QHY provides Bayer sequence codes for their color cameras for those more advanced in the hobby. If you’re just starting out, we explain here a little more about the Bayer sequence and what the different codes mean when purchasing an astrophotography color camera.
What is the Bayer Sequence?
In simple terms, it is the pattern on the Bayer light filter system that creates a color image by using tiny color filters over each pixel. The filters comprise of red, green, and blue (RGB) colors, with only one color per pixel. To best match what our eyes see, the Bayer filter uses two green pixels for every one red and blue pixel (e.g., RGGB). This pattern then repeats in 2×2 pixel blocks throughout the entire photo, which to our eyes, forms a color image.
Different cameras repeat the patterns of colors in different orders. For example, your camera sensor’s Bayer sequence will read like, RGGB, BGGR, GBRG, or GRBG. Each letter represents a color, R for red, B for blue, and G for green. As your sensor reads the light, each pixel is designated to read R, G, or B wavelengths.
We hope this helped make more sense of the different lettering patterns in QHY color camera descriptions. Let us know below if you have any questions!
