Sony’s Pregius image sensors, including the IMX250, IMX252, IMX253, and IMX255 models, have caused some confusion regarding their resolution capabilities. It’s important to note that a higher number in the sensor name does not automatically mean better or higher resolution performance. To help clarify this, we’ve compiled an overview of these specific sensors’ resolutions along with guidance on selecting the right one for your application.

Sensor Specifications Overview

The table below compares key specifications across the four sensors mentioned:

|Sensor |Resolution H|Resolution V|Diagonal (mm)|Aspect Ratio| |IMX250 |2448 |2048 |11.1 |~5:4 | |IMX252 |2048 |1536 |8.9 |4:3 | |IMX253 |4096 |3000 |17.6 |~4:3 | |IMX255 |4096 |2160 |16.1 |~16:9 |

As shown, all sensors feature a pixel size of 3.45 µm, but they differ significantly in horizontal and vertical resolution as well as diagonal dimensions and aspect ratios. Despite these differences, their noise performance remains consistent across the board.

How to Choose the Right Sensor

The selection process depends heavily on your specific application requirements:

Optimizing for Field of View

If achieving a wide field of view is critical, you must consider how sensor resolution interacts with lens capabilities at fixed pixel sizes. Increasing horizontal or vertical resolution while maintaining the same aspect ratio will automatically expand the achievable field of view.

A square aspect ratio (~1:1) offers optimal efficiency when maximizing field-of-view potential through appropriate lens selection. For instance:

  • The IMX250’s ~5:4 aspect ratio provides a reasonable balance between horizontal and vertical coverage.
  • Comparing the IMX252 (4:3) and IMX253 (~4:3), you’ll notice subtle differences in field-of-view capabilities.

Optimizing for On-Screen Display

When displaying images on screens, sensor compatibility with standard aspect ratios becomes crucial. Most monitors utilize either 4:3 or 16:9 formats:

  • For global security applications where recorded footage is frequently displayed on-screen, selecting a sensor that matches your display’s native ratio ensures complete utilization of the image area.

Frame rate requirements often impose additional constraints:

  • CXP-6 cameras (Cohema Coax Digital Interface with up to 6.25 GBit/s bandwidth) can achieve 30 fps for mono/bayer output.
  • However, formats like 8-bit RGB or 10-bit YCbCr may not support full resolution at this frame rate on IMX253 and IMX255 sensors.

Conclusion

While all four sensors share similar core characteristics including noise performance, they differ significantly in pixel count and aspect ratios. The key decision point lies between optimizing for maximum field of view versus matching your display’s native aspect ratio:

  • Choose a square sensor if maximizing potential field-of-view is critical.
  • Select standard 4:3 or 16:9 sensors when on-screen compatibility matters more.

Understanding these trade-offs will help you select the ideal Sony IMX sensor for any machine vision application.

Last Updated: 2025-09-04 21:22:27