Colour cameras are not useful in a laboratory environment → Preferably use B&W cameras.
Colour photography using B&W and RGB filters or light sources
The subject has to be still (not moving at all).
You need:
Cheaper solution is to use the R, G and B light sources to illuminate the subject.
Take 3 pictures with different filters or under different lights and combine them in post-process.
3 chip colour camera
Expensive solution. Used in TV and cinema production.
Similar to TechniColor. Different light wavelengths are reflected on different semi-permeable mirrors into individual chips. Each chip captures R, G or B. Basically, 100 % efficient.
Bayer mask
Each square of 4 pixels contains - 2 pixel sensitive to green, 1 sensitive to blue and 1 sensitive to red. Sensitivity is a result of a mask (layer on a chip).
Increased sensitivity to green is due to how our eyes are sensitive to different wavelengths of light.
Colour signature → describes the colour filter pattern on the chip, example GRBG
Causes moiré on periodical structures (interference between structures with similar spacial frequency). If chip has greater resolution than the optics, there is little to no moiré. Also, an anti-aliasing filter can be used.
Foveon
CMOS chip, which uses layered photodiodes. Patented tech. Only true colour chip. Now made by Sigma.
Different wavelengths have different “penetration” capabilities.