Camera architecture having a repositionable color filter array

A method of operating a camera system, comprising:

• positioning a color filter array (“CFA”) into a first position over an array of image pixels organized into rings, wherein the CFA includes a plurality of color filter elements that optically subtend different portions of the array of image pixels at the same time and wherein each of the color filter elements optically subtends a plurality of the image pixels at a given time;
• acquiring first image data with the array of image pixels while the CFA is in the first position;
• repositioning the CFA into a second position different from the first position over the array of image pixels;
• acquiring second image data with the array of image pixels while the CFA is in the second position;
• and
• combining the first image data with the second image data to create a color image.

A camera system, comprising:

• a substrate having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side;
• an array of image pixels disposed in or on the substrate and coupled to acquire image data of a color image in response to light incident on the array of image pixels;
• a color filter array (“CFA”) disposed over the first side of the substrate and positioned to color filter the light incident on the array of image pixels, the CFA including at least two different color filter types that filter different color bands of the light, wherein the CFA includes a plurality of color filter elements that optically subtend different portions of the array of image pixels at the same time and wherein each of the color filter elements optically subtends a plurality of the image pixels at a given time;
• an actuator coupled to the CFA to adjust the CFA in a sequence;
• and
• a controller coupled to the actuator to control the sequence such that each image pixel in the array of image pixels is temporarily optically subtended by each of the at least two different color filter types in the CFA while acquiring the image data associated with the color image.