The blinding glare of flash photography is a given – or is it? A newly developed “invisible flash” uses infrared and ultraviolet to light a scene unobtrusively.
Researchers at New York University modified a flashbulb to emit a wide range of light frequencies and to filter out visible light. They then removed the standard filters in the camera that prevent it from detecting IR and UV.
The resulting device takes a bright shot without blinding anyone; however, the color of the photo is off. To address the deficiency, the camera was made to automatically take two shots, the second without a flash – a dark, blurry, flash-free photograph that nonetheless correctly captures color. The two shots are combined in software for a well-lit, color accurate image.
July 20, 2009
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