One of the things that photographing mostly with film lately has done to me is given me a distaste for the Bayer Filter Mosaic upon which almost all digital camera sensors are based.
Something about the images created with the de-mosaicing (interpolative) processes inherent in Bayer-based cameras just doesn’t look right to my eye any more. They’re simply not good enough.
In the digital world, there are three notable exceptions to the Bayer trend:
(1) Sigma with its Fovean sensor-based DP models. As a previous owner of the original Sigma DP1 model, I wait with great anticipation for the upcoming Quattro. However, given Sigma‘s history of building sluggish cameras with a “beta” feel about them, I’m not holding my breath.
(2) Leica with the Monochrom (which sports a modified Kodak CCD sensor lacking a colour filter array). Of course, the Monochrom is limited to B&W output (not a bad thing, unless you occasionally want/need colour!).
(3) Fuji with its X-Trans technology, where blue, green, and red sensors are “randomly” arrayed. I’m not convinced about the results, though I do applaud Fuji for pushing the proverbial envelop.
Currently, I don’t own any of the above… I’m in a wait-and-see mode.
—Peter.
Prosophos 
I recently travelled to Europe. I brought a Sony A7R, a Fujifilm X-T1, and a Fujifilm X100S. I was very satisfied with the results. The X100S blew me away particularly the quality of the high ISO shots. The X-T1 was very similar to the X100s, but I used the 18-55 mm zoom and the 10-24 mm zoom on it. I do agree with you. I believe future sensors will vary from the typical Bayer Filter Mosaic.
The X100S has tempted me for a while… small, silent shutter, decent image quality.
X100 was a superb camera….however…..it had some qwirks which were very annoying…one being shutter lag. I believe this has been fixed now.
Peter if you ever do look at the X100s then keep this in mind….http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/41636449
“Shutter Dance”
A very useful post. Thanks.
Yes, agree.
Wow. Very useful post. THANKS.
Peter,
Why not try putting some color film through those Mamiyas? (E6 is a little more expensive, but it ROCKS!) You can shoot color, and not have to even think about Bayer filters. 😉
Good suggestion Kevin. Peter I’ll be using Ektar for certain “projects” I’m setting myself this year and for family, Portra as well.
I’ve always liked Portra. Never did try Ektar.
My X100s seems to be an improvement in every respect over its predecessor. I am eager to see Fujifilm refine the autofocus to equal that of the best DSLRs.
Putting aside some of the sensor issues, I sincerely do applaud Fuji for making this class of camera.
Peter, beware of the X-sensor and it’s artifacts. If your eye can spot the effect of CMOS on images then the X-sensor ‘artifacts’ will drive you crazy. Digilloid describes it well here: http://diglloyd.com/blog/2013/20130423_4-Fujifilm-X100S-first.html. He documents the same artifact with nearly every other X-sensor camera, you can search for it in his website. I had to return my X100 due to this reason. Very few other people talk about this issue which is puzzling to me, but then again not many people are bothered by the CMOS image rendition. All X-sensor cameras seem to have this issue to date, perhaps a result of how the sensor tries to avoid moire artifacts.
In addition to the sensor artifacts I’ve documented these serious flaws with the X-100s: http://www.raedabughazaleh.com/five-reasons-why-im-disappointed-with-the-fuji-x100s/
Raed.
Thank you Raed. A most excellent write-up and one worth reading for anybody coming from an M model.
Peter,
Your observation is also how my experience developed. To me even more basic and important than color rendering or anti aliasing filters. With Fuji X-Trans I never get my foliage right. And I seriously tried a lot of raw converters for this. But I like the camera’s. With Foveon I am fighting against it’s raw converter and image processing. A real pain to use. In some ways I like the operation of the Sigma Merill camera’s but they remain too static in operation most of the time.
Bayer camera makers are very busy with removing AA filters and after that introducing shaking Bayer sensors that have to prevent aliasing. The real limitation however is the Bayer pattern.
After seeing what a Foveon sensor can do there is almost no way back. Advances in technology along this line would be most welcome, perhaps combined with a curvature of the sensor plane.
Thanks Herb. It’s these sort of issues with the X-Trans that make me “not convinced”, as I write above.
I waited a long time to take the plunge but I’m simply astonished by the results I get from my Sigma DP1 Merrill.
I love the files that it puts out.
The camera itself is nowhere near as bad as some claim (though the battery life certainly is). I’ve even shot some street with it, with good results, though I think it’s better as a more meditative camera. It makes wonderful black and white conversions too – with lovely tonal gradations.
You need to watch exposure as shadows can blotch up, it doesn’t like being pointed at the sun, and every so often it will ruin a shot for no apparent reason by slapping the odd magenta or green spodge onto the image … but I simply love the camera and the photos I get from it… and I’m beginning to lust after the DP3 too.
The tendency for shadows to “blotch up”, and the magenta and green artifacts are things I recall about the original model. Yet the images are truly wonderful.
Now look what you’ve made me go and do…I’ve just ordered a DP3 Merrill to go with my DP1 Merrill 😉
Hello Peter,
On MM, please beware of the dead pixel issues that you have identified from your first MM. It seems common & it takes much effort to get the pixels mapped again & again.
Michael.
It seems like we are paying more and more and getting less and less reliability.
Yep! It is one of the reasons I’ve stepped out of the digital world Peter!
I don’t know.. you seem to write something in this blog post, yet RED http://www.red.com/learn/red-101/bayer-sensor-strategy praises bayer for being currently the best
I’ll take RED’s (and test data from review sites comparing fuji/sigma with traditional aps-c/FF/m43) word over yours
Interesting read, but the conclusions arrived at are influenced by cost considerations and need for video applications. Either way, as of the writing of this response, I’ve moved back to film… which has satisfied my need for moving away from Bayer filters. You, my friend, are free to take RED’s opinion and test data to guide your photography. I will go by my own eyes, and my eyes choose film.