CCD Magic- Yes it Exists but not everyone can see it

There's a huge Hot-Potato debate going around everywhere on the internet since things "opened up" from the Pandemic, and that is "are CCD sensors Better then CMOS/Modern/Smartphone sensors?

In late 2022 as the world moved out of their Vault-like lifestyles and began living again many people, especially young people who had part of their impressionable months or years locked away from their friends behind a mask, looked for new Hobbies to explore.

For a large number of Zoomers, one of the prominent hobbies that exploded during the beginning of the "Post Pandemic" era was Photography.  Teenagers and young 20 somes decided to put down their phones and look at the world through the lens of dedicated cameras instead, but the twist of this is: they didn't hop over to Nikon/Sony/Canon (albeit a lot did jump over to Fuji but that's a different subject for a different day) and buy the newest greatest Mirrorless cameras.  No, they did what I have been doing since 2018:  Seeking out the Digicam.

In part this post is going to be Elder Millennial defending these Zoomers because for once its something we actually share in common.  I may not have any interest whatsoever to play Fortnite or be bawling tears because the US is going to join several other countries in finally blocking a major Security Risk on the internet (TikTok) but I can appreciate a common ground when it comes to Digicams.

Then there are those who "fighting back against digicams" on various channels on YouTube and other Vlogs/Social media.  Most of these people are from two crowds:  Film Hipsters (who believe that people are viewing Digicams as "Better then/same as Film" and I can see why they feel defensive over that).

On the other side of the anti-digicam team are the more "Serious" photographers who of course want to validate the thousands of dollars they spent on equipment and thus are going on a crusade to stamp out "Inferior Digicams" so will go full on the defense of why their $5000 Full Frame MICL is better etc etc.

I've done several posts regarding "Gear Snobs" and why they grind my gears.  So I am not going down that Tangent in this post.  

Needless to say you've got two camps of people just as you did with the Film vs Digital movement that started around the mid 2010s (and is still ongoing): Those for Digicams and those attacking/against them.

Let's clear the air right now by saying one truth about Photography that has been a long standing point of this Blog:  Photography is ART.  Art is Subjective.  What looks great and amazing to one person is going to look terrible to someone else.  

In that sense no, your $5000 Sony MICL Full Frame Monster is not "Better" then the person shooting a 60 year old Medium Format Film camera nor is it "Better" then someone shooting a Vintage digital camera with a CCD sensor in it. It is just "Different" because to an artist will paint with the "canvas, brushes and paints" that look the best to them.

Another example of how a Photographer can use a different tool to get some really unique results is from online friend of mine recently 3D printed some pinhole lenses for their modern Sony APS-C MILC camera.  They cut out a lens from a disposable film camera and put it into this 3D housing for a homemade lens that got some really cool effects. I may do a seperate post about this sort of "experimental" photography though my experience with it is pretty limited (as of right now anyway).

Because of the premise that Art means embracing differences I am going to state that CCD Magic or even Film Magic is not and should not be considered "Better" then a Modern MICL Camera, nor likewise is a $5000 MICL camera better because it costs more and is new.  It's all about being different and that is what makes the Magic and makes the Art.  

If your Film gives a different look to a photo then a Sony A9 with a $8000 lens slapped onto it that is where the Magic is.  Art should be about what looks aesthetically better to you and will vary person to person. It's not about staring at a zoomed in at full pixel level to determine "which image is more technically better because it has less sensor noise".

I'll admit, I've even committed this Digital Photography sin more then once.  It's extremely common when I am doing Nature Photography.  But maybe in that one case yes I do need that tool with the better camera and the better lens because I am looking for a very specific look.

So putting this into context the question becomes not "Is Photography with CCD sensors Better?" to "Is Photography with CCD sensors different?".  That will determine if the Magic or Art is different with different tools.  In my opinion it is; but not everyone may see the difference.

Rather then ramble on about the science and technical specifications I'll provide some examples from 2 different CCD based cameras and 2 different CMOS cameras.  I am sticking to APS-C DSLRs for my "Test group" simply because the lenses I use on these cameras are the same.  I will also be throwing in a curveball at the end with the Fuji Super CCD sensors; but for now let's put two single layer CCD sensors vs two Single layer CMOS sensors.  

I wanted to keep this initial comparison small.  I could have easily thrown in a 1/2.5" Canon Powershot CCD sensor into the pot along with the unique properties of the Sigma Foveon sensor; but that sensor is unique enough it really deserves its own post to explain just how different of a tool it is.

Smaller sensors, Vintage Digital and Digi-cams will likely get their own future blog post, because I feel there is enough to cover just in the CCD aspect alone to put two comparable cameras with different technologies toe to toe and show off how it can differ.

In the APS-C CCD Corner we have the Sony a290 and the Nikon D200.  And in the CMOS corner we have the Sony a37 and the Nikon D7000.  Color science is a little different on newer cameras, so I thought it was more appropriate to keep this limited to cameras older then 2015.

These photos have been touched up minorly in post.  Mostly for exposure and sharpness.  Contrast, white balance, and contrast were mostly left alone.  I may do a SOOC comparison for a more "clinical" approach to this at a later date but for now I am just using 4 photos I really like shot on each camera.

First up for the CCDs the Sony a290:

Compare this to the Sony a37, a very similar (16mp vs 14mp APS-C) but CMOS sensor:

And now we move onto the Nikon camp.  Nikon uses Sony sensors.  So maybe the argument is we are only comparing Sony Sensors to Sony Sensors but I digress.

Nikon D200 (CCD)

Nikon D7000 (CMOS)

Overall in my personal experience the Sony a290's sensor is so vivid that it really steps ahead of the pack even over the D200.  It's a camera limited in so many ways and can be very frustrating to shoot but when I see how the images turn out I wind up holding onto it tight for well reasons.

The Nikon D200 is more subtle of the "CCD Effect" but it is there if your eye is trained enough.  Likewise the a37 and D7000 (which use similar 16mp APS-C CMOS sensors) have a more noticeable orange/yellow shift overall.

To sum my thoughts up: every camera sensor whether it is CCD or CMOS will have a different look.  They all have slight differences in how the processor outputs the data it receives and differences in how the photsites themselves capture light.  

So yes, there is merit in also saying the Canon 5D classic will get a more "Classic" or different look then a Sony A7 is valid as well since even though they are both Full Frame CMOS sensors they have different processors and way they output their files, yes even in RAW they will look wildly different.

Putting everything up to this point aside, many people may not be able to see much of a difference at all between different camera sensors;  Old, New,  Full Frame or Smartphone Sensor, CMOS or CCD.  

Many will see all of these photos as the same or "equally as good" and that is fine.  There are some factors that can influence not being able to see these subtle differences as well. 

For Example:  If you look at these photos on a standard computer monitor you should see some differences.  If you look at them on your Phone or a tablet however: those devices have vibrant OLED screens which tend to "even out" colors and contrast to make any photo taken with just about any camera pop and look good.  

That may be a reason why Smartphone photography is so hard to break out of, because those taking photos with their Smartphone are most likely going to view these photos on the phone and their friends are also going to look at them on their phones as well, which will often muddle the subtle differences you will see if you look on a computer screen.  They may not be able to see the differences you will see on a larger monitor or color print from all these different sensors.  

When you are trying to see the differences between these 4 cameras, I strongly encourage you to put down your phone or tablet and open up a browser on your Laptop or Desktop computer instead.

The Magic of Art is such a fickle thing:  some people can see it, while others can't.  I can see the Magic, and as such I can appreciate the photos from all of these cameras in a different way. 

I can still enjoy photos taken with my CMOS cameras while still admitting there is "Something different about the look you get from CCD and Older CMOS sensors that makes it Cool and Unique"

To end and summarize this blog post:  If you can appreciate the Art of having a different look to your photos, even if it is subtle and you really have to look hard to see "Oh hey CCD sensors tend to have a slightly more green/blue color shift vs a yellow/red shift that CMOS sensors give by default.  Then great! If not, use the tools you enjoy using and don't rain on someone else's parade simply because they see a different canvas with what is in front of them then you may see.

If you want to argue "well I can make my CMOS sensor look like that with a Filter in post" sure, obviously you can.  But at that point you are still using a different tool to make your Art so why not leave the CCD camera enthusiast alone and let them use the tools that work the best for them to create their own art with?

To end this post as promised, here is the Bonus or Preview as it were of some photos from the Dual Layer Super CCD sensors in the Fuji S1 and S2 Pro. A sneak peak at what the subject of one of my upcoming blog posts will be about.