The type of electronic sensor used to collect imagery in an electro-optical camera is ________.

• A. Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) or Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)
• B. Photodiode Array Sensor
• C. CMOS Only
• D. Film-based Sensor

Answer: (A)

Electronic image sensors in an electro-optical camera convert light into electrical signals using a pixel array. The two main technologies used for these sensors are Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) and Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS). Both types turn photons into electrical charges at each pixel and then read those charges to form a digital image. CCDs historically offered very low noise, but CMOS sensors are now prevalent due to lower power consumption, faster readout, and cost advantages; many drone cameras use CMOS, while CCDs may still appear in specialized systems. That’s why the broad and accurate description of the sensor type used to collect imagery is a CCD or CMOS.

The other options aren’t standard imaging sensor terms: a Photodiode Array Sensor isn’t the typical name for a digital camera sensor, CMOS Only excludes the possibility of CCD sensors being used, and a Film-based Sensor is not an electronic sensor and is not used for digital imagery.