| Presence in the Retina | More numerous (about 20 times more than cones) | Less numerous |
| Location in the Retina | Predominantly in the peripheral regions of the retina | Concentrated in the central region of the retina (fovea) |
| Sensitivity to Light | Highly sensitive to low light levels | Less sensitive to low light, more active in bright light |
| Nature of vision | Scotopic vision | Photopic vision |
| Function | Predominantly involved in peripheral and night vision | Predominantly responsible for central and color vision |
| Visual Acuity | Lower visual acuity (less ability to discern fine details) | Higher visual acuity (better ability to discern fine details) |
| Color Sensitivity | Mostly achromatic (sensitive to shades of light and dark) | Responsible for color vision (trichromatic vision) |
| Pigment Type | Rhodopsin | Photopsin which is a visual pigments specific to different cones |
| Adaptation to Bright Light | Slow adaptation | Rapid adaptation |
| Recovery Time after Light Exposure | Have a longer recovery time after exposure to bright light | Shorter recovery time after exposure to bright light |
| Role in Dim Light Conditions | Main photoreceptors in low-light conditions | Limited function in low-light conditions |
| Role in Daylight Conditions | Less active in well-lit conditions | Main photoreceptors in well-lit conditions |
