DxOMark rating
The result shown by the camera in the DxOMark ranking.
DxOMark is one of the most popular and respected resources for expert camera testing. According to the test results, the camera receives a certain number of points; The more points, the higher the final score.
Total MP
The total number of individual light sensitive dots (pixels) provided in the camera's sensor. Denoted in megapixels - millions of pixels.
The total number of MPs, as a rule, is greater than the number of megapixels from which the frame is directly built (for more details, see "Effective number of MPs"). This is due to the presence of service areas on the matrix. In general, this parameter is more of a reference than practically significant: a larger total number of MPs with the same size and effective resolution means a slightly smaller size of each pixel, and, accordingly, an increased likelihood of noise (especially at high ISO values).
Effective MP number
The number of pixels (megapixels) of the matrix directly involved in the construction of the image, in fact — the number of points from which the captured image is built. Some manufacturers, in addition to this parameter, also indicate the total number of MPs, taking into account the service areas of the matrix. However, it is the effective number of MPs that is considered the main indicator — it is this that directly affects the maximum resolution of the resulting image (see “Maximum image size”).
A megapixel is 1 million pixels. Numerous megapixels ensures high resolution of the captured photos, but is not a guarantee of high-quality images — much also depends on the size of the sensor, its light sensitivity (see the relevant glossary items), as well as hardware and software image processing tools used in the camera. Note that for small matrices, high resolution can sometimes be more of an evil than a blessing — such sensors are very prone to the appearance of noise in the image.
Maximum image size
The maximum size of photos taken by the camera in normal (non-panoramic) mode. In fact, this paragraph indicates the highest resolution of photography — in pixels vertically and horizontally, for example, 3000x4000. This indicator directly depends on the resolution of the matrix: the number of dots in the image cannot exceed the effective number of megapixels (see above). For example, for the same 3000x4000, the matrix must have an effective resolution of at least 3000*4000 = 12 million dots, that is, 12 MP.
Theoretically, the larger the size of the photo, the more detailed the image, the more small details can be conveyed on it. At the same time, the overall image quality (including the visibility of fine details) depends not only on resolution, but also on a number of other technical and software factors; see "Effective MP number" for more details.
Mount (bayonet)
The type of bayonet mount — mount for interchangeable lenses — provided in a SLR or MILC camera (see "Camera type"). Bayonets come in different sizes, and interchangeable lens specifications usually indicate which mount it is designed for. Most often, mounts of different types are not compatible with each other, but there are exceptions (sometimes directly, sometimes using adapters).
Also note that one brand can use different mounts for different classes of cameras — and vice versa, one mount can be used by several manufacturers. So, Canon releases cameras with mounts
EF-M,
EF-S,
EF and
Canon RF. Leica has
Leica M,
Leica SL,
Leica TL. Nikon has in its arsenal
Nikon 1,
Nikon F,
Nikon Z. Pentax —
Pentax 645,
Pentax K, Pentax Q. Samsung offers
NX and NX-M mounts. Sony cameras have
Sony A and
Sony E, Fuji has
Fujifilm G and
Fujifilm X. And as an example of a mount used by different brands, one can cit
...e Micro 4/3, which is widespread in Olympus and Panasonic cameras.AF drive (screw driven)
The presence in the camera of an
autofocus drive of the "screwdriver" type. This feature is only found on models that use interchangeable lenses — SLR and mirrorless (see "Camera type"). Its essence lies in the fact that the motor responsible for the operation of autofocus is installed in the camera itself, and not in interchangeable lenses. Thus, lenses with "screwdrivers" turn out to be lighter, more compact and inexpensive than optics with a built-in motor (classic or ultrasonic). However, they can only fully work with cameras that support the “screwdriver” drive.
Number of scene programs
The number of scene programs provided in the camera design.
Scene programs are preset settings for some of the most common shooting scenes - for example, Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Sunset, etc. In addition to these presets, this list may include special effects and creative tools (such as color swap or fisheye), as well as exposure modes (see below). The presence of scene programs is especially useful for beginners and non-professional photographers, as it eliminates the need to tinker with each setting separately - just select the most suitable program, and all the necessary settings will be set automatically. The more scene programs the camera design provides, the wider its automatic adjustment capabilities.
Frames per series (JPEG)
The highest number of shots a camera can capture “in one go” in JPEG continuous shooting.
The technical features of modern digital cameras are such that during continuous shooting, photos have to be recorded in a special buffer, and only then, after the end of the series, they can be copied to a memory card. This buffer has a limited size, so the number of frames in one series is also limited. At the same time, we note that this indicator is usually indicated for shooting at the highest possible resolution (see "Maximum image size"); at lower resolutions, the volume of each image is reduced, and the number of frames in the series may turn out to be more than stated in the specifications.
JPEG, the most popular digital photography format today, is smaller and requires less processing power than RAW (see "Recording in RAW Format"). Therefore, in a JPEG series, as a rule, more frames are available to the photographer. However, in some models that have two separate buffers (for RAW and JPEG), it may be the other way around.
Frames per series (RAW)
The highest number of shots the camera can capture “in one shot” when shooting in RAW format continuously (see “Recording in RAW Format”).
The technical features of modern digital cameras are such that during continuous shooting, photos have to be recorded in a special buffer, and only then, after the end of the series, they can be transferred to a memory card. This buffer has a limited size, so the number of frames in one series is also limited. At the same time, we note that this indicator is usually indicated for shooting at the highest possible resolution (see "Maximum image size"); at lower resolutions, the volume of each image is reduced, and the number of frames in the series may be more than stated in the specifications.
RAW images take up more space and require more processing power than "finished" JPEGs. Therefore, the number of frames in a series of this format is usually lower than that of JPEG. However, there are exceptions — usually these are cameras that have two separate buffers (for RAW and JPEG).
