Idea Center

If you had read such an article five(5) years ago or better still a decade ago, you would have found that most people had placed their quality bets on CCD cameras. CMOS Sensors were just entering the market and did not have attractive Signal to noise ratios.

At first, you might like to take a look at a CCD vs CMOS Sensor comparison to understand the differences.

To summarize

• CMOS Sensors output digital images directly without any post processing
• Most CMOS sensors come with on-board DSP capability if you are incorporating them in design
• CCD sensors still outdo CMOS Sensors in quality of the image; there is no dispute here.
  
• CCD sensors primarily take monochromatic images that are sent out in an analog format requiring an Analog to Digital Converter. (ADC)
  
• CMOS Sensors provide better quality for price and are now ready for mass deployment.
  
• CMOS Sensors have a long way to grow which means they are upcoming technology that will keep improving.
• They are available for densities upto 12 MegaPixels which makes them attractive for low-price still shot photography.

So, if you are looking at the newest SLR camera or a Camera phone in the market, it is most likely that you have a CMOS sensor inside it.  The two big companies that make these sensors are Micron Imaging, now Aptina and OmniVision. There are other smaller players in this market, but the big two have almost 80% market share.

Those who are working on Photo Conductivity and Photo Detectors for Solar energy and similar purposes may also land up on technology that might improve Digital Sensor technology.

As the world is turning increasingly digital, processing information from Analog to Digital is better done at the entry level even if it costs some quality (that can be made up using post-processing, filters and other technology.) 

Why are Digital Image Sensors so exciting today?

• Blogs have pictures from almost everywhere.
• Location and Mapping services allow users to connect photographs to actual map locations.
• Consumer Photography and Imaging has gained far more importance in volume. Many Digital cameras today almost match the yester-year SLRs in quality.
  
• Quality consciousness exists in the Industrial, Military and Aerospace Arena. They are also turning towards cheap imaging arrays that can correct error by larger sizes.

Is there something missing in Digital Imaging today?

• Lens technology and matching Lenses with digital images is a space that is lacking today.
• Digital Lenses that can be purely controlled in digital space for the amount of light allowed in, and auto-focus and zooming are still emerging technology
• Power hungry lighting is being replaced by power conscious lighting technology. The downside is such lighting technology produces light of much less luminosity and is less suited for photography.
• Digital Imaging may not perform very well for very low exposure times or very high shutter speeds. The response time of a sensor needs to be worked on.
• Marrying lenses with sensor technology to create camera solutions that can fit multiple applications is something that hasn't yet happened in a big way. Part of this is due to mechanical design constraints, lens size constraints and the unique nature of each application of digital imaging.

We are expecting innovation to get Lens technology better and more friendly towards digital sensors in a big way. This could help unleash the revolution of digital imaging (which has already shown up with the ubiquitous webcam on everyone's desk) faster and in ways we could never have dreamt of. Simple applications are face recognition, easier surveillance solutions with direct digital distributed end points, car rear view mirrors with night vision or thermal vision for better low light or night performance and more!