Multiple neutral density filter ultrathin array camera for high dynamic range imaging

Abstract

Nowadays in most imaging applications, images with high resolution having a high dynamic range (HDR) are desired and often required. However, conventional HDR imaging cameras suffer from ghosting artifacts in dynamic scenes which may result in a blurred image. Camera size and cost are also among other issues faced with current HDR imaging cameras. This paper presents a Multiple Neutral Density Filter (MNDF) Ultrathin Array Camera for HDR Imaging that combines microlens arrays with different thicknesses of neutral density filter to capture HDR images in a single shot. MNDF camera has a total track length of 1250μm along with microlens arrays having 750μm focal length and 2.5 f-number. The proposed camera utilizes multiple exposures of an image captured in a single shot and successfully demonstrates the reconstruction of a high-resolution image having a high dynamic range.