Sony going Foveon!

[pophoto]

Next Sony foveon alike patent! | sonyalpharumors

...or very close! Sounds good to me. Two things come to mind if Sony takes this on:

1) Will try to overcome higher ISO noise issues.
2) Adobe Lightroom support

Maybe 3) Speed things up!
Maybe 4) Full frame Foveon like sensor in the future!

Otherwise I am glad they are taking a 'similar' approach! More research in this field the better!

 

[Taylor Sherman]

It'd be cool if they do make headway with this, but then I don't know how likely they are to produce something just because they patent it.

 

[peterb]

It'll be interesting to see what happens. It's one thing to make a Bayer array-type sensor like others have done but quite another to mimic the Foveon design no matter how innovative it is. The basic principle of the Foveon design is pretty unique in the world of sensors and any knock-off no matter how innovative (like, for example, getting better IQ at higher ISO) may not have any leg stand on in a patent court if Sigma ever decided to challenge them (and believe me they will). In the end it could bite Sony in the butt.

Kodak developed their own approach to instant photography and Poloroid sued and won for patent infringement. Kodak argued there were major differences but the 'principle' was what ultimately ruled the day. Ironically, NEITHER company is a force today.

 

[Rawfa]

I´m a huge fan of foveon. I would love to see Sony overcome all this fantastic sensors´ limitations .

 

[Bugleone]

This looks like 'strategic patenting' to me. This is the 'art' of examining a competitiors patents, visualizing how they might be developed and placing hindering patents at crucial junctures. Thus, when Foveon want to file their next patents there will be (hopefully for Sony) an 'enemy' patent in the way which will have to be got around or exspensivley aquired.......

....Foveon is easily Sony's most important competitor. As Sony is now the main sensor maker it needs to either lock out Foveon or aquire an interest in it, and this is almost certainly what this is about.