CCD or CMOS sensor: real differences, price, which does is better..?

[rachi]

Hello, i have some doubts about a technical aspect of our sensor: difference between CCD and CMOS sensors.

I read on wikipedia, undestood nothing. Read on glossary on dpreview, but still unclear.

Actually, which is the real difference between these 2 technologies? CCD is more "older", CMOS is a new technologie? CMOS works better (why?), but more expensive?

CMOS is more expensive but is getting cheaper? for that reason we can find more and more CMOS sensors in compact cameras (Canon S95 has CCD, Canon S110 has CMOS).

Actually, concerning image quality, what does it changes? colors? CMOS is faster? battery last longer? Does it worth that i buy a camera that has a CMOS instead of a CCD but it's a little more expensive? Should i consider the kind of sensor in the choice of camera?

Tnx for the help..

 

[trekkeruss]

rachi wrote:
Should i consider the kind of sensor in the choice of camera?

No.

Tnx for the help..

You are welcome.

 

[Anisha Kaul]

To the OP:

Do check this out: http://photo.stackexchange.com/ques...difference-between-ccd-and-cmos-image-sensors

--
http://500px.com/Anisha_Kaul
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/anisha-kaul-445448/

 

[Gerry Winterbourne]

rachi wrote:

Hello, i have some doubts about a technical aspect of our sensor: difference between CCD and CMOS sensors.

Actually, concerning image quality, what does it changes? colors? CMOS is faster? battery last longer? Does it worth that i buy a camera that has a CMOS instead of a CCD but it's a little more expensive?

In practical terms the main difference is the way the image data are read from the sensor and converted into a picture. CMOS allows faster reading, which is much better for live view on the camera's LCD and for video.

At equal stages of technological development CCD may be (note I say "may" be) better for pure image quality; but technology is always moving on and today's CMOS sensors are better than older CCDs.

The colours you see are worked out by a colour profile designed by the engineers: some people claim to see better colours from CCD sensors but that's because of the profiles the engineers put with them, not because CCD colours are inherently better.

Should i consider the kind of sensor in the choice of camera?

No. Find a camera that does what you want from it and buy that one.

 

[JamesRL]

I think you will find very few CCD sensors in current cameras. Because CMOS tends ot be better for Video.

My D200 has a CCD, its from 2005. No complaints, good for its time. No video capability. Newer sensors tend to be better at low light.

 

[trekkeruss]

CCD or CMOS is kinda like asking about the difference between CRT and LED televisions. In the past, a CRT was the only kind of TV you could buy. Then LED entered the market. At first, CRT were better, because it was a mature product. But eventually LED caught up, and now CRT's are basically a dead technology. It is the same with CCD; most manufacturers have abandoned it in favor of CMOS, because is cheaper to make, and offers more benefits to the consumer.

 

[JamesRL]

Funny you mention that. My HD TV is a CRT, and if I compare it to most LCDs, the picture is brighter and better. But the newer LED backlit sets blow it away.

 

[Limburger]

From what I understood is that CCD records an image as a whole and CMOS records line by line.

The practical main difference imo is that CCD has no rolling shutter (or jelly) effect when panning video fast.

--
Cheers Mike

 

[hotdog321]

My first digital cameras were Canon 1D cameras, which use CCD sensors. While an absolutely legendary camera, it really ate batteries and the color was noticeably "cool" cyan. I don't know if this holds true for modern CCD designs, but it was sure true for the Canon 1D.

Next, Canon put a CMOS sensor in the 1D II. The battery life was MUCH longer and the colors were truer.

Today I'm using a couple of Canon 5DII with CMOS sensors. The relatively tiny battery can power the camera all day long and the color rendition is spectacular and true.

Don't know if these observations hold true for all sensors, but this has been my first-hand experience.

 

[rachi]

Ok, so CCD and CMOS are 2 different kind of technologie. CMOS is getting cheaper are more used in camera. But more important, it doesn't worth to check if my camera that i'm interested in has CCD or CMOS.

Thanx everybody for the answers.

 

[JamesRL]

rachi wrote:

Ok, so CCD and CMOS are 2 different kind of technologie. CMOS is getting cheaper are more used in camera. But more important, it doesn't worth to check if my camera that i'm interested in has CCD or CMOS.

Thanx everybody for the answers.

I would be very suprised if you find a camera with a CCD sensor in the stores today, unless its used. This is kind of an academic discussion.

 

[MarkInSF]

Limburger wrote:

From what I understood is that CCD records an image as a whole and CMOS records line by line.

The practical main difference imo is that CCD has no rolling shutter (or jelly) effect when panning video fast.

 

[MarkInSF]

JamesRL wrote:

rachi wrote:

Ok, so CCD and CMOS are 2 different kind of technologie. CMOS is getting cheaper are more used in camera. But more important, it doesn't worth to check if my camera that i'm interested in has CCD or CMOS.

Thanx everybody for the answers.

I would be very suprised if you find a camera with a CCD sensor in the stores today, unless its used. This is kind of an academic discussion.

Some of the cheapest point & shoot models still use them. A ccd is cheaper to make.

 

[skyglider]

rachi wrote:

Actually, concerning image quality, what does it changes? colors? CMOS is faster? battery last longer? Does it worth that i buy a camera that has a CMOS instead of a CCD but it's a little more expensive?

CMOS is faster which is why cameras with CMOS sensors can shoot higher frame rate video than CCD cameras. In burst mode, CMOS frame rate is faster but the maximum number of frames at high speed is limited by the size of the buffer. Once the buffer is full, things slow down. IMO, color is more dependent on manufacturer's algorithms than the type of sensor used.

Should i consider the kind of sensor in the choice of camera?

Regarding low light capability, for equal size sensors the BSI (Backside Illuminated) CMOS sensor has better low light capability than non-BSI CMOS sensors or CCD sensors. Some folks prefer CCD sensors regardless. ..... Fujifilm cameras with the Super CCD sensor have octagonal shaped pixels instead of square pixels which allows larger pixel sizes with increased horizontal and vertical resolution at the expense of diagonal resolution. ..... So yes, consideration of the type of sensor in the camera is a valid concern.

Only Fujifilm cameras use the Super CCD sensor so selection with that type of sensor is limited to Fujifilm cameras. BSI CMOS sensors are used in many different brands of cameras so the choice of brands is more varied.

Which type of sensor is best? That depends on who you ask ... ;-),

Sky (Edit: Hmmm, the wink emoticon is not displaying correctly. Bah humbug.)

 

[simmybear31]

Actually CMOS is cheaper than CCD to make.

 

[MarkInSF]

simmybear31 wrote:

Actually CMOS is cheaper than CCD to make.

In theory they may be, but in practice some of the cheapest point & shoots still use ccd and nothing else does. Probably because the plants were all paid for years ago and the demand for their output is low. I doubt those sensors cost much to make.