Comparison Fujifilm X-T4 body vs Fujifilm FinePix X100V

— Digital compact. This term refers to the simplest variety of modern digital cameras — those that are often called "soap dishes" in everyday life. As the name implies, these models are small in size, so most of them can be carried even in your pocket. Other specific features include a small sensor (see "Sensor Size"), a fixed lens, and a high degree of automation — digital compacts with full manual shooting options are the exception rather than the rule. In general, this type of camera is designed mainly for amateur shooting — in most cases, the image quality is quite sufficient for domestic purposes, but such devices are usually unsuitable for professional photography.

— “Mirrorless” cameras MILC (Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera — literally “mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses”) are compact cameras that are a kind of hybrid between compact digital cameras and “DSLRs”. They are not equipped with a system of mirrors, the viewfinder (if any) is made electronic or optical (see below), which allows you to minimize the weight and dimensions of the camera. On the other hand, such devices use matrices of the same class as in SLR cameras, which ensures high quality shooting with a minimum of noise. As the name suggests, MILC cameras also typically work with interchangeable lenses.

— Digital SLR cameras. The most technically advanced class of digital cameras. It got its name from the system of mirrors installed in the...camera body; thanks to these mirrors, light enters the viewfinder directly through the lens (and not through the auxiliary window, as on compact cameras). As a result, the photographer sees what will be shot in real time, with high-quality colour reproduction and high brightness. It is also important that the "SLR" matrix is closed from light most of the time — the light hits it only at the time of shooting, due to which it practically does not heat up and the noise in the resulting image is minimized. The lenses of such cameras are made interchangeable, and many settings, unlike conventional digital cameras, can be set manually.

— For a mobile phone. Cameras designed to be installed on a smartphone as an external accessory and not designed for stand-alone use. Outwardly, such a device resembles a lens with a mount on the phone case; however, inside this “lens” there is a full-fledged matrix, an image processor and a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth wireless module for connecting to a smartphone. The smartphone itself, when used, simultaneously plays the role of a screen and a control device, in addition, footage can be immediately transferred to it. Technically, a similar camera can be connected to another gadget — for example, a tablet: it's not a fact that it can be fixed on the case, but the connection itself is quite possible.

— CCD (CCD). Abbreviation for Charge-Coupled Device. In such sensors, information is read from the photosensitive element according to the “line at a time” principle — an electronic signal is output to the image processor in the form of separate lines (there is also a “frame at a time” variant). In general, such matrices have good characteristics, but they are more expensive than CMOS. In addition, they are poorly suited for some specific conditions — for example, shooting with point light sources in the frame — which is why you have to use various additional technologies in the camera, which also affect the cost.

— CMOS (CMOS). The main advantages of CMOS matrices are ease of manufacture, low cost and power consumption, more compact dimensions than those of CCDs, and the ability to transfer a number of functions (focus, exposure metering, etc.) directly to the sensor, thus reducing the dimensions of the camera. In addition, the camera processor can read the entire image from such a matrix at once (rather than line by line, as in CCD); this avoids distortion when shooting fast-moving objects. The main disadvantage of CMOS is the increased possibility of noise, especially at high ISO values.

— CMOS (CMOS) BSI. BSI is an abbreviation for the English phrase "Backside Illumination". This is the name of "inverted" CMOS sensors, the light on which does not penetrate from the side of the photodiodes, but from the back of the matrix (from the side of the subst...rate). With this implementation, the photodiodes receive more light, since it is not blocked by other elements of the image sensor. As a result, back-illuminated sensors boast high light sensitivity, which allows you to create images of better quality with less noise when shooting in low light conditions. BSI CMOS sensors require less light to properly expose a photo. In production, back-illuminated sensors are more expensive than traditional CMOS sensors.

— LiveMOS. A variety of matrices made using the technology of metal oxide semiconductors (MOS, MOS — Metal-Oxide Semiconductor). Compared to CMOS sensors, it has a simplified design, which provides less tendency to overheat and, as a result, a lower noise level. It is well suited for the "live" viewing mode (viewing in real time) of the image from the matrix on the screen or in the camera's viewfinder, which is why it received the word "Live" in the title. They also feature high data transfer rates.

The presence in the camera of a special mechanism for cleaning the matrix from dust and other contaminants.

This function is found only in models with interchangeable lenses — "reflex cameras" and MILC (see "Camera type"). When replacing the lens in such cameras, the sensor turns out to be open, and the probability of its contamination is quite high; and extraneous particles on the matrix, at best, lead to the appearance of extraneous artifacts, at worst, to damage to the sensor. To avoid this, cleaning systems are provided. They usually work on the principle of ultrasound: high-frequency vibration "resets" debris from the surface of the sensor.

Note that no cleaning system is perfect — in particular, such systems are “too tough” for condensate, salt deposits and other similar contaminants. So the matrix may still need manual cleaning (ideally, in a service centre). Nevertheless, this function allows you to effectively deal with at least dust, which greatly simplifies the life of the user.

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.

Aperture of the lens installed in the camera or supplied with it in the kit (for models with detachable optics).

In a simplified way, this parameter can be described as the ability of the lens to transmit light - in other words, how much the light flux weakens when passing through the optics. It is believed that two main indicators affect the characteristics of light transmission: the size of the relative opening of the lens and its focal length. Aperture is the ratio of the first indicator to the second; in this case, the size of the active hole is taken as one and is generally omitted when recording, as a result, such a recording looks, for example, like this: f / 2.0. Accordingly, the larger the number after the fraction sign, the lower the aperture ratio, the less light the lens transmits.

Zoom lenses (zoom lenses), as a rule, have different aperture values for different focal lengths. For such optics, two values of this parameter are indicated in the characteristics, for the minimum and maximum focal lengths, for example, f / 2.8–4.5. There are also vario lenses that maintain a constant aperture over the entire range of focal lengths, but they are much more expensive than analogs with variable aperture.

The high light transmission of the lens is important if the camera is planned to be used for shooting in low light conditions or for shooting fast moving objects: high-aperture optics allow you to shoot at low sensor sensitivity (which...reduces the likelihood of noise) and at low shutter speeds (at which moving objects are less blurry) . This parameter also determines the depth of field of the imaged space: the higher the aperture ratio, the smaller the depth of field. Therefore, for shooting with artistic background blur (“bokeh”), it is recommended to use fast lenses.

Focal length of the camera lens.

Focal length is such a distance between the camera matrix and the optical center of the lens, focused at infinity, at which a clear and sharp image is obtained on the matrix. For models with interchangeable lenses ( mirrorless cameras and MILC, see “Camera Type”), this parameter is indicated if the camera is supplied with a lens (“kit”); Let us recall that, if desired, optics with other characteristics can be installed on such a camera.

The longer the focal length, the smaller the viewing angle of the lens, the higher the degree of approximation and the larger the objects visible in the frame. Therefore, this parameter is one of the key for any lens and largely determines its application (specific examples are given below).

Most often in modern digital cameras, lenses with a variable focal length are used: such lenses are able to zoom in and out of the image (for more details, see "Optical Zoom"). For "DSLRs" and MILC, specialized optics with a constant focal length (fixed lenses) are produced. But in digital compacts, "fixes" are used extremely rarely, usually such a lens is a sign of a high-end model with specific characteristics.

It should be borne in mind that the actual focal length of the lens is usually given in the characteristics of the camera. And the viewing angles and the general purpose of the optics are determined not only by this parameter, but also...by the size of the matrix with which the optics are used. The dependence looks like this: at the same viewing angles, a lens for a larger matrix will have a longer focal length than a lens for a small sensor. Accordingly, only cameras with the same sensor size can be directly compared with each other in terms of lens focal length. However, to facilitate comparisons in the characteristics, the so-called. EGF - focal length in 35 mm equivalent: this is the focal length that a lens for a full frame matrix having the same viewing angles would have. You can compare by EGF lenses for any matrix size. There are formulas that allow you to independently calculate the equivalent of 35 mm, they can be found in special sources.

If we talk about a specific specialization, then the EGF up to 18 mm corresponds to ultra-wide-angle fisheye lenses. Wide-angle is considered "fixed" optics with EGF up to 28 mm, as well as vario lenses with a minimum EGF up to 35 mm. Values up to 60mm correspond to "general purpose" optics, 50 - 135mm are considered optimal for shooting portraits, and higher focal lengths are found in telephoto lenses. More detailed information about the specifics of various focal lengths can be found in special sources.

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

Stabilization itself (regardless of the operating principle) allows you to compensate for the "shake" effect when the camera is not positioned correctly - especially when shooting handheld. This is especially important when shooting with significant magnification or at long shutter speeds. However, in any case, this function reduces the risk of ruining the frame, so cameras with stabilization are extremely common. The operating principles can be as follows:

— Electronic. Stabilization is carried out by means of a kind of “reserve” — a section along the edges of the sensor, which is not initially involved in the formation of the final image. However, if the camera electronics detect vibrations, it compensates for them by selecting the necessary fragments of the image from the reserve. Electronic systems are extremely simple, compact, reliable and at the same time inexpensive. However, for their operation, it is necessary to allocate a fairly significant part of the sensor — and reducing the useful area of the sensor increases the noise level and degrades the image quality. And in some models, electronic stabilization is enabled only at lower resolutions and is not available at full...frame size. Therefore, in its pure form, this option is found mainly in relatively inexpensive cameras with non-replaceable optics.

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

— With sensor shift. Stabilization performed 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, sensor shift systems have serious advantages — first of all, such stabilization will work regardless of the characteristics of the lens. For cameras with non-replaceable optics, 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, sensor shift allows even "non-stabilized" lenses to be used with convenience, and when "stabilized" optics are installed, 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 above options: initially, it operates on an optical principle, and when the lens's capabilities are not enough, an electronic system is connected. This allows for an increase in overall efficiency in comparison with purely optical or purely electronic stabilizers. On the other hand, the disadvantages of both options in such systems are also combined: the optics are comparatively complex and expensive, and not the entire sensor is used. Therefore, such a combination is rare, mainly in individual advanced digital compacts.

— With sensor shift and electronic. Another type of combined stabilization systems. Like "optical + electronic", it improves the overall efficiency of stabilization, but at the same time combines the disadvantages of both methods (they are also similar: more complicated and more expensive camera plus a decrease in the useful area of the sensor). Therefore, this option is used extremely rarely - in single models of digital ultrazooms and advanced compacts.

The minimum distance from the camera lens to the object being shot, at which the lens is able to focus in the normal shooting mode (not with macro shooting, see "Macro shooting, about it").

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.