Comparison Sony A7r III body vs Sony A99 II body

— 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.

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.

— 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 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.

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.

The presence of two control dials in the design of the camera.

This design feature makes it easier to control the camera and change settings on the fly: additional operating parameters are transferred to the second disk, and turning it to the desired position is easier and faster than “digging” in the on-screen menu items. This feature is found mainly in semi-professional and professional cameras, which involve frequent use of manual shooting mode.