Sony DSLR-A100K - alpha; Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera Brochure & Specs page 16

Shooting the digital way
CAMERA SYSTEMS
shake directly. Sony Super SteadyShot
optical image stabilization uses separate
vertical and horizontal sensors that detect
camera shake. As implemented in selected
Cyber-shot ® cameras, the camera sends
an equal-but-opposite correcting signal
to a stabilization lens, which moves to
compensate for shake at no sacrifice of
picture quality.
As a digital SLR that accepts interchangeable
lenses, the a100 takes a slightly different
approach. Instead of moving a lens element
to compensate for camera shake, the a100
moves the CCD! A super-smooth, super-fast
CCD transport makes it happen.
High ISO sensitivity
Anti-Blur Feature 2: Higher ISO
settings enable you to shoot at
faster shutter speeds.
The second component of our comprehensive
Clear RAW
anti-blur strategy is high ISO sensitivity.
Doubling the ISO sensitivity means halving
Anti-Blur Feature 3: More effective
the amount of light required for a given
processing for minimizing noise.
exposure. ISO sensitivity is a powerful ally
in fighting blur. Consider a low-light situation
The third and final component of our
that calls for an aperture of f2.8 and a shutter
comprehensive anti-blur strategy is Clear
speed of 1/8 second at ISO 200. A shutter
RAW noise reduction. In most cameras,
speed that slow might be susceptible to
noise from the image sensor is passed
camera shake, especially with a lens
directly into the de-mosaicing process, where
zoomed in to telephoto. In that case, you
noise tends to propagate into adjacent
might be happy to increase the ISO to 400,
pixels, making it harder to control. That's
which enables you to cut the shutter speed
where the Sony Clear RAW system comes in.
to 1/15 second, or choose an ISO of 800 for
Instead of trying to suppress noise after it
a shutter speed of 1/30 second. With high
has spread, our Clear RAW system works
ISO sensitivity, you gain the flexibility to
on the camera's RAW image prior to
get the shot!
de-mosaicing. The result is more effective
noise reduction, for an image that's
While some digital cameras can reach
substantially cleaner. Clear RAW noise
ISO 400 or so, most Sony cameras
reduction is a big advantage in low
achieve settings up to ISO 1000. Several
light. And it's the final step in our anti-
models can attain ISO 3200, while the
blur technology.
DSC-W200 can be switched into a
3 Megapixel mode for an ISO rating of
6400! These operational settings are made
Real Imaging Processor
possible by Sony's third anti-blur feature:
Clear RAW noise reduction.
Fast response, reduced picture "noise."
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NOISE
REDUCTION
NOISE
REDUCTION
NOISY
RAW
DATA
Other noise reduction systems work only after de-mosaicing
has spread noise into adjacent pixels. Sony Clear RAW
noise reduction operates on the camera's RAW signal –
before de-mosaicing!
Noise (left) and the result of Clear RAW noise reduction
(right). (Sample photos for illustration purposes.)
BEFORE AFTER
™ noise reduction
The Sony Real Imaging Processor large
scale integrated circuit (LSI) delivers fast
response and low image noise – the digital
equivalent of film grain – an unwanted grit
or texture not present in the original scene.
And the processor reduces "aliasing"
distortions in the file conversion process.
All told, you'll see better exposure, better
white balance and smoother, more
beautiful pictures.
For more information on the Real Imaging
Processor LSI, please refer to Sony Power
Features (page 33).
Smart Zoom
Delivers the benefits of digital zoom
without the softness of interpolation
processing.
Digital zoom takes over where optical zoom
leaves off, using a progressively smaller
™ LSI
portion of the CCD to crop into the area
of interest. Unfortunately, in addition to
sacrificing the resolution of the full CCD,
CAMERA SYSTEMS
most digital zooms soften the image further
still through "interpolation," the need to
calculate intermediate values "between"
pixels. Our Smart Zoom feature overcomes
the problem. Smart Zoom modes crop into
the CCD image without interpolation, for
cleaner, sharper pictures.
NOTE: Because it crops into the CCD, Smart Zoom
NOISE
is not available at the highest camera resolution.
REDUCED
DATA
Optional accessory tripods
The ultimate in anti-blur technology.
This section describes three Sony technologies
to overcome camera shake. However, the
ultimate anti-shake technology remains
outside the camera body, in the form of
optional, accessory tripods. When you
stabilize your camera on a tripod, you'll
be perfectly set up for tack-sharp pictures
on long-exposure nighttime shots and full
telephoto shots.
The Smart Zoom function allows you to crop
the frame to extract just the portion of interest
without interpolation. (Sample photos for
® function
illustration purposes.)
Stabilize your camera with a Sony VCT-1500L
lightweight tripod.
Viewfinder Sony
and monitor viewfinder
and monitor
features
Digital camera technology offers three devices
to help you frame your shots.
Large LCD monitor
• Optical viewfinder. Experienced film
Makes digital cameras even more
photographers are well practiced at
attractive.
using an optical viewfinder. Not only do
they know how to use the viewfinder to
A digital camera's LCD monitor is your
frame their shots, they also know how
window on the world. Before you take
to "anchor" the camera against the face,
the shot, the monitor shows you control
locking the elbows against the chest to
menus and image framing. After you've
minimize camera shake.
taken the shot, the monitor is your first
• LCD monitor. While optical viewfinders
opportunity to show off your work. That's
have their undoubted advantages, digital
why our 2.0, 2.5, and even 3.0-inch LCD
cameras also enable you to frame the
monitors are so desirable (viewable area
picture on an LCD monitor screen. This
measured diagonally). And Sony now
is an entirely different experience. For
offers the world's largest, highest-resolution
example, looking at the LCD screen,
LCD monitor on a digital camera (as of
you can hold the camera at arm's length
June 15, 2007): the 3.5-inch 921K pixel
above the heads of the crowd, to shoot
screen of the Sony DSC-G1 (viewable area
a parade. The LCD monitor has the
measured diagonally). Sony consistently
additional advantages of 100% framing,
builds large monitors because a bigger
plus a live preview of your exposure and
screen makes a huge difference in enjoying
white balance settings.
the camera. It means bigger menus. It
makes framing easier to see. And it's far
• TTL electronic viewfinder. Combining
attributes of both methods is a third more effective when it comes to showing
off your results!
alternative: the eye-level, through-the-
lens (TTL) electronic viewfinder. As with
an optical viewfinder, you hold the
Transflective LCD monitor
camera up to your eye and look into a
small window. As with the LCD monitor,
Uses sunlight for increased brightness.
what you see is a live preview on a
miniature LCD screen.
Some LCD monitors tend to wash out in direct
sunlight. But selected Sony cameras aren't
afraid of the sun. In darkness, the monitors
get transmissive light from inside these
cameras. In sunlight, the monitors use
both transmissive and reflective light, in
our transflective design.
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