Comparison Canon EOS 250D kit 18-55 vs Nikon D3500 kit 18-55

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).

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.

The sensitivity range of a digital camera matrix. In digital photography, light sensitivity is expressed in the same ISO units as in film photography; however, unlike film, the light sensitivity of the sensor in a digital camera can be changed, which gives you more options for adjusting shooting parameters. High maximum light sensitivity is important if you have to use a lens with a low aperture (see Aperture), as well as when shooting dimly lit scenes and fast-moving objects; in the latter case, high ISO allows you to use low shutter speeds, which minimizes image blur. However, note that with an increase in the value of the applied ISO, the level of noise in the resulting images also increases.

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.

Camera support for HDR.

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. The main application of this technology is shooting scenes with significant differences in illumination, when there are both very bright and very dark areas in the frame. The features of modern digital photography are such that in the normal shooting mode, only a rather narrow range of brightness can be correctly processed; as a result, with a large difference in illumination, the image contains either too dark or overexposed fragments. HDR avoids this phenomenon: in this mode, the camera takes several shots with different exposure settings, and then glues them together in such a way as to reduce the brightness in bright places and increase in dark places. This allows you to shoot, for example, landscapes against the backdrop of a bright sunset sky, the interiors of dimly lit buildings with bright windows, etc. In addition, HDR can also be used as an artistic technique — to give the picture an unusual colour scheme.

Note that this effect can also be achieved using post-processing in a graphics editor; however, using the camera is much more convenient.

The ability to manually (or automatically, according to predetermined parameters) change the exposure parameters during shooting, that is, the amount of light falling on the matrix. It is used when the automatically selected exposure parameters do not give a satisfactory result — for example, in difficult conditions, when the illumination of the main subject and the background is very different. The camera's exposure compensation capabilities are recorded in the format "± x EV, in y EV increments", such as "± 3 EV, in 1/2 EV increments". The first digit indicates the maximum amount by which the exposure can be changed from the original value by the compensation process; the second is the step (step) with which the change occurs. EV is a specific unit of measure for exposure; a 1 EV change in exposure means a 2x change in the amount of light hitting the sensor. An increase in EV indicates an increase in the amount of light due to opening the aperture or an increase in shutter speed, a decrease indicates the opposite. All modern cameras with exposure compensation function are capable of producing it “in both directions”.

Bracketing is called shooting a series of frames, in which in each next frame the shooting parameters (exposure, white balance, focus, etc.) change by a certain amount. This allows, for example, to choose the most successful shot from several options, or to determine the effect of changing the settings in one direction or another. Auto bracketing allows you to take such shots automatically. At the same time, it should be taken into account that the set of parameters changed in the process may differ in different camera models. For example, some devices are able to change only the exposure, others — the exposure and/or white balance, etc.

The maximum resolution and frame rate of video captured by the camera in the Ultra HD (4K) standard.

UHD 4K refers to resolutions with a frame size of approximately 4,000 horizontal pixels. Specifically, in cameras for video shooting, resolutions of 3840x2160 and 4096x2160 are most often used. Regarding the frame rate, it is worth noting first of all that a normal (not slow-motion) video is shot at a speed of up to 60 fps, and in this case, the higher the frame rate, the smoother the video will be, the less jerks will be noticeable when moving in the frame. If the frame rate is 100 fps or higher, this usually means that the camera has a slow-motion video mode.

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.