Multispectral Camera

The first multispectral camera in the world

The Lumiere Technology camera is an innovation, it is the first multispectral, hypersensitive and high resolution camera in the world.

The resolution of the camera is 240 000 000 pixels.

It delivers more than 3 billion scientific measurements .

Unparalleled in the world, it has already enabled many major discoveries.

The MultiSpectral Technique

The multispectral technique of scientific imaging consists of the acquisition of images generated by Ultra-Violet (U.V.) – visible light (VIS) and Infrared (N.I.R.) radiation from 380 nm to 1050 nm.

The camera records and measures in all wavelengths the interaction of radiation with the pictorial material (pigments, varnish, binder, etc.).

The image sensor (CCD)

The multispectral camera has a hypersensitive linear CCD sensor (79.8 dB), resulting from space exploration like the observation satellite SPOT 5. The sensor is mounted in the camera on a mechanism which scans the artwork to be scanned.
It is synchronized with projectors which generate focused light, which illuminates only the viewing area of the sensor.

The Lumiere Technology camera filters

The multispectral camera digitizes Mona Lisa (2004).
No contact with the painting therefore no alteration of the work.

The 13 spectrum filters

Filters select the analysis spectral band.
They are positioned one by one in front of the linear sensor.
They generate 13 images which are the results of measurements of the interaction of light with matter.
U.V. radiation reflects matter on the surface, while infrared radiation has scattering properties in matter.

The multispectral camera filters spectrums

Multispectral images, example of digitization

The spectral analysis

In the end, we get diffuse reflection spectra, like a spectrophotometer does, but with pixel precision.

The processing of these spectrum by the L.A.M. (Layer Amplification Method) technique makes possible to extract the information contained in the pictorial layer (preparatory drawings, stencils, grids, repaints, repents, revisions, restorations, brush strokes, etc.).

It is a wealth of essential information to the authentication of an artwork.

Livres sur le sujet ▶

• P. Cotte, M. Dupouy « CRISATEL high resolution multispectral system », in proceedings of PICS’03 conference, Rochester, USA, May Wednesday 14th, 2003, p. 161-165
• P. Cotte « CRISATEL digital camera, birth of a New Era » – European Community magazine Digitcult e-culture. Volume 4 – issue 5 – December 2003. Page 5.
• F. Schmitt, P. Cotte. and al. « CRISATEL Multispectral Imaging System », 10th Congress of the International Colour Association AIC’05, At Granada, Spain