A color filter array includes a plurality of tiled minimal repeating units, each minimal repeating unit comprising an M×N set of individual filters. Each minimal repeating unit includes a plurality of imaging filters including individual filters having at least first, second, and third photoresponses, and at least one reference filter having a reference photoresponse, wherein the reference filter is positioned among the imaging filters and wherein the reference photoresponse transmits substantially the same percentage of wavelengths that remain unfiltered by filters of a different photoresponse than the incident wavelength. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.