Color Filter Array: Camera System: Glossary: Learn: Digital P...

Each "pixel" on a digital camera sensor contains a light sensitive photo diode which measures the brightness of light. Because photodiodes are monochrome devices, they are unable to tell the difference between different wavelengths of light. Therefore, a "mosaic" pattern of color filters, a color filter array (CFA), is positioned on top of the sensor to filter out the red, green, and blue components of light falling onto it. The GRGB Bayer Pattern shown in this diagram is the most common CFA used.

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The missing pixels in each color layer are estimated based on the values of the neighboring pixels and other color channels via the demosaicing algorithms in the camera.

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