On 29 Jan 2003 17:29:29 -0800, snef73@hotmail.com (Allan York) wrote:

>Hi, I am looking for a very high quality camera that has a 180 degree

>or close to 180 degree field of view. The image also has to have no

>distortion. Camera shoul be from a top brand like Sony or Panasonic.

>Audio is not needed. Video output should be via a yellow plug.

>

>That camera should be no more then 3 square inches.

>

>Do such cameras exist?

>

>My application requires a camera to capture a 44 foot scene from a

>distance of 1 foot.

>

>Many thanks in advance,

>Allan

Ummmmmmmmm.....;-)

No (video, or any other) camera will fit your

description, assuming by "no distortion", you

mean "no bending of off-center subject straight

lines" (though I would argue that calling this

"distortion" is technically incorrect...;-). If

a flat imaging surface is used, without curvature,

it is impossible to approach 180 degree coverage,

since the imager would then need to approach

infinite size, and the lens FL would need to

approach 0...;-) If you can accept line-bending,

adding an Olympus or Nikkor 180 degree round-image

fisheye (intended for their digital still cameras)

to shorter than normal video lenses can work,

though do not expect very high resolution. Tiny

mini-mini-DV cameras that may be suitable are

made by Sony (but these are still larger than

your spec.) - and tiny spy cameras with fisheye

lenses do also exist...