Microcamera aperture scale in monocentric gigapixel cameras

Multiscale cameras achieve wide-angle, high-resolution imaging by combining coarse image formation by a simplified wide-field objective with localized aberration correction in an array of narrow field microcameras. Microcamera aperture size is a critical parameter in multiscale design; a larger aperture has greater capacity to correct aberration but requires a more complex microcamera optic. A smaller aperture requires integration of more microcameras to cover the field. This paper analyzes multiscale system performance as a function of microcamera aperture for 2 and 40 gigapixel monocentric objective lenses. We find that microcamera aperture diameters of 3 to 12 mm paired with complementary metal oxide semiconductor sensors in the 1 to 15 megapixel range are most attractive for gigapixel-scale cameras. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America