Image Sensors Explained: How CCD and CMOS Sensors works? CCD vs CMOS

In this video, modern-day image sensors like, CCD (Charge Coupled Device) and CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) have been briefly explained. And the comparison between CCD and CMOS sensor is carried out in various aspects.

Both CCD and CMOS sensors consist of an array of tiny photosites (pixels) which converts incoming light into the charge.

The following steps are common in both CCD and CMOS sensors, but the sequence in which it is carried out might differ in two sensors.

1. Conversion of incoming light into the charge
2. Charge Accumulation
3. Charge Transfer
4. Charge to Voltage Conversion
5. Voltage amplification

CCD Sensor:

In case of CCD Sensor, the incoming light is converted into charge, and then charge to voltage conversion is carried out, outside the sensor area.
Most CCD sensor has a single charge to voltage conversion circuit and single amplifier. So, charge from each pixel is transferred to the next row (or next column) and eventually to the shift register.
In shift register, the charge is transferred one by one and then it is converted into the voltage.

CMOS sensor:

In case of CMOS sensor, the charge to voltage conversion and voltage amplification is carried out in the pixel itself. So, each pixel has its own charge to voltage converter circuit and voltage amplifier circuit. Such CMOS sensor pixels (which contains amplifier) are known as the active pixel sensor.
In case of CMOS sensor, the reading of the pixel voltage is carried out in line by line fashion.

Comparision of CCD and CMOS sensors:

1. System integration:
In case of CMOS sensor as the peripheral circuit is also integrated into the sensor chip itself. While in case of CCD sensor, for peripheral components, the different chip is required.

2. Power Consumption:
CMOS requires less power than CCD Sensors.

3. Processing Speed:
CMOS sensor is much faster than CCD sensors.

4. Noise and sensitivity
CCD sensor has less noise than CMOS sensor and also it has better sensitivity. But nowadays using different techniques like microlens on each pixel of CMOS sensor, the sensitivity can be increased.

Time stamps for the different topics are given below:

0:34 Overview of CCD and CMOS Sensors

1:36 How CCD Works?

2:53 How CMOS sensor Works?

4:01 Comparision between CCD and CMOS Sensors

4:11 Comparision in terms of the system integration

4:51 Comparision in terms of Power Consumption

5:37 Comparision in terms of the Processing Speed

6:33 Comparison in terms of the Noise and Sensitivity

7:25 Comparision in terms of the image distortion

This video will be helpful to all in understanding the CCD and CMOS image sensors.

Follow me on YouTube:

Follow me on Facebook:

Follow me on Instagram:

Music Credit:

[samsonpeters]

People complaining of language, please add knowledge by accommodating and adjusting to the teacher. The tutorial is simple and so educative. Excellent

[jdgfxwx]

wow this video is basically an hour of my class compact into 9 minutes. I'm leaving a like here

[arnabchatterjee]

CCD vs CMOS has already been a subject of debate for industries. This video has explained nicely the difference between them. Superb presentation.

[robinlouiset]

I needed to study what are the differences between CMOS and CCD for an internship. Well, this tutorial is a very good introduction, thank you !

[ScottPowersArt]

Thanks so much! Decades into photography and I never even really thought about it. I knew it was RGB, never considered how the process of amplification could affect the end result. Now looking through my gear to see what I got and may even get an old CCD to experiment with.

[tenzinwangjor]

He did speak fast. However, i used my brain and clicked the "caption" button. It's a video, you can rewind an infinite amount of times. Great video, thanks for the information.

[jeffmsc]

Excellent presentation and your English is fine, I don't know why so many people are complaining.

[elisechapellet]

You rock man! You have the gift of explaining complicated things in a way that make them look simple!
Best video on the topic that have seen! Many thanks!

[ToninFightsEntropy]

That was detailed. I couldn't get all without going back and paying attention to the subs, but you deserve a far better rating on this video than you've gotten!

[lehaswinipalla]

ur channel literally never disappoints!

[deaththeberny]

you made my day, i've been looking for something like this all day, thank you and keep up the great work

[tomrose]

Excellent explanation. If CCD is an intrinsically superior technology for capturing still images then it is a shame that the many ways CMOS sensors have been improved to give high ISO capablity (better microlenses, less dnes pigment in the CFA, quieter on-chip circuitry, ... ) have not been applied to CCD, and that features and convenience (and manufacturing cost) have been prioritised by camera makers over image quality.

[StringerNews]

That's pretty good. I was looking for a video that visually described how light is tiurned into an electrical charge, then voltage before being digitized, for the benefit of people who think that everything electronic is magically digital. In fact, the best CCD video cameras have the ability to control amplifier gain to eliminate analog or digital clipping before the photosite information is digitized. That and the absence of rolling shutter, that cannot be eliminated on CMOS, makes CCD the overwhelming choice when best image quality is needed. This will no doubt spur vehement denial among "cinema" fanbois, but it's a fact. CMOS is less costly to make, and is better for battery-powered things like phones, and other mass market devices. Being cheaper makes it more widespread, but when dynamic range and temporal factors matter, you need CCD.

[rohaansahu]

Great video. Very informative. This explains the high mega pixels of modern day phone cameras.That was a doubt I had from a long time.

[OrderMeetsChaos]

Hahahahhahahahahaaa i clicked on the video the intro was ammazing with the song and all that.. and then he speaks 🤣 im dead

[elisabethodje]

great explanation and thank you for the knowledge

[subhajitsarkar]

I hardly make comments on any video but this video forced me to do so . As this video was extremely helpful for me before my exam. It summarised whole things in just 9 minutes

[Andratos]

Besides the fact that it sounds like you're talking using a soundboard of yourself, nice video!

[astprawnnone]

Thaaank you so much!!! i've been searching for 3 days how the cmos sensor works. Other sites/ videos are a little bit superficial or they are really hard to understand. I set the speed to 0.75 and it worked really well!!!

[TheGreenos]

Excellent Video. I was searching for the reason why most CMOS sensors are implemented with a rolling shutter....and got my answer. Thanks!