How the Image Sensor Affects the Camera
The image sensor of a camera is the primary measure of the camera's quality. This is a misconception because everything affects the quality the camera is about to output. However, the focus on the image sensor is justified since it is the design of the pixels that really determines the quality of the image. There are two types of technologies used to make the camera's image sensor.
The CCD, or charge-coupled device, and the CMOS, or complementary metal-oxide semiconductor are often viewed as rival technologies. However, each actually has its own strengths and weaknesses so that one is more appropriate than the other depending on the application.
CCD sensors were developed specifically for the camera industry while CMOS traces it's beginnings to standard technology already in use in areas such as memory chips inside PCs. Today, modern CMOS sensors are advancing in technology and the quality is improving immensely.
The main benefit of a CCD sensor over a CMOS sensor is the higher light sensitivity. Being more sensitive to light means it can produce a better image in conditions where lighting is low.
The downside is that CCD sensors are more expensive and harder to build into a camera. Also, a CCD sensor uses much more power, in some cases 100 times more, than the equivalent CMOS sensor.
In contrast, the CMOS sensors are quickly over taking the areas that CCD sensors once ruled in terms of image quality. CMOS based cameras always had the edge when it came to cost. It is much easier to build a camera around a CMOS sensor.
The CMOS sensor also allows for greater integration possibilities than the CCD sensor which in comparison is designed to be more stringent in terms of function and integration. CMOS sensors have faster readouts which make a big difference in megapixel technology and you will find megapixel cameras with CMOS sensors much more than with CCD sensors simply because of the costs.
When it comes to megapixel sensors in cameras, the sensors themselves are about the same size or only slightly larger than traditional VGA sensors. This means that the size of each pixel is smaller. So while the megapixel camera can provide higher resolution and greater detail, it is less light sensitive since the pixel size is smaller and light reflected from an object is spread to more pixels.
The CCD, or charge-coupled device, and the CMOS, or complementary metal-oxide semiconductor are often viewed as rival technologies. However, each actually has its own strengths and weaknesses so that one is more appropriate than the other depending on the application.
CCD sensors were developed specifically for the camera industry while CMOS traces it's beginnings to standard technology already in use in areas such as memory chips inside PCs. Today, modern CMOS sensors are advancing in technology and the quality is improving immensely.
The main benefit of a CCD sensor over a CMOS sensor is the higher light sensitivity. Being more sensitive to light means it can produce a better image in conditions where lighting is low.
The downside is that CCD sensors are more expensive and harder to build into a camera. Also, a CCD sensor uses much more power, in some cases 100 times more, than the equivalent CMOS sensor.
In contrast, the CMOS sensors are quickly over taking the areas that CCD sensors once ruled in terms of image quality. CMOS based cameras always had the edge when it came to cost. It is much easier to build a camera around a CMOS sensor.
The CMOS sensor also allows for greater integration possibilities than the CCD sensor which in comparison is designed to be more stringent in terms of function and integration. CMOS sensors have faster readouts which make a big difference in megapixel technology and you will find megapixel cameras with CMOS sensors much more than with CCD sensors simply because of the costs.
When it comes to megapixel sensors in cameras, the sensors themselves are about the same size or only slightly larger than traditional VGA sensors. This means that the size of each pixel is smaller. So while the megapixel camera can provide higher resolution and greater detail, it is less light sensitive since the pixel size is smaller and light reflected from an object is spread to more pixels.
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