That question occurred to me too, but I think it is probably
difficult to answer. We will probably never know how much input Kodak
has into the process. Did Olympus do the whole processor chip or did
they have input from Kodak who had plenty of experience both with
their own camera and all the medium format backs they made in which
they did both the sensor and the processor chip? I imagine that the
proportion of input by camera maker and sensor maker probably varies
depending on the experience of both.
There is an unusual close relationship between Sony and Nikon. Nikon
makes the stepper motors that are purchased by Sony to create their
sensors. Sony creates some sensors that are exclusive to Nikon,
frequently with Nikon design input. For instance, so far at least,
the D200 sensor is unique with its four channel data flow which
allows the camera to shoot faster than the two channel 10MP chip that
is shared by the D80k, Pentax and Sony cameras. The D1X sensor was
completely unique, i.e., not sold to other makers, as is the D2X.
The D2H sensor was completely a Nikon design, but rumor has it that
Sony built it for them. In the case of the noise difference between
the Nikon and the Sony with the same sensor, you are right that there
is a lot more to it than just the sensor.
Winsor
Long Beach, California, USA
On Oct 30, 2006, at 11:51 AM, Moose wrote:
> Winsor Crosby wrote:
>> Michael Reichmann has a preliminary review of the Leica M8 up on his
>> site.
>>
>> http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/leica-m8.shtml
>>
>> Besides my interest in Leica what I found interesting is that he says
>> the Kodak sensor is very low noise, second only to the Canon 5D and
>> the 1DsMkII. It looks like Kodak is coming along which is good news
>> for Oly.
>>
> The unanswered question is how much of the noise performance is in the
> sensor itself and how much of that belongs to Kodak.
>
> Nikon gets very low noise out of rather small sensor sites on sensors
> fabricated for them by Sony. Sony's own DSLR is quite noisy.
>
> A fabricator may make chips for a customer using that customer's
> technology, but not be able to use it for other customers. What is
> done
> with the signal after it comes off the chip makes a difference too. A
> couple of models ago, if I remember correctly, N made a big
> improvement
> in noise by switching to separate amplifiers for each color channel.
>
> It's the whole package, not just the fabricator.
>
> And didn't I read somewhere that the E-400 is not a Kodak sensor?
>
> Moose
>
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