canon 60D what can we expect?

carlk wrote:
????? How can the camera know what is the exact next image down to
the pixel level?

Yellonet wrote:

A wish would be for the 60D/7D [Digic V?] processor to incorporate a
function to automatically maximize the sensitivity of the sensor
across the frame, when a blown out or blackened area is detected the
processor will automatically adjust the exposure for the affected
sensor pixels making the resulting image much more close to what we
actually see with our own eyes.

More problematic than that. The DIGIC has no control over the sensitivity of the sensor, different ISO's are provided by changing the amplification of the signal coming from the sensor, not by changing the sensitivity of the sensor. There is no way of adjusting the exposure of any part of the sensor, the incident light is what it is.

There are two things that might be done close to this. Canon does have a patent fo a dual sensitivity sensor, where extra cell capacitance is switched in and out. I don't expect that to see the light of day, because it adds to the circuitry in the cell to no great advantage. The second is to capture in low and high ISO simultaneously, and select the sample use according to the magnitude of the signal. This was proposed here by ejmartin, and turned out to have already been patented by Eric Fossum. I suspect Nikon is using something like this on the D3x, D90 and D5000, which is why their low ISO DR is much better than Canon's current level.
--
Bob