CMOS Cameras Rise to Speed Challenge

Advances in CMOS image-sensor technology are making it possible for a new breed of highspeed cameras to capture events previously impossible to image by conventional CCD cameras. Improvements in chip design and manufacturing have enabled CMOS cameras to become a cost-effective, high-performance solution for imaging a wide range of transient phenomena, ranging from car crash-tests and ballistics, to muscle contractions and animal movements. Nevertheless, for extremely fast imaging at frame rates of more than a few thousand frames per second (fps), specialized mechanical or image-intensified cameras that use CCD sensors are still required.

There are several inherent advantages CMOS sensors offer over traditional CCD sensors in high-speed imaging. Firstly, high-speed imaging requires high frame-rates. This necessitates short exposure times and strong illumination, which can cause blooming (regions of overexposure) and smear (unwanted stripes) in CCD sensor images. In contrast, the high-speed response and wide dynamic range of CMOS sensors means that bloom and smear are not usually a problem.