Digital Imaging Core

Canon’s digital signal processor and control unit

Mihnea Simiancontact@mesimian.com

@mihneasim

Canon family processors

• 1st Generation: Image Engine 2000• 2nd Generation: New Image Engine 2001• 3rd Generation: Digic (2002)• 4th Generation: Digic II (2004)• 5th Generation: Digic III (2006)• 6th Generation: Digic IV (2008)

• Probably one the most marketed onboard processors

Actual physical size

Direct communication

• A/D converter (RAW data from CCD/CMOS sensor)

• DRAM (buffer) • LCD monitor • Memory Card • Camera CPU

Provides:

• Auto focus, Auto exposure, Auto white balance functions

• Signal processing • Imaging control

– (sharpness / contrast / colour)

• JPEG compression/decompression • Memory card control • Display (LCD / video out)

14 Bit ADC

•A raw image file contains minimally processed data from the image sensor

•214 possible shades of gray in raw data

•214*214*214 = 242 colors in raw data

Data flow

• fast enough to push 15MP images onto the card at a rate of up to 6.3 fps

• With a UDMA card Canon is claiming an improvement to the buffering allowing up to 90 JPEGs in a single burst

• “We used parallel processing not only for the auto-focus, auto-exposure and LCD display functions, but also for face detection. By adjusting the algorithms, DIGIC 4's face detection function was made to work three times

faster when compared with DIGIC III “– Kawaguchi

EOS-1D Mark IV

• Digic 4, dual processor

• 16 mpx images in a burst of 10 fps

• HD footage at 30 fps

•$ 5000 EOS-1D Mark IV

•$ 6500 EOS-1D Mark III

CHDK – Unleash the power in your PowerShot!

• Temporary – No permanent changes are made to the camera

• Professional control - RAW files, bracketing, full manual control over exposure, Zebra-Mode, Live histogram, Grids, etc.

• Motion detection - Trigger exposure in response to motion, fast enough to catch lightning.

• USB remote - Simple DIY remote allows you to control your camera remotely.

• Scripting - Control CHDK and camera features using ubasic and Lua scripts. Enables time lapse, motion detection, advanced bracketing, and much more.

Sources

• http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page• http://www.canon.com/technology/interview/

digic4/digic4_p1.html• http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/education/

infobank/capturing_the_image/digic_processing.do

• http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=CanonAdvantageTopicDtlAct&fcategoryid=101&id=3264

• http://icanhascheezburger.com/tag/camera/

Questions?