Capturing An Image

Foveon's 16.8 CMOS sensor is manufactured with 0.18 micron technology, which Zarakov explains is a landmark in miniaturization. "We can put more smarts into a pixel," he says. "The space is used more efficiently."

Foveon is not alone at the 16.8 million pixel milestone. Kodak Professional, a division of Eastman Kodak, is standing with the privately held chip maker, but on the other side of the fence. Kodak has manufactured a 16 mega-pixel CCD sensor, which it has placed in the new, medium-format DCS Pro Back. Featuring untethered operation, an LCD with histogram and new DCS Capture Studio software v.1.5, the DCS Pro Back, scheduled to ship in early 2001, is designed for commercial location and tabletop photography, as well as portraiture applications, and will generate a hefty 48MB file.