The physical size of the matrix and its impact on image quality. How to choose a smartphone with a good camera
Today, many of those who buy a new smartphone are primarily interested in the number of megapixels in the smartphone's camera. A good camera has become an integral factor influencing the choice of a particular device. But is the number of megapixels the only factor in the quality of pictures taken by your favorite gadget? In other words, today we want to talk about how important megapixels are in a smartphone camera.
Megapixels in a smartphone camera and their role
The pictures that any camera takes are made up of small dots, called pixels, from the English PICture ELement (picture element). They are arranged horizontally and vertically. The number of dots placed in one image is called megapixels. Their number is determined by multiplying the vertical pixels by the horizontal pixels. For example, a 3 megapixel camera has 2048 horizontal pixels and 1536 vertical pixels. If we multiply them, we get 3,145,728 pixels, or just 3 megapixels. Naturally, the higher the image resolution, the more pixels will be located horizontally and vertically, which will give a clearer picture.
What other factors affect the quality of a photo?
However, megapixels in a smartphone camera are far from the only factor that determines the final quality of the resulting image. Here's what else to look out for when considering a smartphone camera.
Lens size. The basic rule here is that the larger the lens size, the better photos you get with your smartphone camera. The larger the lens, the physically more light it will be able to pass through itself, making the picture brighter. Therefore, when choosing a smartphone, you should pay attention to this factor. This is a responsible matter, as is the choice of a mobile operator.
Zoom. Zoom is the ability of a camera to zoom in on an image by focusing on it. There are two types of zoom: digital and optical. Most smartphones these days have digital zoom when software camera focuses with the help of a person and a special algorithm. Optical zoom provides autofocus. By the way, we recently wrote about the best smartphones with this feature.
Image stabilization. Like zoom, it can be digital and optical. To take a sharp, blur-free photo with a digitally stabilized smartphone, you need to hold it firmly in your hands. Optical Image Stabilization uses tiny gyroscopes to physically move the camera lens to counter any sudden movement, thus keeping the image extremely sharp.
Results
Summing up, we can say with confidence that the megapixels in the smartphone camera, or rather their number, of course, are important, but sometimes their number can be easily crossed out by other characteristics of the smartphone. The converse is also true, where good camera specs and a relatively small number of pixels can give the owner very good shots. High Quality. Probably, each of us can give an example when the quality of pictures of smartphones with the same pixel value sometimes differs very much, especially when it comes to cheap Chinese devices. We have already mentioned this in our material on Chinese smartphones.
We hope that the information we have provided will help you make your choice more consciously in the future, and you can always express your opinion in the comments to the article.
The question is complex and there is no unequivocal answer to it, but we will try to look at this topic from different angles and be objective. Probably every second person knows that photography in translation from Greek is light painting. And therefore, the quality of the final image largely depends on the illumination factor. After all, if there is not enough light or there is none at all, then there will be nothing to display in the picture. Most the best shots in this regard, they are obtained during the day in cloudy weather - bright enough and at the same time there are no bright highlights and sharp shadows (in sunny weather, I recommend that my clients turn on the forced flash on the camera to avoid these contrasts). The situation is more difficult the situation with lighting at night and indoors. The compact flashes built into the camera are sufficient for shooting from a distance of 4 meters in width mode and 2.5 meters in tele mode. Anything above that is already underexposed. The results of poorly placed light are digital noise, poor photo saturation, blurry autofocus shots.
The second factor influencing the quality of photography is the photographer himself, his skills and abilities. Shaky hands, haste to focus, cropped heads, incorrect manual camera settings in the best way say in the photo. When shooting, hold the camera firmly and preferably with both hands, press the shutter button smoothly. For cameras with automatic focusing and exposure metering, the button must first be drowned halfway in order to give the camera time to adjust, and after the signal about the end of the adjustment (short beep of the buzzer and the appearance of green squares), press all the way. Correctly organize the composition of the frame and do not forget that when printing a photo, it is slightly cropped from above and below - leave a margin. In general, work the way the best photographers work!
The third parameter that affects the shooting is the quality of the camera. Namely - what kind of optics is installed in the lens; camera processor and algorithms for converting RAW colors to JPEG for a digital camera and film quality for analog; the resolution of the matrix and, again, the quality of the film for digital and analog cameras, respectively. To get good shots, the lens must have coated optics and wide lenses. Most often, these data are SLR Cameras, but there are also amateur models (Sony, Olympus, Panasonic). The quality of the processor (as well as its speed) increase in direct proportion to the price of the camera. The RAW format is raw and very good for professionals, but if you are an experienced amateur and correctly make settings, then your pictures will be good in JPEG. By the way, a fairly wide range of budget cameras starts shooting in RAW format after flashing the microcircuit for $15-20. From films, I single out Kodak Gold and Fuji Superia, if you have it in the store, then take Kodak Pro Foto. Matrix resolution is usually written on the camera and for models with a price of 1500 UAH. and more is working, not marketing.
The last point that will help to make your picture better is the digital laboratory. However, do not put all your hopes on it. Only 10% of the total contribution depends on the minilab operator. High-quality developing and printing chemicals, paper, timely maintenance of machines, experience and skills of the operator, if they do not provide you with a high-tech image, then at least they will not make it worse.
DO NOT PRINT PHOTOS AT HOME ON THE PRINTER! I'll tell you why in the next article.
So, let's sum up. The quality of your photos depends on.
The topic of choosing a camera, probably, has always been and will be relevant. Time passes, technology changes, old materials written on this topic become hopelessly outdated. The general principles remain the same, but great amount nuances makes us look at the problem of choice differently. Purpose of the article What is the best camera- dot the i's in the matter of buying a digital camera, given the current market situation. The article is primarily aimed at beginner amateur photographers, but I'm sure the article will be useful for experienced users as well.
Where to start choosing the "best" camera?
First of all, you must determine the range of tasks for which the camera will be used. Tasks can be completely different and you need to come to terms with the fact that there is simply no absolutely universal camera. There are only cameras that are suitable for solving certain tasks or not suitable. For example, to go on a picnic with friends, it is absolutely not necessary to bring a professional SLR there (although there are enthusiasts), an inexpensive soap dish or even a smartphone is quite enough - after all, photos from such events, as a rule, do not go further social networks and home photo albums. In this case the best camera there will be one that is always at hand.
For professional purposes, the requirements for technique vary considerably depending on the genre of shooting. For shooting a reportage, you need a high burst speed and the ability to take pictures handheld in low light, for a landscape - maximum clarity and depth of colors, for a portrait - high-quality reproduction of skin color and the ability to get a beautiful blur of the background, for macro photography - the ability to focus on very close object, and so on. Naturally, all these possibilities cannot be realized in one camera with a single lens. Thus, choosing the best option for a camera is always a compromise between the capabilities of technology, its size, ease of use and price.
Classes of digital cameras
One of the main criteria by which cameras are divided into different classes is physical size of the matrix. It is not measured in megapixels, but in millimeters (or inches). It is this parameter that has a decisive influence on the quality of photographs - color reproduction, noise level, dynamic range. Traditionally, it was believed that for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras a large matrix is good, for soap dishes a small matrix is bad. Now this division is very conditional, since many compact cameras have matrices comparable in size to amateur DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.
Conventionally, digital cameras can be divided into several classes.
Cameras in smartphones
V last years there is a steady trend on the market - smartphones are slowly but surely replacing compact cameras. And there are good reasons for this:
- Smartphone always at hand
- The photo quality of most smartphones is sufficient for printing in a small format (for those who are used to it) and posting photos on social networks
- Built-in photo processing capabilities eliminate the need for a graphics editor on a PC
- Photos do not have to be printed - they are quite convenient to view on a smartphone
- The issue of saving photos is solved by connecting cloud storage
- It is convenient to share photos - via the Internet and via bluetooth
If you are going to take photos "for home, for family, for friends", the best choice is a smartphone with a good camera, and this is no joke! The only drawback of the smartphone is the lack of zoom, although there are models with two lenses - one for general plans, another for large ones. Such devices are more expensive, but they successfully solve 99% of the tasks of amateur photography.
Amateur compact entry-level cameras ("soap dishes")
Against the backdrop of the growth of smartphone capabilities, this class of cameras can be safely considered endangered. The demand for them is kept "by inertia", but, I think, within a couple of years it will completely disappear. Camera manufacturers are well aware of this and are gradually curtailing the production of compacts. The only subclass that is still afloat is "superzooms". These are compact cameras with 10-20 or more times optical zoom. The only advantage of such cameras over smartphones is the ability to shoot close-ups of distant objects.
The superzoom selection theme has been moved out (at the moment it is a bit outdated and needs to be reworked, nevertheless, general principles can be understood). If we talk about the best manufacturer of soap dishes, then in this niche there is not much difference between them. Choose from Sony, Nikon, Panasonic, Canon, Olympus. The quality of the photos will be the same, the difference is only in appearance.
Some compact cameras entry level have a full set of manual settings. This is primarily aimed at those amateur photographers who want to learn how to photograph, however, the value of manual settings for such cameras is often greatly exaggerated. The presence of a programmable exposure mode (P), as a rule, covers 99% of the needs of an enthusiastic amateur photographer - verified from our own experience.
If you want to do artistic photography, I strongly recommend not to mess with "small" cameras. The picture quality will be acceptable only outdoors in daylight. When lighting conditions deteriorate, the quality of photographs deteriorates rapidly. Photos from these devices are difficult to process in Photoshop, because even with minor manipulations with brightness, contrast, saturation, artifacts begin to appear - color distortion, increased noise level, "steps" on smooth color transitions.
Cameras for advanced amateurs
This niche is the most diverse, it contains at least three subgroups, in varying degrees, competing with each other in terms of their capabilities.
"Top soap dishes"
These are compact devices with an oversized matrix and non-replaceable optics. According to their declared characteristics, they seem to be inferior to entry-level amateur devices (see above) - they have fewer megapixels, the zoom ratio rarely exceeds 3-5 times, sometimes they have worse video capabilities, but they do their job more honestly and with better quality - and namely, they provide better detail and color reproduction than entry-level devices. All this is due to a larger matrix and a better lens.
Among the top compacts, in my opinion, Sony, Panasonic, Canon are the most successful.
Widget from SocialMartAnother advantage of the "top" compacts (as well as all the groups listed below) is the ability to shoot in RAW format. What is RAW, we will briefly analyze a little later, but for now, just take my word for it - this is a very useful feature for which you can sacrifice zoom ratio, rotary / touch screen, not to mention " fashion chips" such as Wi-Fi, GPS, etc.
"Top" compacts take excellent pictures during the day on the street, indoors with them you can also achieve acceptable photo quality. The merit of everything is a higher quality matrix of an increased size (from 2/3 "to 1") - the larger, the better, but also more expensive.
Almost all compacts of this class can shoot in RAW. The presence of the RAW format opens up great opportunities for stretching photos to an acceptable level of quality. The only limitation is that most devices in this niche are not able to provide beautiful and powerful background blur (bokeh) where it is needed (for example, in a portrait or when shooting big plans). To "make bokeh" in photographs, you need a device with an even larger matrix and a fast lens. More detailed information about choosing an entry-level or advanced-level soap dish, see the article Best compact cameras
Mirrorless
Mirrorless - in fact, these are the same "top" compacts, only with interchangeable lenses. The main advantage of mirrorless cameras is their "consistency". This is a constructor in which the carcass acts as a base and you can hang a lot of interesting things on it - lenses, flash, video light, microphone, additional screen. Another question, this "interesting" costs extra money, and the cost of the kit can many times exceed the cost of the carcass :)
Modern mirrorless cameras have matrices ranging in size from 4/3 "(crop 2) to "full frame". Recently, even medium format system cameras have appeared. The cost of owning a system significantly correlates with the size of the sensor - the smaller the crop, the more expensive the optics. Sometimes noticeably more expensive!
If we talk about manufacturers, I would recommend first of all to look towards Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, Fujifilm. These manufacturers entered the "mirrorless" niche earlier than others and, in this regard, they have a wider choice of additional lenses and accessories than Canon and Nikon.
Widget from SocialMartA modern mirrorless camera is a fast, reliable and functional device that is not inferior in image quality and speed to SLR cameras (and in some ways even surpasses them) and at the same time is much lighter and more compact. The main disadvantage of most mirrorless cameras is that in the pursuit of compactness, many physical controls (buttons, wheels) are often replaced with software ones (menu items). Since the functionality of mirrorless cameras is very high, the menu becomes multi-level and complex - this makes life difficult for the photographer if you need to photograph something in non-standard conditions, when standard settings and presets cannot provide correct result. But this is more the exception than the rule. In my opinion, if you need a device "for every day", a mirrorless camera will be the most practical solution.
Having at my disposal a reflex Canon EOS 5D ("full frame") and mirrorless (Micro 4/3), I prefer the latter on most trips and light walks, as well as for amateur home shooting, and I can say that the technical quality of photographs of a modern mirrorless camera no worse than a 13-year-old full-frame "dinosaur".
SLR Cameras
SLRs- devices in which a shutter with a movable or fixed mirror is used, through which the picture that the lens sees is projected into the viewfinder. This design has an advanced age, however, it has very successfully taken root in digital.
DSLRs have not had any objective significant advantages over system cameras for a long time, however, due to the large number of available optics, DSLRs are still in steady demand.
SLRs have taken root in the field of professional photography - for professional photographers, not only the number of functions of the camera is important, but also the ease of access to them (it's easier to press a button than to climb the menu every time!). And the autofocus of advanced DSLRs in difficult conditions works faster and more accurately than mirrorless ones. The main disadvantage of a DSLR is its size and weight, although some models are very compact and comparable in size to top compacts (for example, Canon ESO 100D). If this drawback is not critical, the purchase of a DSLR is fully justified, otherwise it is better to look towards mirrorless ones.
Among manufacturers of DSLRs, Canon and Nikon traditionally share the palm, I recommend considering these manufacturers first of all. Not because Sony and Pentax DSLRs are bad - not at all! The question is that over time you will want to buy a new lens for your camera. If you have a Canon or Nikon, you can buy a lens at any photo store (after finding out where it is cheaper) or used on Avito. Sony has a worse situation - optics, in principle, are on sale, but the range is smaller and prices can be higher. Pentax - a separate song! The devices themselves are very interesting, but to find the right optics for them on sale, you need to try very hard.
Widget from SocialMartDSLRs hold the record for battery life, as the matrix "turns on" only at the moment the shutter is opened. For other classes of cameras, the matrix always works to transfer the picture to the screen. DSLRs also have a LiveView mode, in which the camera works like a "soap box" and shows the picture not in the viewfinder, but on the screen. At the same time, energy consumption increases accordingly.
If you try to look ahead, then in five years if SLR cameras do not disappear at all, then with 90% probability they will leave the amateur segment - they will be "taken out" by system cameras. The professional niche will also see a decline in the popularity of SLR cameras. It is no accident that the leading photo manufacturers have mobilized their forces to produce full-frame system cameras and optics for them!
In light of the above, I advise you to think carefully about the advisability of buying an advanced SLR camera for amateur use. In the secondary market, the demand for DSLRs has already noticeably decreased - used professional cameras are like new amateur ones, but no one buys them and is not even interested. And what will happen in a few years?
Cameras for enthusiastic amateurs and professionals
This niche is also very diverse. home salient feature these devices - the presence of some unique opportunities, for which people are willing to pay 2, 3 and even 10 times more than for middle-class equipment. Everyone has different requests - someone needs a full-frame matrix (mostly professional portrait painters, landscape painters, wedding photographers), the image component is important for someone (most often, wealthy people, for whom the main criterion in choosing is "so that the device is pleasant to hold in hands" - it is for them that compact stylish "image" devices are created).
Full frame cameras provide the best image quality, which is why they are very popular among professional photographers and photo-advanced amateurs. If earlier this niche was dominated by Canon and Nikon DSLRs, now mirrorless devices are beginning to penetrate it. Sony Alpha A7 is the first swallow, a full-frame mirrorless camera for a sane cost for a full frame. The "vintage" Leica is a fashion device "for the rich", however, it has a full-frame sensor and quite good photographic capabilities.
The screenshot was taken when the dollar cost 33 rubles :) Now the cost of such a Leica is from 600 thousand rubles. I will modestly keep silent about the practicality of such an acquisition, for the price of one Leica M carcass you can buy a professional Canon or Nikon DSLR with a professional lens (or even several).
If you are aiming for a full frame, keep in mind that its capabilities are fully realized only with high-quality optics, which can cost comparable to the camera, and sometimes much more. Buying a full frame for amateur home shooting is not the most practical investment. If you are a beginner, it is better to buy simpler equipment, and invest the difference in price in photography training. If you have photographic experience and the desire to improve yourself, a full-frame camera will be a great tool in your hands!
Added on 05/15/2018
Recently, one of the readers made a remark to me that I did not consider in this article another category of professional equipment - medium format cameras. I must say right away that I am a little far from this topic and have only superficial knowledge about this technique. Medium format cameras have an average matrix 1.5 times larger than a "full frame", their own fleet of optics and additional equipment. The cost of a full-fledged kit for shooting on a "medium format" can exceed the cost of a new foreign car, so it's no wonder that the demand for this technique, even in the professional niche, is small compared to the same full-frame DSLRs.
Shooting on a "medium format" is characterized by slowness, the use of slow shutter speeds and strongly (by "cropped" standards) clamped apertures. The reward for this will be images with tremendous detail (40-50 megapixels and more), ideal transmission of perspective (since 50 mm on a medium format is very wide angle lens), and if you want to blur the background, then you can do wonders here.
Conclusion. Which camera is right for whom?
So, it's time to draw a line under all of the above. Let's try to summarize the most typical options in a table. The options are "basic", depending on your preferences, they can be combined with each other. The table shows the approximate models of cameras that are suitable for this role. Sometimes I referred to entire families of cameras. I did not have a goal to list everything that fits - just designate a class of equipment, among which you need to look for options.
| What will you be photographing? | A good choice | A very good choice! | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I like to take pictures of everything, I post pictures on Vkontakte. art photography not interested. I am loyal to quality. | Good smartphone :) Not necessarily an iPhone. Samsung and top Chinese smartphones have very good cameras! | Smartphone with 2 lenses - for general and close-ups. |
| 2 | I just want a camera. Moreover, one that is always at hand, shoots well on the machine, but so that you can indulge in manual settings. I love walking light. I want to learn photography! | Top compact with 1" matrix - Sony, Panasonic, Canon | An entry-level mirrorless camera is often cheaper than top-end compacts, in the standard configuration it can be inferior to top-end soap dishes, but it gives more growth opportunities - interchangeable optics, external flash, microphone - all this can be purchased as needed. Sony, Panasonic, Canon, Fujifilm, Olympus |
| 3 | Camera for home, family, allowing you to take high-quality photos indoors and shoot video | Entry-level mirrorless with a kit lens and an additional "portrait" lens and an external flash (if there is a place to connect it) | Mid-range mirrorless with swivel screen, electronic viewfinder with "advanced" whale and additional "portrait" lens and external flash |
| 4 | Travel camera, mainly for landscape | For walking light close to home - a "top" soap dish or an amateur mirrorless camera with a whale lens | For long distance travel beautiful places- SLR or mirrorless with a set of optics from wide-angle to telephoto. |
| 5 | The camera as a means of production, mainly reportage | Semi-professional cropped or full-frame DSLR with semi-professional zoom lens (constant aperture 1:4.0) and external flash Canon EOS 80D, Nikon D7xxx | Professional full-frame DSLR with fast zoom lens (1:2.8) and external flash |
| 6 | Mainly artistic portrait photography | Semi-professional device (crop, full frame) with fast aperture, can be non-autofocus (via an adapter) | Full-frame camera with a professional high-aperture fix. If the money has nowhere to go, then the "medium format". |
| 7 | Wedding photo | Entry level - cropped camera (DSLR, mirrorless) with an "advanced" kit 18-135 mm, fast aperture for portraits, external flash | Full-frame camera with a set of lenses covering the range of 24-200 mm, with a constant aperture of 1: 2.8, a professional portrait fixed lens, an external flash, additional light, reflectors, an assistant who will carry it all :) |
| 8 | Photo hunting | Amateur level - cropped camera (DSLR, mirrorless) with a 250-300 mm telephoto lens | Professional level - a full-frame device with a fast telephoto lens of at least 400 mm, possibly also a teleconverter (extender). |
On this, I think, we can finish. Good luck with your choice of camera and more good pictures!
About my help in choosing a camera
Until recently, I provided a consultation service on choosing a camera according to your criteria. Now I am her do not provide. In view of my busy schedule, I no longer have the opportunity to regularly get acquainted with the latest in the photo industry, attend presentations and exhibitions of new products. Therefore, the maximum that I can offer you is to look again at the table above, or send a link to Yandex.Market with a selection of cameras with characteristics that suit your tasks.
Publication date: 13.03.2015
This lesson will be especially useful for beginner photographers who have just picked up a camera. Often the joy of buying a camera is quickly replaced by sadness from the fact that the pictures are not as high quality as we want: either the color is not the same, then the photo is too dark, or not very sharp ... And it also happens that the photographer cannot adequately assess the quality of his own photos. pictures without noticing their obvious flaws. This happens due to his inexperience or excessive enthusiasm for taking the first steps. To improve in photography, you need to decide what flaws you currently have in your pictures. This will help you understand what to strive for and what to consider in future shootings.
Of course, in the context of creative photography, any flaw in the quality of a picture can be used as an artistic device or passed off as such later. "That's how I see it!" However, only those who know them well and know how to take technically competent pictures break the rules in their favor.
Let's see what "three pillars" the technical quality of the image is based on and understand what camera settings they depend on.
Image Brightness
For a photo to look good and be perceived by the viewer, it must be neither too bright nor too dark. In most situations, it is important that all the details are conveyed in the photo - both in dark and in light areas.
Dark photo.
Details in dark areas are indistinguishable. In their place are just black spots, "underlight"
Too bright frame.
Details in highlight areas are lost. In their place there were only white spots, "overexposure"
Speaking of the brightness of the shots, it should be mentioned that the photographer can often approach the work with the brightness creatively, for example, when creating photos with silhouettes.
But this is more of an exception to a simple rule: on the quality photography detail can be discerned both in the dark areas of the image and in the bright areas.
What will be the photo? Bright or dark? The exposure parameters are responsible for this - shutter speed, aperture, photosensitivity. It is by combining these three parameters in different ways that photographers achieve the brightness of the photo that they need.
Even when we shoot in automatic mode, the camera itself sets three exposure parameters for us, independently determining how bright the future frame should be. But the camera does not know what we are shooting and what brightness we want to get the result. Therefore, camera automation can make mistakes, especially in difficult conditions: when shooting in the dark, when working in backlight (for example, when photographing a person against the sun or opposite a window).
Of course, any photographer should know how to adjust the exposure settings: shutter speed, aperture and ISO. In this article, we will look at the easiest way to adjust the brightness of a future photo. If we took a test shot and saw that the picture is too dark or too light, we will use exposure compensation. By making exposure compensation, we tell the camera how much brighter or darker the frame needs to be. V Nikon cameras exposure compensation can be used in modes P, A, S and M (in the latter case, when using Auto-ISO).
Exposure compensation is set up a little differently on different cameras (it's best to look in the instructions for your camera). However, on the display, its introduction is displayed approximately the same.
sharpness
Our subject must be sufficiently clear, detailed. Only then will we be able to see it fully. Sharp shots look much more attractive! It is not necessary that absolutely all objects in the photo be sharp. Sometimes it is enough to sharpen only the main object, focusing attention on it.
Sharpness is a very tricky thing. Things with her are not always as obvious as in the upper example. Small flaws in sharpness may not be noticed when viewing images on the camera display without magnification. Let's compare these two images.
Looking at these two photos in such a small format, you won't notice that one of them isn't really sharp. Let's take a look at these pictures in detail. What is most important in a portrait shot? What should we sharpen in a portrait photo? First of all, the face, the eyes.
And this slight lack of sharpness will affect later, as when viewing images on a computer monitor in a more large format as well as when printing. Therefore, in order to fully appreciate the sharpness of an image, it is better to view it at full scale, at full magnification.
Make sure your shots are sharp enough! Only in this case, the pictures will be of the highest quality, and those megapixels, of which there are so many in your camera, will not be wasted when creating fuzzy pictures.
What parameters are responsible for the sharpness of the photo?
Focusing. To get a sharp shot, you need to focus exactly on the subject being shot. Modern cameras have very advanced autofocus systems.
The camera can automatically choose which point to focus on. But she can make a mistake with the choice, focusing very precisely, but not where you wanted. Learn how to manage focus points on your camera. Remember that after focusing, you cannot change the distance between the subject and you, move away or even approach a centimeter: in this case, the focus will fail, the frame will be blurry.
Lack of depth of field. Sometimes it turns out like this: something in the picture turned out to be sharp, but we wanted to bring much more objects into focus. So we didn't have enough depth of field. The lack of depth of field is especially felt when shooting with fast or long-focus optics at close range. We just recently wrote about what depth of field is and how to adjust it.
In short, the main parameter by which you can adjust the depth of field when shooting is the aperture. By closing the aperture, we will increase the depth of field, by opening it, we will reduce and blur the background in the photo more strongly.
Excerpt. A very common flaw, especially for novice photographers, is blurry frames when shooting at too slow a shutter speed. Sometimes some fast-moving object can be smeared in this way: a running person, a driving car. It is better to shoot such things at shorter shutter speeds: the faster our hero is, the shorter the shutter speed is needed. For example, in order for a running person to turn out sharp in a photo, it must be shot at a shutter speed shorter than 1/250s.
But it also happens that there is no fast movement in the frame, but it is still blurry. This usually happens when photographing without a flash indoors, in the dark. When the shutter speed is too long, the camera shakes in the hands of the photographer begin to affect, and the frame is blurred from this. This often happens if you use telephoto lenses and shoot with a strong approximation, at maximum zoom. Photographers call such a defect "shake".
How to get rid of "shake"? There are two ways. The first is to shorten the shutter speed. This option is suitable for shooting moving objects. The second is to put the camera on a tripod or secure support. This option is only suitable for shooting still scenes (landscapes), people will be blurry due to the fact that they themselves are also moving. Shutter speed is adjusted in S or M modes. If we work in other modes, the automatic system itself will shorten the shutter speed, if we raise the ISO, open the aperture wider. The shutter speed is always indicated in the camera display. How much should the shutter speed be shortened so that there is no “shake”? Here a lot depends on the photographer himself: on his physiology, on how correctly and firmly he holds the camera. Despite this, photographers have deduced two more or less universal methods for calculating the maximum shutter speed allowed for handheld photography: simple and complex.
- The "easy way" is that for most handheld shots, you don't need to slow your shutter speed past 1/60s. This rule will help you get more or less sharp shots in almost all cases of shooting on whale lens. However, if you have a telephoto lens, then at maximum zoom it will require faster shutter speeds.
- « The hard way"will help for each specific shooting case to calculate the shutter speed, which will insure against the appearance of "shake". Photographers based on own experience, came up with a formula: the maximum slow shutter speed when photographing handheld should be no more than 1 / (focal length x 2). Let's say the focal length of our lens is 50mm. It turns out that the value of the maximum shutter speed will be 1 / (50x2). That is 1/100 s. So if your shutter speed is longer than the resulting value, it is better to shorten it. But if we shoot with a lens with a focal length of 20 mm, then this formula will give us a different value: 1 / (20x2) \u003d 1/40 s. So the shorter the focal length of the lens, the slower the shutter speed can be used. Note that earlier this formula was dispensed with without a two in the denominator. The formula was: shutter speed = 1 / focal length. However, the increase in the resolution of camera matrices (they have more and more megapixels) and the transition to a reduction in the APS-C format matrix have made their own adjustments to the formula.
However, once again, we note that these rules will not insure 100% against wiggling: after all, anything can happen when shooting. For example, if you jerk the camera sharply when taking a picture, then even at the shortest shutter speeds, blurring may appear. When photographing, it is better to hold the camera still, gently, but strongly.
Optical image stabilization technology also helps a lot in the fight against shaking. The stabilizer will compensate for camera shake in your hands. In this way, you can take handheld photographs at slower shutter speeds. However, optical stabilization is not a panacea. It will only reduce the likelihood of blurry frames. In general, the photographer will still have to ensure that the shutter speed is not too slow when shooting handheld.
As a rule, the optical stabilization module is located in the lens. So if you have problems with shaking, you often have to shoot handheld in poor light, then you can just choose a stabilized lens for yourself. In the case of Nikon cameras, such lenses have the letters VR (Vibration Reduction) in the name. It is believed that the stabilizer helps to take pictures at shutter speeds 3-4 exposure steps longer. When working with a stabilized lens, instead of 1/60 s, a shutter speed of 1/5 s can be used. However, in practice, of course, not everything is so rosy: only an experienced photographer who skillfully and firmly holds the camera in his hands can get good results with such shootings. For beginners, it’s better to shoot at standard shutter speeds, without lengthening them once again, relying on a stabilizer. For a beginner, a stabilizer is a means of securing and protecting against accidental jerking of the camera when photographing.
digital noise. When there is a lot of noise in the picture - the so-called digital noise, this also cannot but affect the sharpness of the photo. One of the exposure parameters, ISO, is almost entirely responsible for the appearance of digital noise in a photo. The pattern is simple: the higher the ISO value with which we shoot, the more noise will appear in the photo.
digital noise. The image is covered with small dots of different brightness and different color, “ripple”. It is worth checking pictures for the amount of noise, as well as for focusing accuracy, at 100% magnification. On a small preview, you run the risk of not noticing anything.
The level of digital noise for different cameras is different: a lot depends on the matrix, processor. But in general, the pattern is simple: the larger the camera matrix and the more modern it is, the less noise.
Light sensitivity is measured in ISO units. The minimum value in most cameras is ISO 100. At the minimum ISO value, we will get the cleanest picture, without noise. But ISO 6400 is already a very high value. At this ISO, digital noise will be clearly visible on any camera. Partly in the fight against digital noise, the noise reduction system helps: images become smoother, suitable for large format printing. However, everything is not so simple here either: when using “noise reduction”, the picture can also lose detail.
Not all novice users know what the physical size of a matrix is. Many people confuse it with resolution, but they are two different things. At the same time, the physical size of the matrix is one of the most important parameters of the camera, which affects the quality of images.
Before proceeding to the consideration of the influence of the size of the matrix on photographs, we first consider what kind of matrices are.
Sometimes it is not easy to find out which matrix is on a particular camera. Sellers in stores often simply do not know this, and manufacturers rarely indicate this information. Why? This riddle.
And yet, what is the physical size of the matrix?
As many might have guessed, the physical size of the matrix is its length and width, measured in millimeters.
Historically, in the specifications, manufacturers indicate the physical size of the matrix in the reciprocal of inches, and not in millimeters. It looks like this: 1/3.2 is 3.4*4.5mm.
Often, even in inches, the matrix size is not indicated in the specifications, although the trend is beginning to change. In the announcements of new cameras, you can often find this information, but it is not a fact that it can be found in the instructions for the camera. In cases where the size is unknown, you can use the calculation. A table with standard values \u200b\u200bmakes this lesson easier:
The first column contains the values of the physical size of the matrix. The second column indicates the corresponding size in inches. The third column contains information on how much the 35mm frame diagonal is larger than the sensor diagonal. To make the calculation, you will need two values, which are always indicated in camera specifications. These are the equivalent focal length and focal length. All the necessary information should be in the technical documentation and on the lens. If the focal length and the equivalent focal length are known, the calculation is easily made by dividing the second by the first. The result of the calculation will be the value of the coefficient KF.
Example: having F = 7 - 21mm, and Feq = 35 - 105mm, two formulas can be obtained. You can divide either 35/7 or 105/21. The result of both actions will be KF = 5. According to the table, we find the closest value to the calculated one and obtain the information we are interested in. In our case, this is the physical size of 1 / 1.8″ or 5.3 * 7.2mm.
Consider matrices by standard sizes:
- The smallest matrices - 1/3.2″. They are used most often in cheap compact cameras. Their aspect ratio is 4:3 and the physical size is 3.4*4.5mm.
- matrices 1/2.7″ with an aspect ratio of 4:3 and a physical size of 4.0 * 5.4 mm are also used in low-cost compacts.
- 1/2.5″ matrices belong to the same camera segment as the previous two positions. They have an aspect ratio of 4:3 and a size of 4.3*5.8mm.
- Matrices size 1/1.8″ with an aspect ratio of 4:3 and a geometric size of 5.3 * 7.2 mm are used in more expensive compact cameras. They can be found in devices of the middle and above the average price range.
- Matrix size 2/3″ has an aspect ratio of 4:3, and the physical size is 6.6 * 8.8 mm. Often they are used in expensive compacts with non-replaceable optics.
- Matrices size 4/3″- physical size 18 * 13.5 mm and aspect ratio 4:3 are used in expensive cameras.
- DX, APS-C - This is a 3:2 aspect ratio matrix format with a size of about 24 * 18 mm. These matrices are used in semi-professional and professional SLR cameras. They became widespread due to their relative cheapness and good quality pictures.
- full frame the matrix has a size of 36 * 24 mm. Its aspect ratio is 3:2, and in size it corresponds to a 35 mm frame. Such matrices are expensive to manufacture and are used in professional photographic equipment.
- medium format matrices have a format of 60 * 45 mm with an aspect ratio of 3:2. Such matrices are stitched together from several simpler ones, which certainly affects the cost of such production. They are used exclusively in expensive cameras.
Having dealt with the main dimensions, it is worth talking about what exactly they affect.
First of all, the size of the matrix affects the dimensions and weight of the camera. The size of the optical part directly depends on the size of the matrix, and from this we can draw the appropriate conclusions.
Also, the size of the matrix is an indicator of the digital noise that will be transmitted to the pictures.
Digital noise significantly spoils photos, creating the impression of a mask of dots and scratches superimposed on the picture.
Noise can occur for many reasons. This may be a defect in the matrix itself, which manifests itself in the leakage of current that breaks through to neighboring pixels. Also, the appearance of noise may be due to the heating of the matrix.
Noise performance is affected by both the physical size of the sensor and the size of the pixels. The larger the matrix, the more light hits it. Accordingly, more useful information. The use of large matrices allows you to get a brighter image with natural colors.
With a large pixel size, the insulation layer between them is also larger, and therefore the leakage current decreases.
To better understand the concept of pixel size, just imagine two matrices of the same size. On one matrix there are 4000 pixels (4MP), and on the second 8000 pixels (8MP). Imagine now the difference in the isolation layer between each pixel for the first and second case.
It should be noted that the matrices small size little light enters, and accordingly the useful signal is not great. It needs to be amplified, and along with useful information, noise is also amplified.
Summing up, we can single out the fact that a large matrix contains large quantity Sveta. Accordingly, the picture will be brighter and clearer. Increasing the size of the sensor increases the cost of its production, and, consequently, cameras with large physical sensors will cost much more than their compact counterparts.
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