1. A method of formatting color image data, comprising: filtering light with a color filter array, wherein the color filter array has a plurality of filter elements arranged in a repeating pattern according to filter element wavelength range; obtaining a first image frame comprising image data corresponding to a plurality of data channels relating to light passing through the color filter array; compressing the image data with an algorithm that provides a plurality of resolution levels for each of the plurality of data channels; for each resolution level, storing the compressed image data in a format in which the compressed image data for multiple ones of the plurality of data channels are stored together in a group on a storage device; creating an index for the first image frame to provide a location reference for each group, thereby allowing access to the groups of compressed image data at each resolution level from the storage device without accessing compressed image data having a higher resolution level; and performing said filtering, obtaining, compressing, storing and creating steps for a plurality of image frames in addition to the first image frame, thereby allowing access to motion video image data at a particular resolution level without accessing compressed image data having a higher resolution level.