1. Extensive Camera Processing is Essential
All photos require processing like debayering, gamma correction, and tone mapping to produce viewable images from raw sensor data.
">There’s nothing that happens when you adjust the contrast or white balance in editing software that the camera hasn’t done under the hood." - stavros
"Everything is an interpretation of the data that the camera has to do, making a thousand choices along the way." - stavros
2. No "Real" vs. "Fake" Photos; Intent Matters
Photos are always processed interpretations; "fakeness" depends on deceptive intent, not edits like global filters vs. local AI changes.
"Fake images are images with intent to deceive. By that definition, even an image that came straight out of the camera can be 'fake'." - stavros
"Intent is the defining factor... If you dial down the exposure to make the photo more dramatic, you're manipulating emotions too." - nospice
3. Bayer Filter and Human Perception Drive Design
Sensors use RGGB patterns (50% green) for luminance detail, matching eye sensitivity; alternatives like Foveon exist but are niche.
"The reason the Bayer pattern is RGGB (50% green) isn't just about color balance, but spatial resolution. The human eye is most sensitive to green light." - barishnamazov
"Green spectral response curve is close to the luminance curve humans see... Twice the pixels to increase the effective resolution in the green/luminance channel." - milleramp