Sony IMX363 vs IMX486 - Who's the Winner ?

Sony has been a Pioneer in the Field of Cameras and Camera sensors for a longer time. Camera Sensors developed by Sony have revolutionized mobile cameras. A lot of research has been put by the company to develop these sensors and that's why these sensors can capture more light and details. The combination of sufficient Light and detailing in the picture makes it a better picture. All these features make the Sony mobile sensors stand out as compared to the other market players. The company has multiple series which offer multiple sensors with different features, but here we will compare Sony IMX 363 with IMX 486 sensor. 

Sony IMX 363 vs 486

Let's dive into the details of both the sensors:

Sony IMX 363 vs IMX 486  Comparison

1. Fabrication Technology: Both the sensors are CMOS(Combined MOS) Active-Pixel Sensors(APS) type sensors. The CMOS is a MOSFET(Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor) Fabrication technology which is a combination of P-type MOS(PMOS) & N-type(NMOS). CMOS sensors are fast and consume less power as compared to the previously used CCD(Charged Couple Device) sensors. Also, both the sensors use Sony's Exmor technology(which makes the sensor Parallelly Run Analog to Digital conversion and Noise Reduction process) and fall under the category of Exmor RS Sensors(6th Generation Sensor).

Winner: Since both the Sensors share the same Fabrication technique so both the sensors are at the same level in context to the fabrication.

2. Resolution: It is the number of pixels a screen can show, both horizontally and vertically. The IMX 363 offers a resolution of 4032 x 3024 Pixels which makes 12.2 MP while the IMX 486 offers a resolution of 4032 x 3016 making it a 12 MP Camera. 

Winner: There is a very slight difference between the resolutions of both the sensors. But talking about the difference, the Sony IMX 363 Stands out a little bit.

3. Sensor Size: The size of the Camera sensor is directly proportional to the information an image will contain because the more the size of the sensor, the better the image will be. IMX 363 has a 7.06 mm sensor size while the IMX 486 has a 6.20 mm sensor size. 

Winner: Large sensor size means better image and the sensor size of Sony IMX 363 is larger than IMX 486 so Sony IMX 363 is the winner.

4. Unit Cell Size: Unit Cell Size or Photosite is the smallest unit that collects photons(Packets of Light) and produces a signal, which is then used as a pixel. It is the smallest unit of the sensor which collectively makes the sensor. Sony IMX 363 has a unit cell size of 1.40 μm while IMX 486 has a size of 1.25 μm. 

Winner: Large Photosite means large light-capturing which results in a better image. So here Sony IMX 363 is the clear winner because it has a larger Unit Cell Size. 

5. Subpixel Layout: Subpixel layout refers to the arrangement of colors in the pixel. Nowadays, all display devices come with an RGB(Red Green Blue) subpixel arrangement, but earlier devices used the BGR(Blue Green Red) arrangement of the pixel. The BGR layout makes the image blurry. 

Sony IMX 363 vs 486

Here both the sensors have the RGB Subpixel layout.

Winner: Both the Sensors offer Bayer RGB Subpixel Layout so both are at the same level in the case of Subpixel layout.

6. Phase Autofocus: PDAF(Phase Detection Autofocus) technique compares the different phases of the object and then determines the required focus distance. This is done with the help of Autofocus Pixels which comprises 5-10% of the total image sensor pixels. Dual Pixel PDAF is the extension of the PDAF where 100% of the pixels on an image sensor are used for both imaging and autofocusing. Since Dual Pixel PDAF offers Faster and noise-free image processing so it is better than the conventional PDAF technology. Here Sony IMX 363 offers Dual Pixel Phase Detection Autofocusing and IMX 486 offers a basic PDAF focusing technique. 

Winner: Since IMX 363 has Dual Pixel Autofocus so it wins against the Sony IMX 486. 

ALSO READ: Sony IMX 363 vs IMX 766

Final Verdict

There are some areas where both the sensors Tie, but in other fields, the Sony IMX 363 stands out. So according to the on-paper specifications, the Sony IMX 363 is a clear winner

LIST OF SMARTPHONES EQUIPPED WITH SONY IMX 363 CAMERA SENSOR:

We hope you liked the comparison of IMX363 vs IMX486.
Thanks for Reading!!

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