array, an image sensor, and a differential information acquisition unit. In the color filter array, including five or more types of color filters are arranged in a two dimensional form. The image sensor has a plurality of pixels covered by the color filters, and the plurality of pixels generate pixel signals. The acquisition unit designates one of the pixels covered by the color filters of interest as a pixel of interest one pixel at a time in order. The acquisition unit calculates first differential information based on pixel signals generated by two of the pixels arranged on both sides of the pixel of interest along the first direction. The acquisition unit calculates second differential information based on pixel signals generated by two of the pixels arranged on both sides of the pixel of interest along the second direction.

Abstract: A single array of pixels is used to obtain a plurality of different images at different levels of admitted exposure light from a common source level of exposure light. More particularly, first and second matrices of light-admitting elements are deployed in a single camera and disposed relative to focal lens light in front of corresponding first and second matrices of light-sensitive image sensors that are arrayed in a singular focal plane array in the camera and react equally to equal levels of color image information. The respective matrices of light-admitting elements transmit color image information from exposed focal lens light at different levels of brightness to their corresponding matrices of light-sensitive image sensors, wherein first and second images are acquired at the respective different levels of brightness from the respective matrices of the image sensors, and pixel data from the images combined to produce an HDR image.

Abstract: The present invention ensures the visibility of a character or a drawing displayed on a screen. The illuminance of one or more partial areas forming a display unit is measured, and a video display position is set to an area except for the partial area where the illuminance is a reference value or more.

Abstract: Generalized assorted pixel camera systems and methods are provided. In accordance with some embodiments, the generalized assorted pixel camera systems include a color filter array, where the color filter array includes a plurality of primary filters and a plurality of secondary filters. Each filter has a particular spectral response and each filter is formed on a corresponding pixel of a plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of primary filters and the plurality of secondary filters enhances an attribute of image quality and the information obtained using the plurality of primary filters and the plurality of secondary filters is used to balance spectral resolution, dynamic range, and spatial resolution for generating an image of a plurality of image types.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus that includes an array of color filters for green, red, and magenta colors arranged over a semiconductor substrate in the manner of a primary color Bayer pattern except a magenta color replaces the blue color. Light passing through the magenta color filter is integrated separately in a magenta pixel for a shallow photodiode signal and a deep photodiode signal in a first photodiode and a deeper second photodiode in the substrate, respectively. A mezzanine photodiode may be disposed between the first and second photodiodes and held at a fixed voltage level or reset multiple times during charge integration. A red pixel value for the magenta pixel is a function of the deep photodiode signal and an adjacent red pixel's red pixel signal. A minimum exists in its derivative with respect to the former at a value of the former that varies with the latter.

Abstract: A method for correcting pixel information of color pixels on a color filter array of an image sensor includes: establishing an M×M distance factor table, selecting M×M pixels of the color filter array, calculating a red/green/blue-color contribution from the red/green/blue pixels to a target pixel in the selected M×M pixels, calculating a red/blue/green-color pixel performance of the target pixel, calculating a red/blue/green-color correcting factor, obtaining a corrected pixel information of each of the red/green/blue pixels, by applying the red/green/blue-color correcting factor to the measured pixel information of each of the red/green/blue pixels.

Abstract: Provided is a pixel array having a wide dynamic range, good color reproduction, and good resolution and an image sensor using the pixel array. The pixel array includes a plurality of first type photodiodes, a plurality of second type photodiodes, and a plurality of image signal conversion circuits. A plurality of the second type photodiodes are disposed between the first type photodiodes which are two-dimensionally arrayed. A plurality of the image signal conversion circuits are disposed between the first type photodiodes and the second type photodiodes to process image signals detected by the first type photodiodes and the second type photodiodes. An area of the first type photodiodes is wider than an area of the second type photodiodes.

Abstract: A spectral camera for producing a spectral output is disclosed. The spectral camera has an objective lens for producing an image, an optical duplicator, an array of filters, and a sensor array arranged to detect the filtered image copies simultaneously on different parts of the sensor array. Further, a field stop defines an outline of the image copies projected on the sensor array. The filters are integrated on the sensor array, which has a planar structure without perpendicular physical barriers for preventing cross talk between each of the adjacent optical channels. The field stop enables adjacent image copies to fit together without gaps for such barriers. The integrated filters mean there is no parasitic cavity causing crosstalk between the adjacent image copies. This means there is no longer a need for barriers between adjacent projected image copies, and thus sensor area can be better utilized.

Abstract: Provided is a pixel array having a wide dynamic range, good color reproduction, and good resolution and an image sensor using the pixel array. The pixel array includes a plurality of first type photodiodes, a plurality of second type photodiodes, and a plurality of image signal conversion circuits. A plurality of the second type photodiodes are disposed between the first type photodiodes which are two-dimensionally arrayed. A plurality of the image signal conversion circuits are disposed between the first type photodiodes and the second type photodiodes to process image signals detected by the first type photodiodes and the second type photodiodes. An area of the first type photodiodes is wider than an area of the second type photodiodes.

Abstract: A color filter allows a light signal to pass through by each pixel and be incident on an imaging device. The light signal is inputted through a lens and including one of plural different spectral components. The plural different spectral components include a first spectral component which has a widest frequency bandwidth among the plural different spectral components, a second spectral component corresponding to a predetermined frequency band close to a frequency that causes no chromatic aberration of the lens, and a third spectral component expressed in terms of a linear sum of a value resulting from multiplying the first spectral component by a first weighting factor and a value resulting from multiplying the second spectral component by a second weighting factor.

Abstract: A multi-spectral imaging device includes pixels R, G, B, ?1, ?2, . . . , ?12 composing color sensors for four or more colors having mutually differing spectral sensitivity characteristics. In a first signal readout mode, an image signal including all of four or more types of signals read from the pixels composing the color sensors for the four or more colors is read from the multi-spectral imaging device. In a second signal readout mode, an image signal having a smaller number of colors than that of the first signal readout mode is read such that a narrower gamut than a gamut that can be reproduced by the image signal read in the first signal readout mode is formed.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus has a color filter array, an image sensor, and a differential information acquisition unit. In the color filter array, including five or more types of color filters are arranged in a two dimensional form. The image sensor has a plurality of pixels covered by the color filters, and the plurality of pixels generate pixel signals. The acquisition unit designates one of the pixels covered by the color filters of interest as a pixel of interest one pixel at a time in order. The acquisition unit calculates first differential information based on pixel signals generated by two of the pixels arranged on both sides of the pixel of interest along the first direction. The acquisition unit calculates second differential information based on pixel signals generated by two of the pixels arranged on both sides of the pixel of interest along the second direction.

Abstract: When a central pixel having a red component is generated by interpolation, mixing is performed using red-component pixels lying along the diagonal directions thereof. When a central pixel having a green component is generated by interpolation, mixing is performed using green-component pixels located above, below and to the left and right thereof. When a central pixel having a blue component is generated by interpolation, no mixing processing is executed. A reduction in image size is performed at the same time as pixel interpolation.

Abstract: Information provisioning includes acquiring one of an audio and a video elementary stream of content that is composed of a plurality of segments, and actual data of metadata that includes information related to the content. The metadata is divided into metadata processing units (MPU) corresponding to segments subjected to processing in the plurality of segments. A transport stream of a MPEG-2 system is generated that includes packetized elementary stream (PES) packets acquired by packetizing the segments of the data stream and metadata PES packets acquired by packetizing at least one MPU.

Abstract: Output signals (pixel values) output from a sensor unit in which image sensors having six kinds of color filters with different colors are arranged are classified in association with three stimulus values, a color number is reduced by performing addition processing of the output signals (pixel values) in each classification to generate an image signal of three bands, and the generated image signal is used for the preview display so that a photographed image can be checked easily and immediately.

Abstract: A color-unevenness inspection apparatus includes: an image pickup section picking up an image of an inspection target for a color-unevenness inspection; an image generation section generating an uneven-color image by determining one or more uneven-color regions existing in the picked-up image of the inspection target obtained by the image pickup section, and by classifying unit regions included in each of the uneven-color regions into a plurality of color groups; a calculation section calculating, on the uneven-color regions in the uneven-color image, an evaluation parameter to be used in the color-unevenness inspection; a correction section making a correction to the calculated evaluation parameter in consideration of a difference of color-unevenness visibility between the color groups; and an inspection section performing the color-unevenness inspection, based on a resultant evaluation parameter obtained by the correction.

Abstract: A single array of image sensors is used to obtain a plurality of different images at different levels of admitted exposure light from a common source level of exposure light. More particularly, first and second matrices of light-admitting elements are deployed in a single camera and disposed relative to focal lens light in front of corresponding first and second matrices of light-sensitive image sensors that are arrayed in a singular focal plane array in the camera and react equally to equal levels of color image information. The respective matrices of light-admitting elements transmit color image information from exposed focal lens light at different levels of brightness to their corresponding matrices of light-sensitive image sensors, wherein first and second images are acquired at the respective different levels of brightness from the respective matrices of the image sensors, and pixel data from the images combined to produce an HDR image.

Abstract: Provided is an image input device capable of generating a luminance signal having a high ratio of S/N of an image, and further capable of providing the image with a little uncomfortable feeling even in the night time when the amount of photons is few, wherein, when a visible light luminance signal is relatively low, and an infrared component is predominant in an original image component, for example, correcting color-difference signals with added luminance prevents the color-difference signals with the added luminance from being too high, thereby it becomes possible to perform more natural color reproduction, which is close to original visible light, and gives a little uncomfortable feeling.

Abstract: Embodiments of an apparatus comprising a pixel array comprising a plurality of macropixels. Each macropixel includes a pair of first pixels each including a color filter for a first color, the first color being one to which pixels are most sensitive, a second pixel including a color filter for a second color, the second color being one to which the pixels are least sensitive and a third pixel including a color filter for a third color, the third color being one to which pixels have a sensitivity between the least sensitive and the most sensitive, wherein the first pixels each occupy a greater proportion of the light-collection area of the macropixel than either the second pixel or the third pixel. Corresponding process and system embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a unit to obtain mosaic image data by shooting a subject with use of a color image sensor in which five or more kinds of color filters are arranged in front of an image pickup device; a first interpolator to perform interpolation to color information of a high-definition color filter, in regard to the obtained mosaic image data; and a second interpolator to perform interpolation to color information of a low-definition color filter of which a peak wavelength in spectral transmittance is adjacent to that of the high-definition color filter, by using a result of the interpolation by the first interpolator, wherein the mosaic image data is image data which has one color information for each pixel, and the five or more kinds of color filters include the plural high-definition color filters and the plural low-definition color filters, thereby performing demosaicing without deteriorating definition.

Abstract: A color filter allows a light signal to pass through by each pixel and be incident on an imaging device. The light signal is inputted through a lens and including one of plural different spectral components. The plural different spectral components include a first spectral component which has a widest frequency bandwidth among the plural different spectral components, a second spectral component corresponding to a predetermined frequency band close to a frequency that causes no chromatic aberration of the lens, and a third spectral component expressed in terms of a linear sum of a value resulting from multiplying the first spectral component by a first weighting factor and a value resulting from multiplying the second spectral component by a second weighting factor.

Abstract: A color filter allows a light signal to pass through by each pixel and be incident on an imaging device. The light signal is inputted through a lens and including one of plural different spectral components. The plural different spectral components include a first spectral component which has a widest frequency bandwidth among the plural different spectral components, a second spectral component corresponding to a predetermined frequency band close to a frequency that causes no chromatic aberration of the lens, and a third spectral component expressed in terms of a linear sum of a value resulting from multiplying the first spectral component by a first weighting factor and a value resulting from multiplying the second spectral component by a second weighting factor.

Abstract: A multispectral image capturing apparatus has different spectral sensitivity characteristics of at least four bands. Three primary bands of the at least four bands have spectral sensitivity characteristics of standard RGB. At least one auxiliary band of the rest of the at least four bands excluding the three primary bands has a spectral sensitivity characteristic of a narrower bandwidth than bandwidths of the RGB.

Abstract: An imaging element includes: a plurality of color filters arranged in a Bayer array; photoelectric conversion elements provided for the respective color filters; a signal adder circuit which carries out additions in each of the unit grids, by (i) adding up signals outputted from two photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to different colors of two color filters out of four color filters, and (ii) adding up signals outputted from two photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to remaining two color filters; and an A/D converter. The imaging element outputs: (i) a first digital image signal where signals of one color out of Ye (yellow) and Cy (cyan), and signals of G, are alternately placed; and (ii) a second digital image signal where signals of an other color out of Ye and Cy, which is different from the one color, and signals of Mg (magenta), are alternately placed.

Abstract: A method for operating an image capture device having a sensor with an array of first and second pixels includes capturing an image a plurality of times with the second pixels to produce a corresponding second image signal, the second pixels being white pixels, capturing the image a single time with the first pixels to produce a corresponding first image signal, inputting selecting signals to the sensor via a row driver to obtain the first and second image signals from the first and second pixels, respectively, and converting the first and second image signals to respective digital values via an analog-to-digital converter.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging device, a first luminance signal generating unit and a correcting unit. The imaging device includes at least three types of color detecting photoelectric converting elements and a luminance detecting photoelectric converting element. The first luminance signal generating unit generates a first luminance signal corresponding to the color detecting photoelectric converting element from a color signal obtained from each of the at least three types of color detecting photoelectric converting elements. The correcting unit corrects, based on the color signal, at least a second luminance signal corresponding to the luminance detecting photoelectric converting element which is obtained from the luminance detecting photoelectric converting element so as to generate a luminance signal which constitutes image data corresponding to each of the photoelectric converting elements.

Abstract: In a pixel unit, W, R, G, and B pixels are arranged in rows and columns. The pixel unit output W, R, G, and B signals obtained by photoelectrically converting light incident on the W, R, G, and B pixels. An edge detection unit determines a specific area having a W pixel provided with a white filter as a central pixel in the pixel unit, divides the specific area into blocks including the central pixel, and detects edge information as to whether there is an edge of an image in each of the blocks. A block select unit selects a block with no edge from the edge information. A ratio calculating unit calculates the ratio coefficients of the R, G, and B signals from the selected block. An RGB signal generator generates new R, G, and B signals from the W signal of the central pixel using the ratio coefficients.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and medium for generating an image is provided. The apparatus includes an optical module, a filter module which includes a wide-band filter area that allows transmission of optical signals within a wavelength band corresponding to a color of a predetermined color, a narrow-band filter area that allows transmission of optical signals within a wavelength band corresponding to the predetermined color, and an all-pass filter area that allows transmission of optical signals in all wavelength bands, and an image generation module which generates an image by processing optical signals that transmit through the filter module, wherein the image generation module applies different weights to optical signals according to which of the wide-band filter area, the narrow-band filter area, and the all-pass filter area the optical signals respectively transmit through.

Abstract: An image input processing apparatus includes: an optical band separating filter; a color filter of a four-color arrangement having an equivalence in which the sum of two colors is equivalent to one other color in the visible light region or the sum of three colors is equivalent to once or twice one other color in the visible light region; an optical sensor section that generates an imaging signal; a data separating section that separates the pixel data of the imaging signal into pieces of pixel data of four colors; an infrared separating section that performs infrared separation by a subtraction using the equivalence among the pieces of pixel data of the four colors after the separation; a first and second integration sections; a camera control processing section that determines which of the integration values from the first and second integrating sections is used.

Abstract: Generalized assorted pixel camera systems and methods are provided. In accordance with some embodiments, the generalized assorted pixel camera systems include a color filter array, where the color filter array includes a plurality of primary filters and a plurality of secondary filters. Each filter has a particular spectral response and each filter is formed on a corresponding pixel of a plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of primary filters and the plurality of secondary filters enhances an attribute of image quality and the information obtained using the plurality of primary filters and the plurality of secondary filters is used to balance spectral resolution, dynamic range, and spatial resolution for generating an image of a plurality of image types.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor has a plurality of pixels, a read-out circuit and a signal processing section. The plurality of pixels includes a plurality of first pixels, a plurality of second pixels, a plurality of third pixels and a plurality of fourth pixels.

Abstract: An image apparatus has signal slicing unit for two-dimensionally slicing a signal from an imaging device; pixel correlation detection unit for detecting correlation between a center pixel of the signal sliced by the signal slicing unit and its peripheral pixels; correction unit for executing a correction processing for each pixel signal sliced on the basis of the degree of correlation; and synchronization unit for extracting each color signal at the center pixel position of the area sliced by using a signal after correction.

Abstract: The invention provides a multiband image pickup method and device with good color reproducibility, which is capable of imaging a subject with a number of imaging bands of not less than 4 colors and obtain a color image of not less than 3 colors without lowering spatial resolution. A first imaging of a subject image is performed by a single-plate imaging device having a color filter composed of 5 colors of R, O, G, C and B. A control unit shifts the imaging element by a shift drive unit so that each light having formed an image on the each filter of R, B and G of the color filters forms an image on a position of the each filter of O, C and G of the color filters and, thereafter a second imaging is performed. A image processing unit generates 2 3-band Bayer images based on captured images obtained by the first imaging and the second imaging, and generates a multiband image of not less than 3 colors from them.

Abstract: An imaging system according to the present inventions includes an image sensor in which a plurality of unit pixels are arranged on a chip and an image processing LSI for converting color components output from the image sensor to color signals. The imaging system is configured to select only color component which have passed through filters having similar spectral characteristics to spectral characteristics of the human eye from separation filter groups forming multi-layer film filters under white light and, on the other hand, combine color components which have passed through arbitrarily selected filters of the filters the separation filter groups to output the combined color components under illumination of low rendering lightning.

Abstract: An image sensor is disclosed for capturing a color image, comprising a two-dimensional array of pixels having a plurality of minimal repeating unit wherein each repeating unit is composed of eight pixels having five panchromatic pixels and three pixels having different color responses.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a first calculation means for calculating a non-capture color signal corresponding to an H-th interpolation color for a pixel of interest, a second calculation means for calculating a non-capture color signal by multiplying a J-th capture color signal corresponding to the capture color for the pixel of interest by the ratio of the H-th two-dimensional low-pass filter output to the J-th two-dimensional low-pass filter output, and a third calculation means for calculating a non-capture color signal corresponding to the H-th interpolation color for the pixel of interest using the calculation result according to the first calculation means and the calculation result according to the second calculation means.

Abstract: A solid state imaging device comprises a color filter, a pixel, and first and a second output lines. The color filter has color filter components of a first and second color. Each pixel is covered by the color filter component and has a photoelectric conversion element. The photoelectric conversion element generates color pixel signals according to amount of light received by the photoelectric conversion element. A first pixel is covered by the first color filter component. A first color pixel signal is generated by the first pixel. The first output line outputs only the first color pixel signal. A second pixel is covered by the second filter component. A second color pixel signal is generated by the second pixel. The second output line outputs only the second color pixel signal. The first and second pixels are arranged in two dimensions.

Abstract: An imaging device having five color filters. The five color filters include three color filters of a R (red) filter, a G (green) filter, and a B (blue) filter of a primary color system and two color filters of a Y (yellow) filter and a C (cyan) filter of a complementary system. The G filter has a checker shape G filter so that the space information of green is obtained four times larger than that of each of the other colors.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a plurality of pixels each configured to convert incident light to an electric charge signal and output the electric charge signal as a pixel signal, and a pixel binning unit configured to bin pixel signals from pixels adjacent to each other and output the binned pixel signal. The pixel binning unit performs first pixel binning operation of binning pixel signals from pixels on the same column and second pixel binning operation of binning pixels on the same row.

Abstract: A method of creating an image file in an imaging device, and an imaging device are provided. The method comprises providing an image sensor comprising pixels with an infrared filter arrangement so that some of the pixels of the sensor may be exposed to all wavelengths and some of the pixels of the sensor are blocked from infrared wavelengths. The pixels of the sensor that may be exposed to all wavelengths are utilized when taking an infrared image and the pixels of the sensor that are blocked from infrared wavelengths are utilized when taking a normal image.

Abstract: An imaging device having a hybrid RGBYC color filter using a primary color system RGB filter and a complementary color system YC filter is composed. Four G filters that directly relate to resolution and that is close to a luminance signal that human eyes sense are arrayed in a checker shape so that the number of the G filters is four times larger than the number of filters of each of the other colors. An array shown in FIG. 10A is composed of low resolution rows (G, R, G, and B) and high resolution rows (C, G, Y, and G) that are alternately arrayed in each line. When signals are read if exposure times are varied for individual lines, the signals that are read can easily have a wide dynamic range. An array shown in FIG. 10B has two Gs, a low sensitivity color, and a high sensitivity color in each line and each row. Thus, the luminance difference is small in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. Thus, the reading method in the array shown in FIG.

Abstract: An imaging device having five color filters. The five color filters include three color filters of a R (red) filter, a G (green) filter, and a B (blue) filter of a primary color system and two color filters of a Y (yellow) filter and a C (cyan) filter of a complementary system. The G filter has a checker shape G filter so that the space information of green is obtained four times larger than that of each of the other colors.

Abstract: A method for operating an image capture device having a sensor with an array of first and second pixels includes capturing an image a plurality of times with the second pixels to produce a corresponding second image signal, the second pixels being white pixels, capturing the image a single time with the first pixels to produce a corresponding first image signal, inputting selecting signals to the sensor via a row driver to obtain the first and second image signals from the first and second pixels, respectively, and converting the first and second image signals to respective digital values via an analog-to-digital converter.

Abstract: An image sensor is configured to output transformed data. The image sensor includes a set of pixel sensors. Each pixel sensor is divided into sub-divisions having sensitivities based on a transformation algorithm.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a two-dimensional array of pixel elements where the array of pixel elements outputting pixel data representing an image of a scene, and a two-dimensional array of selectively transmissive filters superimposed on the two-dimensional array of pixel elements, whereby each pixel element in the array of pixel elements is disposed to capture a first and a second color spectra of visible light. In one embodiment, the image sensor is a digital pixel sensor where the array of pixel elements is a sensor array of digital pixels, each of the digital pixels outputting digital signals as pixel data. In another embodiment, the pixel elements of the image sensor output analog signals as pixel data. In this manner, light intensity values for two different color spectra are optically summed at the pixel level, providing pixel values that are suitable for use in interlaced video display.

Abstract: Photosensor assemblies have, for each color, multiple line-arrays of photosensors. For each color, the spectral bandwidth received by each line-array is different. The additional spectral bandwidths are used to improve the spectral measurement accuracy, and to increase bit-depth. In one example, one row of a staggered array receives light having a first spectral bandwidth, and a second row of the staggered array receives light having a different spectral response. In a second example, photosensors with different sizes receive light having different spectral bandwidths.

Abstract: An imaging device having an imaging pixel array formed as a two-dimensional periodic array of N-pixel (N being 5 or a greater natural number) arrays as unit arrays is disclosed. Also, the color imaging apparatus comprises a CCD imaging device, which have pixels arranged in a 6-color random color coding array. The array meets an array prescription that the pixels adjacent to the four sides and the four corners of a pixel number attention includes pixels of five different colors other than the color of the pixel under attention at least one pixel each. The 6-color random color coding array has six colors with two thereof constituting each of three original colors while being different in sensitivity.

Abstract: Process and system for producing color images and/or multispectral images in which an optical arrangement (3) images a scene on a CCD image sensor (2), said sensor being covered by a mosaic filter with a periodically repeating basic pattern (GM). A following analog/digital converter (5) produces digital signals from all pixels p.sub.ij of the CCD image sensor (2). The basic pattern (GM) consists of a minimum of five different filter elements. In addition, an image memory (6) is provided which is divided into image memory levels (B.sub.0, B.sub.1, . . . , B.sub.nF). The process comprises the follow steps:storing of values (wert?i!?j!?0!) of each individual pixel (p.sub.ij) of the CCD image sensor (2) in a dedicated level B.sub.

Abstract: A spectroradiometer images a scene as a repeating sequence of spectral images, each of which spectral images depicts the scene at a preselected wavelength. In a preferred embodiment, the image is of size 256 by 192 pixels, and the sequence repetition rate is about 20-30 cycles per second. Full spectral analysis on the resulting sequences is performed substantially in real time. The spectroradiometer includes a light collector with a lens, a circularly variable spectral filter, and an optical gate which gates the output of the filter to a detector array which outputs the sequence of electronic spectral images. These images are corrected for systematic errors and calibrated, and correlated with a preselected spectral response function. The image may be further post-processed and displayed in video format or used otherwise.