Comparison Sony A6500 body vs Sony A6300 body

An image stabilization method provided by the camera. Note that systems of the optical type and with a sensor shift are sometimes combined under the term "true" stabilization - due to their effectiveness. See below for more on this.

By itself, stabilization (regardless of the principle of operation) allows you to compensate for the effect of "shake" with an unstable camera position - especially when shooting handheld. This is especially true when shooting with a significant increase or at slow shutter speeds. However, in any case, this function reduces the risk of spoiling the frame, so cameras with stabilization are extremely common. The principles of work can be as follows:

— Electronic. Stabilization, carried out due to a kind of "reserve" - a section along the edges of the sensor, which initially does not participate in the formation of the final image. However, if the camera electronics detect fluctuations, it compensates for them by selecting the necessary image fragments from the reserve. Electronic systems are extremely simple, compact, reliable and at the same time inexpensive. However, for their work it is necessary to allocate a fairly significant part of the sensor - and reducing the usable area of the sensor increases the noise level and degrades the image quality. And in some models, electronic stabilization is turned on only at lower resolutions and is not available at ful...l frame size. Therefore, in its pure form, this option is found mainly in relatively inexpensive cameras with non-replaceable lenses.

- Optical. Stabilization, carried out when light passes through the lens, is due to a system of movable lenses and gyroscopes. As a result, the image hits the sensor already stabilized, and the entire sensor area can be used for it. Therefore, optical systems, despite the complexity and rather high cost, are considered more preferable for high-quality filming than electronic ones. Separately, we note that in SLR and MILC cameras (see "Camera Type") the availability of this function depends on the lens installed; therefore, for such models, optical stabilization is not indicated in our catalog in principle (even if the complete lens is equipped with a stabilizer).

- With sensor shift. Stabilization, carried out by shifting the sensor "following" the shifted image. Like the optical one described above, it is considered a fairly advanced option, although in general it is somewhat less effective. On the other hand, systems with a sensor shift have serious advantages - first of all, the fact that such stabilization will work regardless of the characteristics of the lens. For cameras with fixed lenses, this means that the lens can do without an optical stabilizer and make the optics simpler, cheaper and more reliable. In SLR and MILC cameras, the sensor shift makes it possible to use even “non-stabilized” lenses with convenience, and when installing “stabilized” optics, both systems work together, and their efficiency is very high. In addition, sensor shift is somewhat simpler and cheaper than traditional optical stabilizers.

— Optical and electronic. Stabilization that combines both of the options described above: initially it operates according to the optical principle, and when the capabilities of the lens are not enough, an electronic system is connected. This improves the overall efficiency compared to purely optical or purely electronic stabilizers. On the other hand, the disadvantages of both options in such systems are also combined: the optics are relatively complex and expensive, and not all of the sensor is involved. Therefore, such a combination is rare, mainly in separate advanced digital compacts.

- With sensor shift and electronic. Another type of combined stabilization systems. Like “optical + electronic”, it improves the overall stabilization efficiency, but at the same time it combines the disadvantages of the two methods (they are also similar: the complication and rise in price of the camera, plus a decrease in the useful area of \u200b\u200bthe sensor). Therefore, this option is used extremely rarely - in single models of digital ultrazooms and advanced compacts.

File formats in which the camera can record video. Given that the footage is designed to be viewed on an external screen, you should make sure that the playback device (DVD player, media centre, etc.) is able to work with the appropriate formats. At the same time, many camera models themselves can play the role of a player by connecting to a TV via an audio / video output or HDMI (see the corresponding paragraphs of the glossary). And if the video materials are to be viewed on a computer, you should not pay special attention to this parameter at all: problems with format incompatibility in such cases rarely occur, but are usually solved by installing the appropriate codec.

Restrictions on the length of the recorded video provided in the design of the camera. In some models, the recording time is limited in time (for example, 30 minutes) — thus, to record a longer video, it will have to be split into separate clips. In others, the duration depends only on the amount of free memory — you can record as long as there is enough space. There is also a combination of these options; in such models, video recording stops as soon as either of the two limits is reached.

Autofocus operating modes provided in the camera design.

— One picture. The main mode of autofocus operation is found in all modern cameras and is used most often. Designed for shooting motionless objects.

— Follower. This mode is used for shooting moving objects, the distance to which is constantly changing: the camera constantly monitors the position of the object, constantly adjusting the optics so that it is in focus. Usually found in middle and upper class cells.

— AI focus. A peculiar combination of the previous two modes is used when a stationary object can start moving at any moment. If the scene is static, autofocus works in the single frame mode, but if the object on which focus is made starts to move, the device switches to tracking autofocus mode. AI mode allows you to almost instantly set the optimal autofocus settings, which is especially useful for sequential shooting. Initially, it was found in expensive models, however, thanks to the development of technology, today it can even be used in inexpensive compacts (see “Camera type”).

— By the face. Autofocus mode that uses a face recognition system and focuses on them. This feature is especially useful for taking pictures of people at a great distance from the camera, when the face is much smaller than the frame size, such as in group shots.

— With a smile. A further development of the face autofocus mode described above, when, in accordance with the nam...e, the system reacts not just to a face, but to a smile. This mode can be combined with the function of automatic shooting at the moment of a smile.

— Animal in the frame. A mode designed primarily for shooting animals, which can be difficult (and often impossible) to make them sit still in the frame. It is usually a variation of the tracking autofocus described above, but specific features of operation may vary depending on the camera model.

This list is not exhaustive, and other specific autofocus modes may be provided in the design of modern cameras.

The presence of the touch focus function in the design of the camera.

Such focus is necessarily combined with a touch screen (see below). It gives the photographer the opportunity to independently choose a point for focus in the frame being shot: for this, it is enough to touch this point on the image displayed on the screen. Touch focus is extremely simple and intuitive, and therefore very convenient, especially for beginners and non-professional users.

The shutter is a system that regulates the duration of exposure, that is, the effect of light on the matrix (for more details on exposure, see above). Here are the main types of such systems:

— Electronic. A type of shutter that is only suitable for digital cameras. Such systems do not have moving mechanical parts; exposure in them is carried out electronically. At the moment the shutter is pressed, when the shutter is “opened”, the matrix is completely reset; and after a certain time (corresponding to the exposure time), when the shutter is “closing”, the accumulated charge is read from it. This allows you to carry out full-fledged photography and work with different shutter speeds without using complex structures. Another advantage over the mechanical shutters described below is that such systems are perfect for Live View (see above): the matrix can constantly broadcast the image on the screen, only sometimes “interrupting” directly into shooting. On the other hand, such a constant work increases the likelihood of heating and the appearance of additional noise in the picture. To compensate for this shortcoming, various solutions are used, and in most cases it is almost invisible; however, for professional photography, electronic shutters are still considered less suitable than mechanical shutters.

— Mechanical. There are many types of mechanical shutters, however, in modern digital c...ameras, systems in the form of a pair of shutters are predominantly found. When the shutter opens, one of the curtains moves, and then the second “catches up” with it, closing the matrix. The main advantage of mechanical shutters is that when using them, the matrix always remains closed and opens only at the moment of shooting for a time corresponding to the set shutter speed (similar to how it happens in film cameras). Due to this, it is possible to avoid heating the sensor and the associated increase in image noise. On the other hand, additional mechanisms noticeably affect the weight, dimensions, cost and power consumption of the camera; when shooting fast moving objects, distortions may occur, and at low temperatures — failures and even failures. In addition, cameras with mechanical shutters are mainly designed to work through an optical viewfinder. For an electronic viewfinder or Live View mode (see above), you either need to install an auxiliary matrix (which further complicates and increases the cost of the design), or completely open the shutters and actually shoot in electronic shutter mode, which makes the very idea of \u200b\u200b"mechanics" meaningless. As a result, this type of shutter is currently used mainly in SLR cameras (see "Camera type") of the middle and top levels; it is also found in other varieties, but much less frequently.

— Electronic/mechanical. Systems that combine both options described above; more precisely, even — mechanical shutters, supplemented by the ability to work in electronic mode. One of the key disadvantages of purely mechanical systems is their poor suitability for ultra-short shutter speeds — it is not easy to provide the necessary shutter speed, and besides, the mechanism is subjected to significant loads in this mode. To eliminate this shortcoming, electronic-mechanical systems were created. They work as follows: at short shutter speeds, a purely mechanical method of operation is used up to a certain limit, and when the possibilities of mechanics are not enough, a combined mode is used. In this mode, the shutter curtains open for a relatively long time (longer than the required shutter speed), while the matrix works electronically (see above for more details), providing the required shutter speed. Theoretically, the combined method allows you to effectively shoot at ultra-low shutter speeds, but in fact the quality of the images is relatively low, and the “hybrid” shutter is often more of a marketing ploy than a really useful tool.

A touch-sensitive screen that allows the photographer to control camera functions. It is believed that such management is the most obvious; in addition, with its help, you can implement some additional features that are not available for other types of control — for example, touch focus (see above). And for models with Android OS (see below), the touch screen is a mandatory piece of equipment. On the other hand, such screens are more expensive than conventional ones, which can accordingly affect the price of the camera.

The maximum number of photos that the camera can take on a single battery without recharging/replacing it. In fact, this number usually turns out to be less (sometimes quite noticeable) due to the fact that part of the charge is “eaten up” by the lens mechanics, using the display, changing settings through the menu, etc. Nevertheless, this parameter is a good indicator of the battery life of the device, and different models can be compared with each other.