CMOS sensor on expensive SLR cameras???

[DanLaw001]

Hello, I saw that some very expensive SLR cameras commonly have CMOS sensor instead of CCD. Therefore, I did some research online and I noticed that ironically CMOS sensor is a lot cheaper than CCD and their advantage is nothing that power-saving compared with CCD which have higher imaging quality and pixels number. So, what makes CMOS popular in SLR cameras despite that they have lower quality?

 

[Solarflare]

Because CMOS are better.


In a more verbose answer, right now CMOS has advantages with noise and dynamic range, things that are mentioned a lot in camera reviews.

Thats why medium format cameras, which are currently ALWAYS CCD due to technological reasons, dont have good low light performance.

The advantage of CCDs is color accuracy. If you cool them near absolute zero, as astronomers do, they also offer extremely low noise, thats however not applyable for normal handheld cameras.

 

[Tinderbox (UK)]

Do cmos sensor still have the problem with wobbly video on a moving vehicle?

John.

 

[AlexanderB]

Because CMOS are better.


In a more verbose answer, right now CMOS has advantages with noise and dynamic range, things that are mentioned a lot in camera reviews.

Thats why medium format cameras, which are currently ALWAYS CCD due to technological reasons, dont have good low light performance.

The advantage of CCDs is color accuracy. If you cool them near absolute zero, as astronomers do, they also offer extremely low noise, thats however not applyable for normal handheld cameras.

Color accuracy has nothing to do with CMOS vs. CCD. Color accuracy depends on color filter array and on-pixel micro-lens design.

 

[AlexanderB]

Do cmos sensor still have the problem with wobbly video on a moving vehicle?

John.

Rolling shutter is still a problem.

 

[rexbobcat]

Do cmos sensor still have the problem with wobbly video on a moving vehicle?

John.

Rolling shutter is still a problem.

That's why I'm holding out hope for the Black Magic Pocket Cinema camera.

It supposedly has a global shutter so there's no jello effect.

 

[Big Mike]

Hello, I saw that some very expensive SLR cameras commonly have CMOS sensor instead of CCD. Therefore, I did some research online and I noticed that ironically CMOS sensor is a lot cheaper than CCD and their advantage is nothing that power-saving compared with CCD which have higher imaging quality and pixels number. So, what makes CMOS popular in SLR cameras despite that they have lower quality?

Last I heard, most of the modern DSLR cameras use CMOS sensors. Are there any that still use CCD?

 

[KmH]

So, what makes CMOS popular in SLR cameras despite that they have lower quality?

Since the image sensor is pretty much the single most costly part of a digital camera, the fact that CMOS costs less to manufacture is a biggie to the camera makers.
CMOS costs more to design than CCD, but the increased design cost is made up with the lower cost of image sensor production.
CCD vs. CMOS - Teledyne DALSA Inc

Most of the gains in ISO performance (reduced image noise) have been realized by software improvements, not by image sensor improvements.
DxOMark - SNR evolution over time

 

[DanLaw001]

Thanks for participation guys...

 

[Solarflare]

Do cmos sensor still have the problem with wobbly video on a moving vehicle?

Video of a moving vehicle will NOT have the "Wobble" aka Jello - Effect. Because you will pan the vehicle. The Jello - Effect can only appear if you try to hold the camera still without the help of a tripod (or steady cam, image stabilization etc). The camera will move slightly around, and this combined with the fact different pixels are read at different times will creating the Jello - Effect.

Video cameras often use CCD sensors. Giving CCD sensors a global shutter, which removes the Rolling Shutter and all problems associated with it, including the Jello - Effect, is pretty popular. However, you can give CMOS sensors a global shutter as well. Its in both cases a question of additional complexity and thus expense.

You can have the Jello - Effect with film, CCD, or CMOS. Its not a question of the sensor technology. Its a question of how your shutter works and well you stabilize your video camera.

 

[Solarflare]

Last I heard, most of the modern DSLR cameras use CMOS sensors. Are there any that still use CCD?

My Ricoh GR Digital IV still has a CCD sensor. The new Ricoh GR (successor of the GRD4) with the APS-C sized sensor has a CMOS-Sensor now, though.

 

[EDL]

One of the driving factors for CMOS over CCD in DSLRs is speed. Speed in moving the data off the sensor so it can be processed. CCD's are limited to two channels, a CMOS can have however many channels the designers want to put on it. Also, the CMOS sensor itself can do some preliminary processing, like A/D conversion, and noise reduction, for example.

Modern DSLRs and their speed and processing capabilities would not be possible with CCD sensors.

 

[DanLaw001]

So, do you mean that higher the processing speed of the sensor, faster the image will be available in the display after I pressed the shutter button?

 

[DanLaw001]

Also, are CCD sensors generally smaller than CMOS?

 

[KmH]

CCD's are not appreciably smaller than CMOS.

Since A/D conversion and signal amplification for CCD's is done with separate chips, more circuit board real estate is needed.

Image processor speed has more to do with displaying the image on the rear LCD than image sensor processing or the processing (signal amplification and A/D conversion) done between the image sensor and the image processor.