Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- pixel_binning [2021/02/03 09:27] – created page from glossary content Audionut
+++ pixel_binning [2021/02/03 09:54] – fix photosites Audionut
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-What happens is that every single Bayer pixel processed by the camera might be obtained by averaging data from a few pixels (smallest units of the imaging sensor). This averaging process happens in the analog domain. When pixel binning is used, the image received/processed by the camera software is already pixel-binned (the image sensor is not read out at its full resolution).
+What happens is that every single Bayer pixel processed by the camera might be obtained by averaging data from a few photosites (smallest units of the imaging sensor). This averaging process happens in the analog domain. When pixel binning is used, the image received/processed by the camera software is already pixel-binned (the image sensor is not read out at its full resolution).
 Advantages:
   * relatively simple to implement with analog electronics;
-  * all sensor pixels contribute to the final image (nothing is lost), unless [[#Line Skipping]] is used;
+  * all sensor photosites contribute to the final image (nothing is lost), unless [[#Line Skipping]] is used;
   * lower data rate to process for a single LiveView or video frame;
   * easier to achieve a high frame rate without requiring huge processing power (compared to a complete readout at full resolution, followed by a resizing step in digital domain);
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   * available binning factors are [[#hardwired]].
-Most Canon cameras use [[#Line Skipping]] (a variation of pixel binning, which only combines the pixels from one single line, and discards the data from the other lines in a 3x3 or 5x3 block, see below). It's easier to implement in hardware, but the main disadvantage of line skipping is poor performance with high-frequency details (severe aliasing/moire issues).
+Most Canon cameras use [[#Line Skipping]] (a variation of pixel binning, which only combines the photosites from one single line, and discards the data from the other lines in a 3x3 or 5x3 block, see below). It's easier to implement in hardware, but the main disadvantage of line skipping is poor performance with high-frequency details (severe aliasing/moire issues).
 Canon cameras generally use the following pixel binning modes:
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 {{ https://a1ex.magiclantern.fm/bleeding-edge/lv-binning/5d3-lv-binning-cell-v2.png?100|}}
-  * 3x3 binning: for every pixel, 9 pixels (3 lines x 3 columns) of the same [[#Bayer]] color are averaged together. Used on 5D Mark III in 1080p video modes. See figure ->
+  * 3x3 binning: for every pixel, 9 photosites (3 lines x 3 columns) of the same [[#Bayer]] color are averaged together. Used on 5D Mark III in 1080p video modes. See figure ->
-  * 5x3 binning: for every pixel, 15 pixels (5 lines x 3 columns) of the same [[#Bayer]] color are averaged together. Used on 5D Mark III in 720p video modes.
+  * 5x3 binning: for every pixel, 15 photosites (5 lines x 3 columns) of the same [[#Bayer]] color are averaged together. Used on 5D Mark III in 720p video modes.
   * 1:1 crop (no binning, sometimes called "crop mode"). Used on all cameras when capturing a full resolution image. Also used on Canon cameras in x5/x10 zoom modes in LiveView.
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 {{ https://a1ex.magiclantern.fm/bleeding-edge/lv-binning/5d2-lv-binning-cell.png?100|}}
-  * 3x3 column binning / line skipping. For each 3x3 block of pixels, only one of the 3 lines is averaged (all 3 columns from this line, of the same Bayer color, being averaged together), in order to create a pixel in the LiveView image. The remaining 2 lines are discarded (skipped); that is, the video image is created from 33% of the pixel on the image sensor. Most Canon EOS cameras use this method to implement 1080p video (5D Mark III is an exception). See figure ->
+  * 3x3 column binning / line skipping. For each 3x3 block of photosites, only one of the 3 lines is averaged (all 3 columns from this line, of the same Bayer color, being averaged together), in order to create a pixel in the LiveView image. The remaining 2 lines are discarded (skipped); that is, the video image is created from 33% of the photosites on the image sensor. Most Canon EOS cameras use this method to implement 1080p video (5D Mark III is an exception). See figure ->
   * 5x3 column binning / line skipping. Used by most Canon EOS cameras to implement 720p video. For every line read out from the sensor, 4 lines are discarded (skipped).
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 Custom binning modes enabled by Magic Lantern (currently available in some experimental versions of the [[#crop_rec]] module):
-  * 1x3 binning: a custom binning technique which operates on blocks of 1 line and 3 columns. It acts as a middle ground between 3x3 (1080p) and 1:1 (full resolution). This mode uses all pixels from the image sensor, by reading every single line, and does not have any noticeable aliasing/moire issues. Also known as [[#Anamorphic]].
+  * 1x3 binning: a custom binning technique which operates on blocks of 1 line and 3 columns. It acts as a middle ground between 3x3 (1080p) and 1:1 (full resolution). This mode uses all photosites from the image sensor, by reading every single line, and does not have any noticeable aliasing/moire issues. Also known as [[#Anamorphic]].
   * 3x1 binning / line skipping: another custom binning technique, using blocks of 3 lines and 1 column, requiring the same data rate as with 1x3 binning. Not very useful in practice, because of the aliasing/moire issues.
 {{ https://a1ex.magiclantern.fm/bleeding-edge/lv-binning/binmode-3x3-rcskip-extrememoire.png?100|}}
-  * 3x3 line/column skipping: from each 3x3 group of pixels, only one pixel is read out; all others are discarded. See figure - the layout is a little unusual. [[https://a1ex.magiclantern.fm/bleeding-edge/lv-binning/extreme-moire.html|Extreme aliasing/moiré issues]].
+  * 3x3 line/column skipping: from each 3x3 group of photosites, only one photosite is read out; all others are discarded. See figure - the layout is a little unusual. [[https://a1ex.magiclantern.fm/bleeding-edge/lv-binning/extreme-moire.html|Extreme aliasing/moiré issues]].
 FIXME: way too long (move to new page?) (agreed)\\