Sony DSLR-A100K - alpha; Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera Brochure & Specs page 23

Taking your best shot
CAMERA CONTROL
Flash
Multi-Burst
A sequence of images that plays back
on-screen, Multi-Burst is perfect for
Most digital cameras include a built-in
analyzing a golf, tennis or baseball swing.
flash. Under most circumstances, when
Our Multi-Burst mode shoots a sequence
the camera detects that there's not enough
of 16 rapid-fire frames, each of which has
320 x 240 resolution. The 16 frames become
light for an adequate exposure, the flash
part of a single 1280 x 960 image that
plays back sequentially in the camera.
will trigger.
Selectable frame intervals include 1/7.5,
1/15 and 1/30 second for convenient
motion analysis.
This system generally works well, but it
does have some limitations.
• Metering/exposure issues. With
flash as an added variable, it can
be difficult for the camera to get an
accurate exposure.
• Control. There are times and
circumstances when you want
flash. And times when you don't.
Control is crucial.
• Red-eye. Whether you're shooting
pets or people, flash tends to reflect
Multi-Burst mode is perfect for analyzing your golf swing.
off the retinas of your subjects' eyes,
(Sample photos for illustration purposes.)
resulting in the eerie look of red-eye.
Fortunately, well-designed cameras address
these issues.
Burst mode gives you a rapid sequence of shots to capture
fast action. (Sample photos for illustration purposes.)
Sony solves the common problem of excessive flash with Face Detection technology. (Sample photos for illustration purposes.)
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Sony flash
features
Face Detection
Taking advantage of the BIONZ ™ integrated
circuit, Sony cameras accurately recognize
– and apply appropriate flash to – the
human face.
Even a simple snapshot can
trip up the flash system of a
conventional camera. For example,
faces can easily become bleached out
because the flash was too strong. Sony's
BIONZ ™ processor solves this problem with
Face Detection. As you shoot, the Face
Detection function actually analyzes the data
that make up your digital picture. In this
way, Face Detection can identify and track
up to eight faces at a time. Then the camera
automatically adjusts for optimum focus,
exposure, flash and even white balance
on the faces themselves. The result is far
more "good" pictures, far fewer rejects
and re-takes.
For the complete story on Face Detection
and the BIONZ processor, please turn to
page 26.
TTL Pre-Flash Metering
Unlike other digital cameras, which only
"guess" at flash exposures, Sony actually
measures the flash output and adjusts
accordingly.
When it comes to flash photography, most
auto exposure systems are flying "blind."
They can only guess at flash levels because
they can't measure the scene as it is lit by
the flash. Sony demanded a better way, called
Through-the-Lens Pre-Flash Metering.
Step One: The Sony system fires a
momentary pre-flash onto your subject.
Step Two: The system instantly reads the
resulting light through the camera's lens,
and off the camera's CCD image sensor.
CAMERA CONTROL
Step Three: In just a fraction of a second, • Daylight Fill Flash ( ) is ideal for
the camera adjusts flash exposure precisely! putting light on the faces of your
It's easy. And it's automatic. subjects in strong backlight situations.
Flexible flash modes Red-eye reduction
Controls the ghoulish red in people's eyes
Sony flash modes get the best out of your
that often appears in flash photography.
specific shooting situation.
Red-eye is the creepy effect that occurs
Flash is a great addition to your photography
when the camera's flash bounces off the
when you want it, but there are times when
retinas of your subjects' eyes. Red-eye
you don't. Sony enables you to control the
reduction tackles the problem by shining
flash to your best advantage.
a pre-flash, which enables your subjects'
eyes to adjust before the main flash fires.
• Auto Flash mode (no indicator)
automatically provides flash when
there's not enough light for an
Red-eye Reduction filter
adequate exposure.
Correction for red-eye even after you've
• Forced Flash mode ( ) triggers the
taken the shot, thanks to the BIONZ
flash when you want the extra light.
processor.
• No Flash mode ( ) is great for
twilight photography of distant subjects
Sony's pre-flash system can minimize
or candle-lit photographs.
red-eye. But if you forget to use this
feature, you can still correct pictures even
• Slow-Sync Flash ( ) is perfect for
after you've shot them. Sony's powerful
capturing people in the foreground,
BIONZ ™ processor is smart enough to
while it provides a longer exposure to
analyze the data in your picture, identify
capture a night-time background.
red-eye and suppress it.
TTL PRE-FLASH
METERING
1. Pre-flash 2. Metering off the CCD,
through the lens
Unlike the many cameras that can only guess at flash metering, Sony delivers better flash exposure with Through-the-Lens
Pre-Flash Metering. (1) Pre-Flash. (2) Metering off the CCD, through the lens. (3) Accurate flash exposure, adjusted
according to the metering!
SUBJECT IS SUBJECT IS
CLOSE FAR
FIxed flash: Adjusted flash: Fixed flash:
over correct under
exposure exposure exposure
Conventional flash metering tends to overexpose near subjects and underexpose far subjects. Through-the-Lens Pre-Flash
Metering helps deliver correct exposure for all subjects!
In this bright, backlit scene, the flash would normally
not fire (left). Daylight Fill Flash automatically fires
for the correct exposure (right). (Sample photos for
illustration purposes.)
Normal flash photography (left) would miss the
background. Slow-Sync Flash (right) combines flash
for the girls along with long shutter speed for the
background, to capture both in one shot. (Sample
photos for illustration purposes.)
™
Red-eye Reduction filter suppresses the ghoulish red
even after you've taken the shot. (Sample photos for
illustration purposes.)
First or Rear Curtain flash
Coordinates flash and motion for trailing
effects.
While low-light exposures require large
fractions of a second, flash firing is very
3. Accurate flash
short – almost instantaneous. To make the
exposure
most of this difference, the DSC-H7, H9
and the a100 Digital SLR offer a choice in
how you coordinate flash with the shutter
mechanism.
First Curtain flash fires at the beginning of
the exposure, and is typically used for
subjects that are standing still. Rear Curtain
Flash fires at the end of the exposure,
and is typically used for subjects that are
Adjusted flash:
in motion. Rear Curtain flash gives the
correct
brightest exposure to the subject at
exposure
the end of the exposure, with a streaked,
darker image trailing behind.
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