Vehicle camera with multiple spectral filters

A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

• a camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle;
• wherein said camera comprises a lens and an imager and wherein light passing through said lens is received at said imager via an optic path from said lens to said imager;
• wherein said imager comprises a pixelated imaging array having a plurality of photosensing elements;
• wherein said camera comprises first and second spectral filters;
• wherein said first spectral filter has a first cutoff wavelength and (i) passes visible light below the first cutoff wavelength, (ii) attenuates light above the first cutoff wavelength;
• wherein said second spectral filter has a second cutoff wavelength and (i) passes visible light below the second cutoff wavelength, (ii) attenuates light above the second cutoff wavelength;
• wherein the second cutoff wavelength is longer than the first cutoff wavelength;
• a control, wherein said control is operable to move said first and second spectral filters relative to the optic path such that a selected spectral filter is positioned in the optic path and an unselected spectral filter is not positioned in the optic path during operation of said camera;
• wherein said control positions the selected spectral filter of said first and second spectral filters in the optic path so that said imager images visible light below the respective cutoff wavelength of the selected spectral filter;
• and
• an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera.

A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

• a camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle;
• wherein said camera comprises a lens and an imager and wherein light passing through said lens is received at said imager via an optic path from said lens to said imager;
• wherein said imager comprises a pixelated imaging array having a plurality of photosensing elements;
• wherein, responsive to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, said control determines a lighting condition at said camera;
• wherein said camera comprises at least two spectral filters, wherein each of said spectral filters has a respective cutoff wavelength and (i) passes visible light below the respective cutoff wavelength, (ii) attenuates light above the respective cutoff wavelength;
• a control, wherein said control is operable to move said spectral filters relative to the optic path such that a selected spectral filter is positioned in the optic path during operation of said camera;
• wherein said control moves said at least two spectral filters via one of (i) linear movement of a row of spectral filters and (ii) rotational movement of spectral filters arranged on a rotary support;
• wherein said control positions the selected spectral filter of said at least two spectral filters in the optic path so that said imager images visible light below the respective cutoff wavelength of the selected spectral filter;
• wherein a first spectral filter of said at least two spectral filters has a first cutoff wavelength that is shorter than a second cutoff wavelength of a second spectral filter of said at least two spectral filters;
• wherein said control is operable to position said first spectral filter in the optic path responsive to a determination of a brighter lighting condition at said camera, and wherein said control is operable to position said second spectral filter in the optic path responsive to a determination of a lower lighting condition at said camera;
• wherein said control positions said first spectral filter in the optic path responsive to determination of ambient light of greater than 100 lux, and wherein said control positions said second spectral filter in the optic path responsive to determination of ambient light of less than 100 lux;
• and
• an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera.