I'm quite stunned by the quality of gigapixel photos. This is a 13 gigapixel photo - the resolution is breathtaking. Try to zoom in - a small dot on the horizon can be a large building and you can count its windows. Fascinating.
Rather compact cameras have already 50,60 or 160 megapixel resolution. Such photographs take up to three seconds.
The potential for military applications is a huge one in my opinion.
Imagine to look own from a hill/mountain and take a photo line-of-sight with several kilometers range. Movements and changes in the landscape could be detected easily without emitting radiation like a battlefield radar. Software could analyze the picture and present conspicuous parts of the image to a soldier.
The use in aircraft might be limited due to exposure time and the unsteady, moving platform, though.
Armies have mostly neglected battlefield photography, even though digital cameras are becoming more common. Gigapixel photos have the potential to become a more important reconnaissance tool than video cameras, though.
Sven Ortmann
2008-02-12 edit:
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2009/02/gigapixel-flyin.html
Rather compact cameras have already 50,60 or 160 megapixel resolution. Such photographs take up to three seconds.
The potential for military applications is a huge one in my opinion.
Imagine to look own from a hill/mountain and take a photo line-of-sight with several kilometers range. Movements and changes in the landscape could be detected easily without emitting radiation like a battlefield radar. Software could analyze the picture and present conspicuous parts of the image to a soldier.
The use in aircraft might be limited due to exposure time and the unsteady, moving platform, though.
Armies have mostly neglected battlefield photography, even though digital cameras are becoming more common. Gigapixel photos have the potential to become a more important reconnaissance tool than video cameras, though.
Sven Ortmann
2008-02-12 edit:
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2009/02/gigapixel-flyin.html
I think you mixed your 'G's and 'M's. That first example is 13Giga the camera's that you link are Mega
ReplyDeleteYep, thanks. I changed that part.
ReplyDeleteCompact gigapixel cameras are some years ahead, but the general idea stays the same.