Image Sensor Selection: Five Tradeoffs Every Vision Engineer Should Nail Before Tapeout

This blog post was originally published at Macnica’s website. It is reprinted here with the permission of Macnica.

Choosing an image sensor isn’t just a line item on the BOM – it defines how well your camera, robot or inspection system will perform for the next decade. Our new whitepaper, “Image Sensor Selection: Key Factors to Consider Based on Your Application,” distills the latest CMOS know-how from Macnica Senior FAE Dr. Mary Narreto into a practical decision framework. Below is a sneak-peek at five decisions the paper unpacks – plus links to the tools Macnica provides so you can move from spec to working prototype with confidence.

1. 1. Global Shutter vs. Rolling Shutter
      Rolling-shutter devices are smaller and more cost-effective, but fast motion can introduce skew and wobble. The paper shows when you can mitigate artifacts with higher frame rates or a stabilized mount – and when you simply need a Sony Pregius S global-shutter sensor to keep every pixel in lock-step.
   2. Frame-Rate, Exposure Time and Dual-Speed Streaming
      Need to read a license plate on a vehicle doing 80 mph? Increasing frame rate or using Sony’s Dual-Speed Streaming mode (300 fps+ in a windowed ROI on the IMX675) can outrun motion blur without jumping to a global-shutter part.
   3. Pixel-Size vs. Resolution
      BSI technology has rewritten the old “big pixels = better sensitivity” rule. Starvis 2 rolling-shutter parts squeeze 2.9 µm pixels into tiny packages yet deliver a 4× sensitivity bump over previous front-illuminated designs. The paper explains how to balance optical MTF, lens cost and diffraction limits – especially for NIR/SWIR work.
   4. Interface Bandwidth and Processing Platform
      High-res sensors require serious pipe. Sony devices with an SLVS-EC v3.x output can pump 12.5 Gb/s per lane. Macnica’s SLVS-EC Rx IP core and Luminous Platform evaluation kit let you capture that data on Altera FPGAs the same day the sensor board arrives.
   5. Hidden Value in On-Chip Features
      From quad-exposure HDR on the IMX900 to on-sensor motion-detection in the IMX536, modern CMOS imagers ship with features that slash downstream processing requirements. The whitepaper walks through lesser-known modes you can exploit to cut power or BOM cost.

Why Download the Whitepaper?

• Side-by-side decision tables comparing shutter type, pixel pitch, frame-rate ceilings and HDR options.
• Application checklists for robotics, security, UAV mapping and factory automation.
• Design-for-supply advice from Macnica’s distribution team to keep your line running in a tight market.

Get the full 10-page guide here.

How Macnica Accelerates Your Vision Roadmap

As Sony’s authorized sensor distributor for the Americas, Macnica offers far more than device availability:

• Hands-on design help. From optical path tuning to FPGA image-pipeline design, our engineers close the gap between concept and production.
• Complete tool-chain. Evaluate imaging IP, interface cores and analytics software on the Luminous Platform before you spin your own board.
• End-to-end supply security. Lean on a single partner for sensors, processing silicon and logistics – plus lifecycle support matched to industrial and medical product horizons.

Ready to fast-track your camera or machine-vision design? Contact Macnica’s Imaging & Vision team and start building with the best sensor for your application.