A method for generating a high dynamic range image. An image is captured using a Bayer pattern color filter array to generate raw pixel sensor data for the image. The pixel sensor data is separated into highpass (ZiHP) and lowpass (ZiLP) components. The color components of ZiHP are pooled to yield an achromatic highpass data set {circumflex over (X)}iHP. Saturated pixels in the ZiLP components are corrected by borrowing across spectrums to yield the low pass data set {circumflex over (X)}iLP, and the high dynamic range image is computed as {circumflex over (X)}={circumflex over (X)}iLP+{circumflex over (X)}iHP 1. A camera system incorporating this method is also provided.