Wide angle camera with prism array

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• (a) an optical sensor comprising a plurality of sensing elements, wherein each sensing element comprises an array of sensing components, wherein each sensing component provides an output signal for forming a pixel in an array of image pixels;
• (b) a lens array comprising a plurality of lens elements, wherein each lens element directs light to a corresponding sensing element in the optical sensor;
• (c) a prism array comprising a plurality of prism elements, each prism element directing incident light from the image field toward a corresponding lens element in the lens array;
• and
• (d) a light blocking baffle disposed between at least one pair of adjacent sensing elements.

A method for capturing an image, comprising:

• (a) providing an optical sensor comprising a plurality of sensing elements, wherein each sensing element further comprises an array of sensing components, wherein each sensing component provides a signal corresponding to a pixel for forming an image as an array of pixels;
• (b) disposing a lens element to be optically coupled to each sensing element in the optical sensor, forming an array of lens elements thereby;
• and
• (c) optically coupling a prism element to each lens element for directing incident light from the image field toward the lens element in the lens array, forming a prism array thereby.