Kodak claims to have developed a new camera sensor that will make the flash a thing of the past. By hopping up the sensor's sensitivity to light, cameras will be able to pick up much more detail in low-light scenarios, resulting in clear photos without the need for a red-eye-inducing flash.
Boosting low-light photography I can buy, but the idea of flashes going the way of the dodo seems unrealistic to me. I mean, just because you can make a dark picture come out clearly doesn't mean you won't want to have the people in the foreground of a shot brightly lit, as most nighttime flash photographs come out. But hey, if this thing does what Kodak claims, it'll be great to be able to take low-light shots without worrying about them coming out grainy or blurry, even if we keep a flash around, too, just in case.
Via Reuters
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By shortlobster at 8:56 AM ON 06/21/07
And don't forget about fill flash, for those special moments in the shade.
By blzrd at 1:28 AM ON 06/22/07
Flash isn't just for lighting up dark situations. I am a photographer and flash possibly will be used even if there is plenty of light for the sensor to pick up. I will appreciate not having to use a tripod to make my pictures less blurry in low light situations. There is nothing worse than having the perfect pose but it is just slightly blurry because you breathed.....
By DarrianAshoka at 1:43 AM ON 08/24/07
I agree cameras should still have a flash on board for custom shots, but it will be interesting to see what else this extra sensor can pick up that the human eye cannot. Like ghost orbs. I here there is a Sony cam corder that has a special night photos sensor that is especially good for this.
This will certainly be a boon for camera in cell phones, since most of them have no flash or a pitiful blue LED flashlight in it. This is mainly because a standard strobe flash eats up too much battery power and people would be running their batteries dead before they can get a chance t recharge it. But if they will not sell the new sensor to phone makers this would be a moot point. If they will, they will make a killing on this being the only one out there.