Terminology » Components » Color Sensor vs Monochrome Sensor: Key Differences

Color Sensor vs Monochrome Sensor: Key Differences

sensor color monochrome camera image

This page compares Color Sensor vs Monochrome Sensor and mentions the difference between Color Sensor and Monochrome Sensor types. Both sensors are used in cameras to capture pictures or images.

The following section describes the working of both of these sensors with the unique benefits of each.

Color Sensor

Color sensor

  • A color sensor uses an array of RGGB palettes. RGGB refers to Red-Green, Green-Blue colors.
  • These act as filters for color lights. Hence when green, red, and blue lights hit the green filter pixel, only green light is passed through it. It blocks red and blue lights.
  • As a result of the above, light output in a color sensor is less than that of a monochrome sensor.
  • Figure-1 depicts the working of a color sensor used in a camera.

Monochrome Sensor

Monochrome sensor

  • A monochrome sensor does not use an array of RGGB palettes.
  • As a result, all the color lights are passed through monochrome pixels.
  • As a result of the above, light output in a monochrome sensor is more than that of a color sensor.
  • Figure-1 depicts the working of a monochrome sensor used in a camera.

Main Difference between Color Sensor and Monochrome Sensor

Here’s a breakdown of the key differences:

  • Light Output: The light output of a color sensor is less. The light output of a monochrome sensor is more, and the light capture capacity depends on the quantum efficiency of the monochrome sensor.

  • Sharpness and Detail: A monochrome sensor can capture greater sharpness and details as it passes all the color lights through the photosites. As each photosite passes all the lights, more data are available to produce the image. Moreover, demosaicing is also not needed. This leads to better image clarity and less noise.

    A color sensor does not capture all the lights through a single photosite. This means each photosite in a color sensor captures and stores either color from the RGB spectrum. Later, all the colors as filtered by their respective photosites are combined to develop the image using a complex algorithm known as demosaicing. As there are less data from each pixel, it leads to poor image clarity and more noise.

Also, refer to the application note on interfacing of a color sensor with the Arduino Uno board with a pin-to-pin interfacing diagram and source code.