HDR in photos and TVs. What is the difference?
HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, which stands for Wide Dynamic Range. But, with the same notation, HDR in photo and video is not the same thing at all.
Recall what HDR photography is
The so-called HDR effect has long been widespread in photography. Today cameras and smartphones have special settings to enable this effect.
In addition, there is a whole set of special applications and extensions for processing photos on a computer and getting the HDR effect. For example, these are Photomatix Pro, Aurora HDR. HDR features are also built into Photoshop and other editors today.
Due to some limitations of cameras and image file formats, when shooting scenes with a wide range of brightness, some of the details in bright and dark areas may be lost.
In photography, HDR means the effect when these details, lost in highlights and shadows, are “stretched” and they appear in the picture.
Появился дефект HDR-CX550E
To do this, sometimes special techniques are used to combine a series of images taken with different exposures, or details are “pulled” from single RAW files. By the way, matrices (sensors) of modern cameras (we are talking about advanced cameras) have a good dynamic range, and RAW files of these cameras allow you to “pull” details very successfully.
normal photo on the left and processed with the HDR effect
The HDR effect in the photo is easily seen in the comparative examples, and no special equipment is required to demonstrate it.
It turns out that HDR in the photo is not an expansion of the dynamic range, but the addition of details of the wide dynamic light range of the scene, which was during the shooting, into the limited “frames” of the final photo file.
Обзор и разборка видеокамеры SONY HDR CX550E
HDR in modern TVs
The topic of HDR on TVs has begun to spread actively in just a couple of years. We noted this trend when reviewing specialized exhibitions.
Many people think that HDR in TVs is about the same as HDR in photos. Like, turning on HDR on the TV panel, we will get a picture that resembles HDR photos. This is not true.
An HDR-capable TV is, simply put, a TV that is capable of providing a wider range of brightness (deep blacks, high brightness of highlights), has a much higher number of brightness gradations and provides an expanded (compared to conventional models) color space. As you can see, almost nothing to do with HDR photography.
Let’s consider these components separately.
If a TV supports HDR, this implies that it is capable of providing both “deep” dark areas with minimal brightness and very high brightness in bright areas. In this case, these features should not be confused with dynamic contrast, when the TV, depending on what is displayed, automatically adjusts the brightness and contrast of the entire image or its sections.
In conventional TVs, the standard provides a maximum of 8-bit depth of brightness for each of the three color channels. It turns out only 256 gradations for each channel.
The HDR10 / HDR10 standard, used in many modern HDR-capable TVs, provides an increased 10-bit depth, which already corresponds to 1,024 levels for each color.
The more there are, the less likely you will notice jaggies on the screen with a smooth gradient transition.
Given the wider range of brightness in HDR TVs, this is important.
For a clear illustration, we present the difference between two pictures with a different number of brightness gradations (this is not a comparison of 8 bits and 10 bits, the pictures are shown for demonstration).
The more brightness gradations, the less noticeable the stepping on the gradient transitions.
Roughly speaking, the wider the color space (or gamut) provided by the TV panel, the deeper and more pure colors you can see on the screen.
The width of the color space of monitors, televisions is often shown as a triangle superimposed on the CIE 1931 XYZ color range.
The standard color space for monitors is sRGB. For conventional TVs, this is Rec. 709. In terms of color gamut, they are comparable.
HDR TVs use an extended color space. Again, when it comes to HDR10, the Rec. 2020.
The difference between the extended Rec. 2020 and regular Rec. 709 look at the histogram.
It is also worth noting that special content (HDR video) is also required to get the correct HDR video image on the TV. There is not much such content at the moment, but we can expect its distribution in the coming years.
If the difference between HDR-pictures and ordinary pictures in photography can be easily displayed on paired images, then the difference between an HDR-TV picture and an ordinary one on paired images can be shown only conditionally.
An ordinary computer monitor or laptop screen, if it is not some special device, is simply not capable of displaying the advantages of the picture of HDR TVs.
By the way, HDR technology is spreading not only in TVs, but also in monitors. There are some differences in standards, features, implementation between these categories of devices, but in this case we are talking about the same.
Separately, it can be noted that monitors with an extended color space have been produced for quite a long time, and recently there are more and more of them. But this is a completely different topic and we will not touch on it.
Sony HDR-CX550E review
Sony HDR. The CX 550 V is slightly larger than its predecessor with a wide-angle lens, new controls and additional features. Also, the model is offered at a very reasonable price for video cameras of this class.
HDR. The CX 550 V has an excellent LCD display with touch screen technology. It is quite large, it is convenient to use it both when navigating through the menu, and for viewing the footage. There is also the ability to adjust the brightness and saturation of colors.
The new lens is capable of capturing video using a surprisingly wide angle. It is equipped with an automatic shutter that opens when the camcorder is turned on. HDR. The CX 550 V, like other Sony models, offers decent color reproduction. Of course, this is not the strongest characteristic in comparison with competitors, but at the same time the camcorder shoots a very pleasant picture, especially when used outdoors.
The captured video has a very low noise level, according to this indicator, it is on a par with the best models from other manufacturers. The same can be said about the clarity of the image in good lighting, it is also at a height and corresponds to the level that is expected from video cameras of this class. Smooth Slow Record enables slow motion, but the resulting video is limited in quality.
HDR performance indicators. The CX 550 V is not as good in low light. One of the reasons for this is the use of a wide angle lens. In general, the model does not differ from its competitors in this parameter. At the same time, the CX 550 V has less noise and better picture clarity.
Sony HDR. The CX 550 V uses the AVCHD compression method and allows you to shoot standard mode video along with HD. It has 64 GB of internal storage, which is plenty for a consumer camcorder. It is also possible to record not only to Memory Stick. but also on SD / SDHC cards.
Sony camcorders have an excellent auto mode and an HDR model. The CX 550 V is no exception. The exposure setting is quite smooth and takes just as much time as necessary. Autofocus is also set very smoothly and quickly.
Adjustment of the degree of approximation of the image is carried out by a button fixed on the top side of the video camera. It is quite easy to use and is similar to a similar control in other consumer models. HDR. The CX 550 V has no preset values for adjusting the approach speed, but it can be increased or decreased by pressing the button harder or lighter, respectively.
Setting focus to HDR. The CX 550 V can be produced manually using the control wheel located on the front of the housing, or using buttons on the LCD. In this case, the first option allows for a more accurate adjustment. While on-screen button presses have their advantages, they can be used to point out the area and the camcorder will automatically focus on them.
To understand in detail all the functions and parameters of the camcorder’s operation, you can use both the instructions supplied in the kit and the built-in tips in the menu, which provide brief information about the selected option. The menu looks very nice. The included settings are easy to read, mainly thanks to the large LCD display, of course. Controlling in this way is not difficult but takes some getting used to.
Sony HDR. The CX 550 V feels comfortable in the hands thanks to the ergonomic design of the case. Also of note is the good quality of the strap.
Another important aspect regarding the convenience of working with a video camera is the adjustment wheel. In general, they have a design similar to other models, but implemented at a much higher level. It is convenient to use it to manually adjust the required parameters. In general, this is not surprising for a model of this class. The presence of the adjustment wheel does not mean that you cannot use the touch-screen screen. It is necessary when moving to the menu and setting additional parameters, the control of which is not assigned to external buttons.
The built-in image stabilization system shows very good results. At the same time, it includes both optical and electronic processing of the object being shot.
Sony HDR. The CX 550 V is slightly larger than its predecessor, mainly due to the increase in size due to the use of a new wide-angle lens, which takes up a lot of space in the camcorder body. But at the same time, it allowed us to use a display with a larger diagonal. In general, speaking of dimensions, we can say that the external parameters of the model are very similar to other HD camcorders of this class.
The CX 550 V is not overly compact, but it is just the size you would expect from this type of camcorder. Its weight will allow you to comfortably use the camcorder for a long period of shooting. At the same time, it is quite compact in order to fit in a small bag.
In HDR continuous shooting mode. The CX 550 V is capable of holding 107 minutes, which is quite good. With additional settings, as well as using the optical viewfinder, you can slightly increase this indicator. But there is also the option to purchase a larger battery.
This model is equipped with a built-in optical viewfinder. It is not too large, but at the same time it has a position adjustment relative to the camcorder body.
External ports and connectors are located throughout the HDR body. CX 550 V. On the inside, on the side of the display, you can find a protective door, opening which allows access to the USB and HDMI ports. It covers these connectors important for the camcorder securely enough. Not far from them there is a button for turning on the GPS function. In this case, the video camera can record not only the image, but also information about the shooting coordinates.
On the back of the case, you can find two more ports, this is an audio / video output and an input for a charger. They are closed by a small hard plastic door.
On the front side of the case, on the right side, there is an input for an external microphone and headphones. They also have a plastic door that does a good job of protecting these ports.
On the top side of the CX 550 V there is a connector for connecting external accessories. But it can only work with those that are released directly by Sony. to use models from other manufacturers, you need to purchase a special adapter. It is also protected by a sliding door.
Turning the camcorder over, you can see the slot for memory cards on the bottom side, while the model supports two formats of Memory Stick and SD / SDHC cards.
The microphone is located at the front of the case, just above the lens of the camcorder. It is located in a good location for recording sound, but there is some chance of accidentally covering it with your finger while shooting. The model does not provide for manual adjustment of the microphone, but you can switch between preset modes, it is proposed to shoot with normal or low quality sound recording. Also HDR. The CX 550 V can be equipped with an external microphone, it can be connected either with a cable or using the special socket on the top of the housing.
The quality of still images obtained on HDR. CX 550 V is somewhat inferior to the results of full-fledged cameras, but it is at a fairly high level. The model has a built-in flash that can operate in three modes, as well as a wide range of customizable shooting parameters. At the same time, the resulting images have good color rendition and clarity.
Sony HDR. The CX 550 V has all the advanced features a consumer camcorder in its class should have. It shoots videos with good quality, is very stable and has a lot of internal memory. At the same time, quite an acceptable price makes it one of the most affordable video cameras of this class. The model is quite easy to use for beginners, and at the same time it has something to offer experienced users. A wide range of settings will be able to meet the highest requirements, and the compact size and location of the controls will make working with the camcorder even more enjoyable.
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Review and test of the Chinese copy of the top NP-FV100 battery for Sony.
Owners of Sony camcorders who want to save at least 5000 rubles on a top-end battery can safely look under the cat.
In short, you have to take.
Autonomy is perhaps one of the most important functions in a camcorder, along with the quality of recording, especially if you like to travel a lot or are simply fond of amateur video shooting in a home or corporate circle and the issue of long-term shooting from one fully charged battery is becoming more and more relevant. As expected. I also took care of this issue, and in order to know how much I need to be guided by, I went to the Sony offsite, then to SotMarket. the price for the top NP-FV100 battery (3700mAH)
my friend, the package is sent back to us. I think it can’t pass the customs because the speaker has water inside. The customs is strict lately. Please apply a dispute and we will refund your money. Best regards.
my friend, the package has been sent back to us. I think it cannot go through customs because the speaker has liquid inside. Customs is strict lately. Please open a dispute and we will refund your money. respectfully.
Returning to the subject, I will say that the parcel came to my mail 38 days after payment and the battery was packed in a white envelope with a bubble, instead of the traditional BIK’s gray bag with pieces of foam inside.
There are no complaints about the assembly, when squeezed, nothing creaks or staggers, the battery sits on the camera reliably and without backlash.
After unpacking the package, the battery was immediately inserted into the camcorder, showed half the charge, and I wondered how long it would take to record the video on half the charge (at the same time, it would discharge the battery for subsequent full charging). put the camcorder on the shelf, turned on the recording and went about his business. When I noticed that the LCD screen went out, I took out the flash drive and looked at the total time recorded on the computer.
video, it was 3 hours 26 minutes. a very decent result. After that, a completely dead battery was put on charge for 3 hours, then again to do the test, already on a fully charged subject. By the way, when I inserted a fully charged battery into the camera, the interface gave such indicators. I’m not sure about the almost 10-hour battery life in recording mode. after all, it’s a “Chinese”, which is noticeably lighter in weight than the original, but the estimated time recording video on a 16Gb flash drive with an accuracy of a minute turned out to be correct:
I must say right away that I see no reason to carry out abstruse measurements of the voltage and capacity of this battery, in this review I present a real battery test in the “field” practical conditions. What I did for this:
Put the camera on the shelf.
2. Set the clock in front of the camera.
3. Turned on the recording and went about his business.
Note:
1. The camera is set to HD quality, for a long time.
2. The memory card was used by SanDisc 16GB Class10
3. The role of the clock played by the Amoled display of NoKia C6-01
Actually, the video report itself, for clarity and protection from chinaphobes, skeptics and other funny characters who love to argue fiercely in the comments.
The duration of the recorded video on a 16Gb card was full 6.5 hours, and this despite the fact that the recording stopped due to lack of free space on the memory card, and the remaining charge showed 1 segment out of 4, that is, if I had a 32Gb card, the total video recording time would be at least 7.5 hours. Draw your own conclusions 🙂
Attention! The list is far from complete, my Sony HDR-CX200 camera is not in the list of supported models, but the battery fits perfectly, so see the photo review of the contact pad.
Outcome.
I am satisfied with the results of practical tests of this battery, for little money I got what was expected. many times greater autonomy than from a standard battery, which lasts a maximum of 1.5 hours of video recording.
Enjoy the shopping!