Comparison Sony PXW-X500 vs Canon EOS C700

The technology by which the photosensitive element of the camera is made.

— CCD. Abbreviation for Charge-Coupled Device. Historically, the first type of sensor used in digital video cameras is widely used today. CCD sensors in general have high specifications, but their cost is quite high; in addition, they do not cope well with some specific conditions — in particular, point sources of light — which requires the use of various tricks and also affects the cost of the camera.

— CMOS. Abbreviation for Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor. Initially, such sensors were used as a cheaper (and lower quality) alternative to CCD, but the gradual improvement of technology has practically eliminated the gap in quality — the specifications of modern CMOS sensors allow them to be used even in professional video cameras (see "Features"). The main advantages of this technology are ease of production and lower cost, and among the disadvantages, one can only name a slightly increased tendency to heat and the appearance of corresponding noise.

It is worth saying that the real quality of the “image” from a particular camera today is more related to the size of the sensor, the specifications of the optics and processor, the shooting format and other parameters, and very little depends on the technology of the sensor.

The number of individual light sensors installed in the camera. In our catalog, this parameter is indicated only for models that have more than one sensor.

There are two main varieties of multi-sensor cameras. The first is professional models that carry three sensors on board. Each of them works with only one colour, which allows you to get an image with good clarity and high colour accuracy. Of course, the actual quality of the "picture" largely depends on a number of other parameters, but initially a three-sensor scheme provides better image quality than a single-sensor one.

The second option is 3D camcorders (see "Features"), in which two sensors can be installed — each for its own video channel. See "3D" for more details.

The physical size of the camcorder sensor. It is usually measured diagonally and is indicated in fractions of an inch — for example, 1/3 "or 1/2.33" (the second option is larger, respectively). In addition, sensors of a “photographic” format can be installed in video cameras, in which case the corresponding designation is used — for example, APS-C.

The larger the sensor, the higher the image quality it can provide (all else being equal). This is due to the fact that on larger sensors, each individual pixel is larger, more light falls on it, which increases sensitivity and reduces noise; this is especially important for shooting in low light. For amateur purposes, small sensors are quite enough, but in professional cameras (see "Features") this parameter is at least 1/3". The exception, however, are models with several sensors (see "Number of sensors") in them each individual sensor is quite small, and high quality is ensured by image processing features.

The total number of individual photosensitive points (pixels) provided in the design of the sensor (1 megapixel corresponds to a million pixels). This parameter takes into account both those points on which the light falls, and service points that are not directly involved in the construction of the image. Therefore, in modern video cameras, it is more of a reference than practically significant; the actual image quality depends primarily on the number of effective megapixels (see below).

The number of light sensitive pixels directly involved in the construction of the image. These are the dots on which the “image” projected by the lens onto the matrix falls. In addition to them, there are also service pixels that are not illuminated during camera operation — they provide auxiliary information necessary for processing the resulting image. Also, when calculating effective megapixels, the reserve area required for electronic stabilization is usually not taken into account (see "Image Stabilization").

The value of the number of effective pixels for different modes of operation of the camcorder will also be different. For example, when recording video, many cameras use multiple pixels to build a single dot on the image; this is due to the fact that the sensor resolutions significantly exceed those required for video shooting (for example, the Full HD standard technically corresponds to only 2.07 megapixels). As a result, the image quality depends more on the sensor size (see above) than on the resolution. And among sensors of the same size, high resolution allows user to get better colour rendering and higher clarity (however, not always — a lot also depends on the peculiarities of image processing). If we are talking about photography, then more megapixels means a higher resolution of the resulting image, but the quality of such a picture can be relatively low due to the increased noise level and low sensitivity of each individual pixel.

Bayonet type — type of a mount for an interchangeable lens (see above) provided in the design of the camcorder. This paragraph specifies only standard mounts used in camera lenses; camcorders that are not compatible with such lenses usually use specialized mounts that have not gained wide popularity.

— Canon EF. Bayonet, originally designed for Canon EOS DSLR cameras; Recently, camcorders have also been produced under this brand. Optics for EF are also made by third-party manufacturers, but the mount itself is used exclusively in Canon technology, because. this standard is not open.

— Micro Four Thirds (4:3). This bayonet is part of a standard of the same name developed by Olympus and Panasonic primarily for mirrorless digital cameras. Used in Panasonic models because Olympus practically does not release "classic" camcorders.

— Sony E. Bayonet, created by Sony for branded devices; unlike all those described above, it was originally intended not only for cameras (mirrorless), but also for camcorders.

— PL-Mount. Mount used in professional video equipment. Its main feature is the ability to mount the lens in 4 different positions — straight, "upside down" and rotated 90° to the right or left. This expands the possibilities of using the camera. In addition, Pl-Mount is characterized by high connection reliability, which is important when working with massive high-end optics.

An image stabilization method provided in the design of a video camera. The stabilization function itself is designed to compensate for small camera shakes so that they are not noticeable in the image. This is especially true when shooting handheld, and in fact most modern models are designed specifically for such usage. According to the method of work, there are such options:

— Optical. A special mechanism with a system of gyroscopes and movable lenses, installed directly in the lens, is responsible for the operation of such stabilization systems. It introduces a correction for all tremors, vibrations, etc., and the “picture” falls on the already stabilized sensor. Optical systems are considered the most advanced and efficient, because. their work allows you to use the entire area of the sensor, fully exploit its capabilities and provide good image quality. Among the shortcomings, it is worth noting the increase in the cost and weight of the cameras, as well as a slight decrease in the reliability of the optics. At the same time, these moments are most often not critical, and stabilizers of this type can be used even in simple and inexpensive models.

— Electronic. Electronic stabilization is carried out due to the fact that not the entire area of the sensor, but only some of it, is involved in the formation of an image for a frame. Simply put, the camera electronics "takes into account" a certain area of the sensor a...nd transfers the image from it into the frame; and at small displacements, this "area of attention" is also displaced, due to which the visible image remains motionless. The advantages of electronic systems are simplicity of design, lightness, compactness and high reliability; they can be used with even the simplest lenses installed in pocket cameras (see “Features”). Their main disadvantage is the need to reserve a part of the sensor, which reduces the size and resolution of the actually involved area and adversely affects the image quality.

— Optical / electronic. In such systems, both the methods described above are used — both the mechanism in the lens and the reserve on the sensor. This provides extremely high vibration compensation efficiency — the image remains stable even in such conditions in which any single method would be useless. On the other hand, the disadvantages of both options also remain relevant, and the cost of cameras with this feature is quite high.

The maximum video resolution that the camera can capture. Resolution is the size of an image in points (pixels); usually it is written in two numbers, which correspond to the number of pixels horizontally and vertically.

The more pixels in the image — the clearer it is, the better you can see small details on it, however, the size of the video files increases accordingly. In addition, it is worth considering that in order to fully view the footage, you will need a screen of the appropriate resolution — otherwise all the advantages of the image will be negated. And this parameter also significantly affects the price of the device.

The smallest maximum resolution found in modern camcorders is about 720x480; the quality of such a "picture" can be compared with analogue television broadcasting. Resolution 1280x720 corresponds to the HD standard, it can be found among inexpensive TVs and monitors, and 1920x1080 (Full HD) is the most popular option among mid-range and top-class video devices. The maximum resolution used in modern consumer electronics (including camcorders) is 4K, 4096x2160; it is typical for the most advanced devices.

The vast majority of cameras are able to work not only with the maximum resolution, but also with several “more modest” options — for those cases where small file volumes are more important than high resolution.

The highest frame rate provided by the camera when shooting video. The minimum frequency for normal viewing is the classic 24 fps used in cinema. At the same time, most modern video cameras are capable of providing up to 50 – 60 fps, and even higher frequencies can be used for the slow motion effect.

In fact, this indicator is important primarily when shooting dynamic scenes. The higher the frame rate, the smoother the fast motion will look in the frame, the less jerky it will be and the more pleasant the overall impression of the image will be. The reverse side of this is an increase in the size of recorded files (all other things being equal). Therefore, the frame rate can be made adjustable so that the operator can choose the best option for a particular situation.