What Is Cmos Sensor Output?

CMOS in an abbreviation of "Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor." CMOS sensors are widely used in digital cameras and camcorders to produce analog/digital output representing each picture element, or pixel, in an image.

Output

The output from a CMOS sensor, itself, is a physical electric charge and so can be described as analog. However, the analog output is subsequently converted into a digital signal -- a series of numerical values -- that is processed by the electronic circuits within the camera or camcorder.

Electric Charge

Each pixel in a CMOS sensor registers the amount of light falling upon it and converts the light into a corresponding number of negatively charged particles, called electrons. The electrons generate an electric charge that is proportional to the number of photons, or light particles, falling on the sensor.

Digitization

The electric charge is converted to an analog voltage that is amplified and sent to a device known as an analog to digital converter. Here, the analog signal is digitized or converted into numbers that can be understood by a computer.

References

• Catching the Light: How Digital Cameras Work
• What Digital Camera: Sensors Explained
• Dictionary.com: Photon