What does • 1/2.3" Type CCD mean ?

[MrBlobby]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1002/10020804canonpowershotsx210.asp#specs

and
• 1/1.7" Type CCD
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0809/08091701canon_ixus980is_ixus_870is.asp

 

[Raikiri]

It's the size of the sensor, 1/2.3" would have a tube diameter of 11.04mm and measure 7.7mm diagonal.

It's actually a really bad way of meauring it

See here: http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=sensor+sizes

 

[MrBlobby]

thanks