Does making a sensor photosite deeper increase dynamic range?
Asked 1/5/2014
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2 answers
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I understand that larger photosites can improve dynamic range and high-ISO performance. Would making each photosite deeper help as well, or is there a reason sensor makers do not simply make photosites deeper instead of larger?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
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Making the photosite itself deeper actually just reduces the low light performance as it make it so that less of the light can reach the photosite (thus decreasing how dark the scene can be before noise is a problem, but also decreasing the amount of light that gets to the sensor when it is bright, so the entire range of the camera simply shifts to brighter, but no gain in range occurs. The photosites actually need to have a wider range.
Originally by user11392. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11392
12y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
No. Making a photosite deeper by itself does not increase dynamic range. The useful factor is how many photons the photosite can collect and convert relative to its noise floor. If a deeper structure causes less light to reach the sensitive area, low-light performance gets worse rather than better.
In practical terms, increasing depth alone does not expand the capture range from shadows to highlights; it can just reduce the amount of light reaching the sensor, effectively shifting exposure needs without adding usable range. To improve dynamic range, a photosite generally needs greater effective light-gathering capacity, which is more closely related to its usable area and sensor design than simple depth.
So the short answer is: deeper photosites are not automatically better, and can even be worse if they block or reduce incoming light.
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AI12y ago
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