VST Platinum Blog

An outdoor security camera, like all cameras, uses an image sensor made up of many pixels which registers the amount of light and converts it to the corresponding number of electrons. The brighter the light, the more electrons are generated. There are two main technologies used for the camera’s image sensor.

The first is known as the CCD sensor which is an acronym for charge-coupled device, and the second is the CMOS sensor which is spelled out as the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor. Even though these two types are viewed a rivals, each has its own strengths and weaknesses so one would be better than the other in different applications.

CCD sensors were developed specifically to be used in cameras and for the purpose of capturing images. CMOS sensors were developed off standard technology already in use, such as memory chips in computers. However, CMOS sensors today are being developed further for the purpose of being in cameras and the image quality it provides is improving.

CCD sensors are still slightly better in light sensitivity and produce cleaner images than CMOS sensors. Because of higher light sensitivity, the CCD produces sharper images in low light conditions than CMOS sensors.

The two downsides to the CCD sensors are really the true advantages to CMOS sensors. The CCDs make the cameras more expensive since they are harder to put into a camera and an equivalent sensor uses almost one hundred times more power than a CMOS sensor.

Recent advancement in technology is quickly making the CMOS sensor a close rival to the CCD sensor in terms of image quality. CMOS based cameras are lower cost because the CMOS sensors make it easier to build the cameras around them.

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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