To produce functional active layers for photodetector devices, thin films of organic–inorganic CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite semiconductor have been grown by a close-space sublimation procedure and a hybrid dipping technique. x-Ray diffraction analysis was used to evaluate the crystalline quality of the thin films, confirming the achievement of a tetragonal structure of perovskite type in space group I4/mcm. Morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy revealed a homogeneous and compact granular surface distribution. Kubelka–Munk analysis of the optical response measured by ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectrophotometry yielded an energy bandgap of 1.57 eV for the thin films produced by the close-space sublimation technique and 1.59 eV for those obtained by dipping. Photoluminescence experiments corroborated these bandgap values. The I–V characteristics of both thin films obtained at different incident laser powers and a wavelength of 650 nm demonstrated their potential for use as active layers in photodetector devices.