Quote Originally Posted by paulr View Post
I've had the same thought, but unfortunately, it would require an yet-uninvented technology. What costs money is the size of the silicon wafer. The geniuses of the semiconductor world have been able to continuously improve performance and decrease costs by packing smaller and smaller circuits onto a silicon wafer (and getting more and more parts out of the same surface area). But that silicon isn't getting any cheaper, as far as I can tell.

I don't know what a 4x5" slice of silicon would cost. Probably a number that we associate more with space shuttles than cameras.

Maybe there are other semiconductor technologies in the works. Would be nice if this stopped being a hurdle.
The silicon itself is not that much of a problem. Your Intel and AMD processors as well as memory are routinely made on 300mm (12") wafers. No problem to put a 4x5" on that, even 5x7 can be done. The polished wafer before processing will cost in the vicinity of $50-150 (if you buy a few 10000 of it). Its the processing cost vs. demand that would kill it.