CCD vs. CMOS Cameras

Surveillance cameras are an integral part of any security system. They allow you to view your property and potentially catch intruders and suspicious activity. There are basically 2 types of cameras that are often used for video surveillance purposes—CCD and CMOS.

CCD Cameras

• Historically, CCDs have had better resolution and image quality than CMOS cameras
• CCDs are usually more expensive
• They require more energy than CMOS cameras
• CCD stands for “charge coupled device”
• When light strikes the CCD chip it is held as a small electrical charge in each photo sensor
• Charges are converted to voltage one pixel at a time as they are read from the chip

CMOS Cameras

• CMOS cameras have improved in quality due to advancement of digital camera technology
• CMOS cameras are usually less expensive
• They have lower resolutions compared to CCDs
• They require less energy than CCD cameras
• CMOS stands for “complementary metal-oxide semiconductor”
• A CMOS chip is a type of active pixel sensor
• Extra circuitry next to each photo sensor converts the light energy to a voltage

Both types of imagers convert light into an electric charge and process it into electronic signals. But which one is best for monitoring your property? Refer to the chart below and see which type of camera is better for each of the outlined functions.