sony hi res lcd display with 8 widescreen free sample

Aspect ratio is the relationship of the width of a video image compared to its height. The two most common aspect ratios are4:3, also known as 1.33:1 or fullscreen, and 16:9, also known as 1.78:1 or widescreen. (Larger aspect ratio formats are used in the motion picture industry.)

All the older TV’s and computer monitors you grew up with had the squarish 4:3 shape– 33% wider than it was high. These are often referred to as square monitors.  4:3 LCD monitors can display analog video signals that conform to NTSC and PAL standards. They are not capable of displaying HD (high-definition) video.

The 4:3 aspect ratio dates back to 1917, when the Society of Motion Picture Engineers adopted it as the standard format for film. In the 1930’s, the television industry adopted the same 4:3 standard. But in the mid-1950’s, the motion picture industry began developing several widescreen formats to improve their decreasing audience numbers. Television broadcasting stayed with the 4:3 standard, until the recent move to HDTV and 16:9 widescreen.

16:9 is the native aspect ratio of most high-definition widescreen LCD monitors and TV’s (16:9 and 16:10 are very similar). It is 78% wider than it is tall, and fully one-third wider than a 4:3 screen. 16:9 widescreen monitors are ideally suited to display HD video signals. Some models can also display SD (standard definition) video signals, but this will require some compromises, as you will read below.

Nearly all experts agree that in order to display optimal video images, it is critical to match the aspect ratio of the monitor to the aspect ratio of the camera (or other incoming video source). Below is a example of a 16:9 image on a 16:9 widescreen lcd monitor:

However, many cameras in the industrial, commercial, security, and law enforcement industries still utilize 4:3 CCD or CMOS imagers. Therefore, to display clear, undistorted video images, it is important to utilize monitors with the same 4:3 aspect ratio to match the cameras. Failure to do so will result in distorted images, as shown below.

Unfortunately, despite the continued widespread use of 4:3 cameras, LCD monitors with a 4:3 aspect ratio are getting harder and harder to find. Many manufacturers have abandoned them in favor of the newer 16:9 widescreens. TRU-Vu Monitors still offers a complete line of industrial-grade 4:3 aspect ratio LCD monitors. These range in size from 5.5″ to 19″ screens. They are available with standard, waterproof, steel or open frame enclosures. They can be touch screen,  sunlight readable, medical-grade, or optically bonded.

16:9 widescreen LCD monitors are the ideal complement to 16:9 format HD cameras. These are increasingly used in video conferencing, broadcast and medical applications. They display superb, distortion-free, high-definition images. TRU-Vu Monitors offers these in 7″, 10.1″, 13.3″, 15.6″, 17.3″, 18.5″ and 21.5″ to 65” LCD screen sizes, in standard, touch screen, sunlight readable, medical-grade, optically bonded and open frame configurations.

You must avoid video images which are stretched, chopped, squeezed, shrunk or distorted. Be sure to choose a LCD monitor with the correct aspect ratio (4:3 aspect ratio or 16:9 aspect ratio) that matches your camera or other incoming video signal.

This chart shows the most common display resolutions, with the color of each resolution type indicating the display ratio (e.g. red indicates a 4:3 ratio).

The combination (which occurs by multiplication) of both the pixel aspect ratio and storage aspect ratio giving the aspect ratio as experienced by the viewer.

Video Graphics Array:MCGA (in monochome), Nintendo 3DS lower screen HiRes, Nintendo GameCube, Sun-1 color, Sony PlayStation (e.g. Tobal No.1 and Ehrgeiz), Nintendo 64, (e.g. various Expansion Pak enhanced games), 6th Generation Consoles, Nintendo Wii

Wide QXGA:Apple Cinema HD 30, Apple 13" MacBook Pro Retina Display, Dell Ultrasharp U3011, Dell 3007WFP, Dell 3008WFP, Gateway XHD3000, Samsung 305T, HP LP3065, HP ZR30W, Nexus 10

For television, the display aspect ratio (DAR) is shown, not the storage aspect ratio (SAR); analog television does not have well-defined pixels, while several digital television standards have non-square pixels.

Many of these resolutions are also used for video files that are not broadcast. These may also use other aspect ratios by cropping otherwise black bars at the top and bottom which result from cinema aspect ratios greater than 16∶9, such as 1.85 or 2.35 through 2.40 (dubbed "Cinemascope", "21∶9" etc.), while the standard horizontal resolution, e.g. 1920 pixels, is usually kept. The vertical resolution is usually a multiple of 8 or 16 pixels due to most video codecs processing pixels on such sized blocks. A widescreen FHD video can be 1920 × 800 for a 12∶5 ratio or 1920 × 1040 for roughly 1.85 × 1, for instance.

The below distinguish SAR (aspect ratio of pixel dimensions), DAR (aspect ratio of displayed image dimensions), and the corresponding PAR (aspect ratio of individual pixels), though it currently contains some errors (inconsistencies), as flagged.

LCD panels" resolutions are often quoted in terms of raw subpixels, misnamed "pixels" in manufacturer"s specifications. Each real pixel includes one subpixel for each of three colors, so calling subpixels "pixels" inflates the claimed resolution by a factor of three. This bit of marketing obfuscation is calculated as horizontal resolution × vertical resolution × 3. For example: 640 × 480 VGA is 92,616,161,661,600 subpixels, or 30,727,372,727,200 pixels, 800 × 600 SVGA is 1,440,000 subpixels, or 480,000 pixels, and 1024 × 768 XGA is 2,359,296 subpixels, but only 786,432 full-color pixels.

It features the same 24.2 megapixel sensor as the A6300 and A6500 cameras, along with the latest BIONZ X image processor, which now enables the Alpha A6400 to record at ISO 102400. The A6400 can capture 4K HDR (HLG) 3840x2160 video at 30fps, along with Full HD 1080p content at 120fps, both without any limits on the recording length.

Autofocus performance has been further improved, with the A6400 featuring 425 phase detection and 425 contrast detection AF points that cover 84% of the entire image frame. This helps ensure accurate subject tracking, and with the aid of Sony’s powerful Bionz X image processor, gives the A6400 a claimed focusing speed of just 0.02 seconds, more than twice as fast as the A6500.

Furthermore, the Sony Alpha A6400 offers real-time Eye AF and real-time AF tracking with AI-based subject recognition, which is instigated by half-pressing the shutter button, rather than via a custom button as on previous models, and the AF now works in low-light down to -2EV. Sony claim that all of these improvements make the A6400 the best camera in both their APS-C and full-frame ranges in terms of AF performance.

Other key new features include a 180-degree tilting monitor with touchscreen operation, an improved menu interface, built-in timelapse mode, 11fps continuous shooting with continuous AF/AE tracking with the mechanical shutter and 8fps with the silent electronic shutter, Bluetooth connectivity, 1:1 aspect ratio for JPEGs, and an improved peaking function.

The Sony A6400 is priced at approximately £950 / $900 / €1050. It"s also offered as a kit with the E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens priced at approximately £1,000 or in a kit with the E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens priced at approximately £1,300.

Externally the new Sony A6400 is extremely similar to the A6300 and A6500 cameras, so much so that you"d be hard-pressed to tell them apart side-by-side. It measures 120.0mm x 66.9mm x 49.9mm and weighs in at 403g with the battery and a memory card fitted, exactly the same as the A6300. As with that model, the Sony A6400 has a tough magnesium alloy body shell that incorporates full weather sealing for extra peace of mind in inclement conditions.

Although not particularly deep (something that was rectified on the A6500), the sculpted hand grip is relatively wide and comfortable to hold on to, which combined with the sizable rear thumb rest makes the A6400 feel secure enough when shooting one-handed.

The A6400 inherits the same 2.36 million dot OLED electronic viewfinder from the A6300, which features a 120fps high frame rate setting to help track moving subjects more smoothly with virtually no lag. The same is true of the 3-inch widescreen LCD monitor, which again retains the 922k resolution of the A6300"s screen.

This time around, though, Sony have implemented a 180-degree flippable design, rather than just 90 degrees of upward rotation and 45 degrees downward as on the A6300. This is more versatile for selfies and vlogging, although if you fit an accessory to the camera"s flash hotshoe (like an external mic), you won"t actually be able to use the screen in this position.

Sony have also implemented touch sensitivity to the screen, just like on the flagship A6500 camera. This makes functions like focus point selection much easier and more intuitive, especially given the lack of a rear AF joystick, and it even works while looking through the electronic viewfinder. Unfortunately, somewhat bizarrely you can"t use the touchscreen to navigate the main menu or quick menu settings.

The Sony A6400’s primary controls are virtually identical to those on the A6300. There"s the same dual wheel layout with a primary control dial on the top panel and a secondary rear-panel wheel that doubles as the 4-way navigation buttons. It’s a reasonably ergonomic setup, though we’d still prefer an additional control dial positioned near to the shutter release, enabling simultaneous thumb and forefinger settings adjustment.

The auto exposure lock button is still located directly alongside the thumb rest within a lever switch that gives the button two functions. Set the switch to AEL and you can meter light and lock exposure independently of the shutter release. But with the switch set to AF/MF, the exposure lock button instead activates manual focus during autofocusing, or switches the focus mode to auto when in manual mode.

It’s the further enhanced AF system that really steals the limelight on the new A6400. Where the A6300 featured 425 phase-detection AF points and 169 contrast-detection AF points, the A6400 gets a whopping 425 points of both varieties, phase and contrast, again spread over almost the entirety of the sensor area (84% to be precise). This helps the camera achieve a quoted focusing time of just 0.02 seconds, compared to the 0.05 second time of the A6300 and A6500.

Another focusing feature that has been improved is Eye AF. Already impressive on the rest of the Alpha camera range, Sony have simply taken things to the next level on the A6400.

Firstly, they"ve implemented an entirely new algorithm that uses AI-based object recognition to detect and track the subject, improving the accuracy, speed, and performance of the continuous AF system. You simply select the the new Tracking AF mode, position the AF point over the subject that you want to track, half-press the shutter, and the camera will doggedly follow that subject wherever it moves in the frame. It doesn"t have to be a person - the A6400 will track virtually any subject that you care to point it at.

This also effectively means that you no longer have to activate Eye AF by holding down a custom button (although you still can if you want to). Instead simply half-pressing the shutter button whilst in the Tracking AF mode activates Eye AF automatically if it detects a face/eye, and it seamlessly switches back to non-specific subject tracking if the eye or face can"t be detected, then back again when it can.

Conversely, you can use the system for easier composition of still subjects too. Simply focus on your subject, hold down the shutter button, and the camera will accurately lock onto your chosen subject while you recompose the frame, even if it"s in one of the furthest corners.

It"s fair to say that Sony"s new real-time AF tracking is something of a game-changer for both portrait and action photography - indeed, for any subject that you need to accurately and doggedly track, moving or otherwise. The ease of operation is a real eye-opener (excuse the pun) after years of holding down the Set button, and the sheer speed and adaptability of the system is surprisingly good considering this is just Sony"s first leap forward in this area. We can"t wait to see the same system implemented on other Sony Alpha cameras, with the flagship Alpha A9 sports camera due to get it next via a firmware upgrade.

It’s not just continuous focusing that gets a boost though, as continuous shooting is also enhanced. On paper the A6400 seems to be no faster than the A6300, with both cameras capable of shooting at 11fps using the mechanical shutter with continuous AF/AE metering and almost no perceptible lag on the LCD or EVF. What has been improved is the burst rate when using the electronic shutter, up from a rather pedestrian 3fps on the A6300 to a much more impressive 8fps on the A6400.

The A6400"s buffer size is a little more disappointing, though, being bigger than the A6300, but smaller than the A6500, despite having the same processor. It can record 99 JPGs and 46 RAW files in a single burst, whereas the A6500 can manage a much more impressive 233 JPGs and 107 RAW files.

The Sony A6400 is a very customisable camera. The rear Fn function button displays a quick-access menu of frequently used shooting settings, and you can choose which items appear on this menu. There are also two Custom buttons which can each be assigned a frequently used function for direct access. Even the AF/MF/AEL button can be customised, along with the left, right, down and centre rear panel navigation buttons, as well as the Fn button’s role in playback mode.

By default, the Fn button activates the Sony A6400’s Send to Smartphone Wi-Fi function when in playback mode. This works in conjunction with Sony’s PlayMemories Mobile app and lets you transfer a full resolution JPEG image in a nippy three seconds. Of course, you’ll have to connect your smart device first, but NFC pairing makes this a painless process. Even if you don’t have an NFC-enabled smartphone or tablet, Sony lets you scan a QR code displayed on the A6400’s monitor and this automatically enters the SSID password so you don’t need to type it manually. The camera can also be remotely controlled by your smart device, although you’ll need to first enter the A6400’s Setup4 tab on the main menu to activate the Remote Ctrl feature.

Just like on the Alpha A6500, a low-power, low-bandwidth Bluetooth 4.1 data connection is now also available on the A6400. This lets you connect your camera to a smart device even when the A6400 is turned off for easier transfer of images. The Bluetooth connection can also be used to sync GPS location data from your smartphone.

Strangely Sony have decided to make the top panel of the A6400 slightly less customisable by removing the two Memory modes that were found on the A6300"s shooting mode dial and replacing them with a single MR mode. This does have the benefit of providing a lot more memory modes, though - 7 in total. There are also the usual auto, semi auto and manual modes, plus a Scene Selection position, Sweep Panorama mode, and a Movie mode that works in conjunction with the video record button located on the right edge of the thumb grip. New to the A6400 is the Slow and Quick (S&Q) mode, which as the name suggests gives you easier access to the camera"s slow- and quick- motion video options (frame rates from 1fps to 120fps), as selected in the Movie1 tab / S&Q Settings option in the main menu system.

The A6400’s video abilities are virtually the same as on the A6300. It can record at Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 resolution at 30fps, and slow motion, high frame rate Full HD 1920 x 1080 sequences at 120fps. The movie-making potential is further enhanced by 100Mb/s high-bit-rate XAVC S data encoding, as well as clean video output over HDMI. The A6400 features Sony’s S-Log 2 and 3 gamma curves which enable it to record greater dynamic range, providing you’re prepared to colour grade the recording in post-production. New to the A6400 is the option of recording in HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) so that you can shoot HDR-ready footage for playback on your compatible TV directly in-camera.

The Sony A6400 uses the latest menu design from the Alpha A7 III camera, rather than the one found on the A6500 and A6300. It has a more logical structure, although as is traditionally the way with Sony"s menu, still pretty complicated. There"s now a My Menu tab that as the name suggests allows you to construct your own custom menu for easier access to your favourite camera settings.

The Sony A6400 will capture an image within two seconds of power-up and keep on shooting for a rated 410 shots per charge, although this drops to 360 shots when using the EVF. The A6400 can also be powered and charged via a USB connection, which is useful if you’re without your charger but can access a computer, although it doesn"t use the latest USB-C standard.

Finally there’s the battery compartment which, like the other A6000-series cameras, also incorporates the memory card slot. It’s not a major bugbear, as opening the compartment to access the card won’t cause the battery to drop out, and the tripod mount is far enough away to avoid a mounting plate blocking the door. It’s just a pity the card slot’s location nestles right next to the door’s hinge, making it fiddly to insert and eject a memory card.

The A6400 generates impressively clean results with minimal grain and detail loss. At ISO 6400 there’s only a slight increase in noise and reduction in detail, making this sensitivity completely usable. Only at ISO 12800 does grain and detail smoothing become more severe, although it’s by no means unsightly. ISO 25600 is really the ceiling for acceptable image quality, such is the high level of grain, loss of detail and reduced dynamic range. ISOs 51200 and 102400 are best avoided due to the intrusive grain and colour speckling.

If you dial things down to more sensible sensitivities, though, the A6400 records excellent dynamic range, especially when assisted by Sony’s Dynamic Range Optimisation. Good colour vibrancy adds extra visual appeal while maintaining accurate colour reproduction, though this of course can be adjusted to your own preference in the camera settings.

It’s worth noting that the A6400 doesn’t incorporate sensor-shift stabilisation and instead relies on conventional lens-based optical stabilisation. But even if you don’t have an optically-stabilised lens fitted, upping the camera’s sensor sensitivity to compensate for camera shake isn’t a big deal thanks to the A6400’s respectable high ISO image quality.

The Sony A6400 has a standard sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 51200, expandable to ISO 102400. Auto ISO operates within an ISO 100-6400 range and has selectable upper and lower limits. Two levels of high ISO noise reduction can be selected – Normal, or Low – or the processing can be disabled.

Five quality settings are available: RAW, RAW+JPEG (Extra fine, Fine and Standard JPEG compression options), JPEG Extra fine, JPEG Fine and JPEG Standard. RAW files average around 24MB each, Extra Fine JPEGs roughly 15MB, Fine JPEGs are in the region of 7.5MB, and Standard quality JPEGs weigh in at approximately 5MB each.

Five flash settings are available: Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync and Rear Sync, Wireless, and High speed synchronization (although this mode can only be used when an external flashgun is fitted).

With the 18-135mm lens fitted, the pop-up flash produced noticeable vignetting with the lens set to maximum wide angle when shooting a white surface from a distance of 1.5m. The flash is also too short when extended to prevent it casting an obvious lens shadow, making an external flashgun essential when shooting with wide or ultrawide lenses.

And here are a couple of portrait shots. A separate menu option controls whether or not red-eye reduction is active, but even without this enabled, the A6400 successfully avoided red-eye in our testing.

The Sony A6400 offers 13 Picture Effects, some with additional sub options: Toy camera (normal, cool, warm, green, magenta), Pop color, Posterization (mono, colour), Retro photo, Soft high-key, Partial color (red, green, blue, yellow), High-contrast mono, Soft focus (low, mid, high), HDR painting (low, mid, high), Rich-tone mono, Miniature (top, middle horizontal, bottom, left, middle vertical, right), Watercolor, and Illustration (low, mid, high).

This is a selection of sample images from the Sony A6400 camera, which were all taken using the 24.2 megapixel Extra Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

The Sony A6400 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We"ve provided some Sony RAW (ARW) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 15 second movie is 188Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 32 second movie is 384Mb in size.

The new Sony Alpha A6400 is a camera with something of a split personality. On one hand it has the best AF system that Sony offers on any of their cameras, including the much more expensive full-frame models, but on the other it inherits the now dated design of the original A6000 model with its awkward control layout.

On one hand it has a new 180-degree LCD screen that"s perfect for vlogging, but on the other there"s no built-in image stabilisation system, resulting in jerky footage if you dare to move with the camera, and fitting any accessory to the camera"s hotshoe blocks the screen.

So while we love some of the new features that Sony have implemented on the A6400, we can"t help but wonder why they didn"t go the whole hog and design a new, more intuitive camera to house them in.

Which is a real shame, as the continuous AF system on the A6400 is simply the best that we"ve ever used, on any camera, regardless of whether you"re a professional user shooting sports or a more casual user trying to get better pictures of your erratically moving kids. Simply focus on the subject, hold down the shutter button and voila, the A6400 will lock on and track them wherever they go.

This applies to eyes, faces, bodies, and any other subject that the powerful AI system can detect, and it proves useful for recomposing on still subject too. In short, Sony"s new real-time tracking feature is a real game-changer and one that leaves its main rivals in the dust.

From a vlogging perspective, too the A6400 promises to be a great option, with its flippable screen, 4K/30 p quality and no limit on the actual recording length. Oh, and that fantastic AF system, which works for both stills and video (albeit without eye AF for video).

Unfortunately the lack of IBIS severely curtails how much you can move whilst recording, the screen is blocked if you fit an external mic in the hotshoe, there"s no built-in headphone socket, and the USB port isn"t the latest USB-C standard. Ultimately, the A6400 is outgunned by its main rival, the Fujifilm X-T30, in the video department - who would have thought that would happen just a few years ago?

Finally, the design of the A6000-series is frankly now starting to show its age. With an over-reliance on its menu system, no front control dial, and a so-so EVF and LCD screen, we really wish Sony had taken the time to improve on this camera"s rather dated ergonomics.

Ultimately, the new Sony Alpha A6400 is a frustrating camera - outstanding in some aspects, most notably the AF system, good in others, but mediocre in some key areas by today"s high standards. Overall, it"s still a good bet, especially if you shoot a lot of moving subjects, but it also could potentially have been so much better...

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For bloggers, vloggers and independent content creators, the Sony A6400 is a dream. Its still image quality is very good, its 4K video is even better, and its 180-degree screen and eye-detect AF are perfect for single-handed video capture. But this is a specific market, and for regular stills photographers its high-tech image capture is poor consolation for its five-year-old design and limited external controls.

Sony"s 24.2-megapixel A6400 APS-C camera was a surprise, filling a gap between the A6300 and A6500 that didn"t really need to be filled. Both in how it looks and the technology inside, it didn"t seem like a great leap over the A6300. It also lacks important features (like in-body stabilization) found in the A6500. However, with 4K video, a pop-up screen, a microphone jack and reasonable $900 price tag, I thought it might make a great poor-man"s vlogging camera.

You could be forgiven for thinking that the Alpha A6400 is a minor upgrade over the A6300, and in many ways it is. But it"s the upgraded and highly advanced autofocus that really shines here, even more so given that it"s on a camera costing under $1,000 / £1,000. If this camera can help you increase your hit rate, regardless of the subject you"re shooting, that can only be a good thing.

The Sony A6400 is a mid-range mirrorless camera with a 24 Megapixel APSC sensor, 4k video, powerful autofocus tracking, a built-in viewfinder and touchscreen that flips-up by 180 degrees to face the subject. Announced in January 2019, it’s the official successor to the A6300 but as you’ll discover, it could be more tempting than the pricier A6500 depending on your needs.

13 types: Posterization (Color), Posterization (B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (R/G/B/Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera (Normal/Cool/Warm/Green/Magenta), Soft High-key, Soft Focus (High/Mid/Low), HDR Painting (High/Mid/Low), Rich-tone Monochrome, Miniature (Auto/Top/Middle　(H)/Bottom/Right/Middle (V)/Left), Watercolor, Illustration (High/Mid/ Low)

Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Autumn leaves, Black & White, Sepia, Style Box (1-6), (Contrast (-3 to +3 steps), Saturation (-3 to +3 steps), Sharpness (-3 to +3 steps))

Yes (Off / PP1-PP10) Parameters: Black level, Gamma (Movie, Still, Cine1-4, ITU709, ITU709 [800%], S-Log2, S-Log3, HLG, HLG1-3), Black Gamma, Knee, Color Mode, Saturation, Color Phase, Color Depth, Detail, Copy, Reset

Posterization (Color), Posterization (B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (R/G/B/Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera(Normal/Cool/Warm/Green/Magenta), Soft High-key

Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Autumn leaves, Black & White, Sepia, Style Box (1-6), (Contrast (-3 to +3 steps), Saturation (-3 to +3 steps), Sharpness (-3 to +3 steps))

Yes (Off / PP1-PP10) Parameters: Black level, Gamma (Movie, Still, Cine1-4, ITU709, ITU709 [800%], S-Log2, S-Log3, HLG, HLG1-3), Black Gamma, Knee, Color Mode, Saturation, Color Phase, Color Depth, Detail, Copy, Reset

XAVC S 4K: 3840 x 2160 (30p, 100M), 3840 x 2160 (24p, 100M), 3840 x 2160 (30p, 60M), 3840 x 2160 (24p, 60M), XAVC S HD: 1920 x 1080 (120p, 100M), 1920 x 1080 (120p, 60M), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (30p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (24p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 25M), 1920 x 1080(30p, 16M), AVCHD: 1920 x 1080 (60i, 24M, FX), 1920 x 1080 (60i, 17M, FH)

XAVC S 4K: 3840 x 2160 (25p, 100M), 3840 x 2160 (25p, 60M), XAVC S HD: 1920 x 1080 (100p, 100M), 1920 x 1080 (100p, 60M), 1920 x 1080 (50p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (25p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (50p, 25M), 1920 x 1080 (25p, 16M), AVCHD:1920 x 1080 (50i, 24M, FX), 1920 x 1080 (50i, 17M, FH)

Audio Level Display, Audio Rec Level, PAL/NTSC Selector, Proxy Recording (1280 x 720 (Approx.9Mbps)), TC/UB (TC Preset/UB Preset/TC Format/TC Run/TC Make/UB Time Rec), Auto Slow Shutter, REC Control, Clean HDMI Info. (ON/OFF selectable), Gamma Disp. Assist

3840 x 2160 (30p), 3840 x 2160 (25p), 3840 x 2160 (24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p), 1920 x 1080 (60i), 1920 x 1080 (50p), 1920 x 1080 (50i), 1920 x 1080 (24p), YCbCr 4:2:2 8bit / RGB 8bit

Auto / Daylight / Shade / Cloudy / Incandescent / Fluorescent (Warm White / Cool White / Day White / Daylight) / Flash /Underwater/ Color Temperature (2500 to 9900K) & color filter (G7 to M7 (57-step), A7 to B7 (29-step)) / Custom

Eye-start AF (only with LA-EA2 or LA-EA4 attached (Sold separately)), Object Tracking, Eye AF (Right/Left Eye Select), AF micro adjustment with LA-EA2 or LA-EA4 (Sold separately), Predictive control, Focus lock, Swt.V/H AF Area, AF Area Regist., Circ. of Focus Point

Bracket: Cont., Bracket: Single, 3/5/9 frames selectable. With 3 or 5 frames, in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 EV increments, with 9 frames, in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, or 1.0 EV increments.

Smart zoom (Still images): M: Approx. 1.4x, S: Approx. 2x, Digital zoom (Still images): L: Approx. 4x, M: Approx. 5.7x, S: Approx. 8x, Digital zoom (Movie): Approx. 4x

Modes: Face Priority in AF (On/Off), Face Priority in Multi Metering (On/Off), Regist. Faces Priority (On/Off), Face registration, Max. number of detectable: 8

Yes (Light signal: Available with Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Hi-speed sync. /Radio signal: Available with Fill-flash, Rear Sync., Slow Sync., Hi-speed sync.)

Single Shooting, Continuous shooting (Hi+/Hi/Mid/Lo selectable), Self-timer, Self-timer (Cont.), Bracket: Single, Bracket: Cont., White Balance bracket, DRO bracket

Single (with or without shooting information Y RGB histogram & highlight/shadow warning), 12/30-frame index view, Enlarged display mode (L: 16.7x, M: 11.8x, S: 8.3x, Panorama (Standard): 19.2x, Panorama (Wide): 29.1x), Auto Review (10/5/2 sec,Off), Image orientation (Auto/Manual/Off selectable), Slideshow, Panorama scrolling, Folder selection (Date/ Still/ AVCHD/XAVC S HD/XAVC S 4K), Forward/Rewind (movie), Delete, Protect, Rating, Disp Cont Shoot Grp

Approx. 120.0mm x 66.9mm x 59.7mm, Approx. 120.0mm x 66.9mm x 49.9mm (from grip to monitor)/Approx. 4 3/4 x 2 3/4 x 2 3/8 inches, Approx. 4 3/4 x 2 3/4 x 2 inches (from grip to monitor)

The Sony Alpha A6400 will ship in Europe in February 2019 priced at approximately £950 / $900 / €1050. It will also be offered as a kit with the SELP1650 lens priced at approximately £1,000 or in a kit with the SEL18135 lens priced at approximately £1,300.

Sony have also announced the new Imaging Edge mobile app for the Alpha system, and upcoming new firmware updates for the Alpha A9 (Version 5.0, March 2019), A7R III and A7 III (Version 3.0, April 2019) and the Alpha A9 again (Version 6.0, Summer 2019).

World’s Fastest[i]0.02 seconds[ii] AF acquisition speed plus 425 phase-detection and contrast-detection AF points covering approximately 84% of image area

The α6400 brings many of Sony’s most advanced technologies from their acclaimed full-frame line-up to a compact, lightweight APS-C camera. The speedy new camera boasts the world’s fastesti AF acquisition of 0.02ii seconds, while also introducing the new advanced ‘Real-time Eye AF’ and ‘Real-time Tracking’ capabilities. Also included is high speed shooting at up to 11 fpsiv with AF/AE tracking, a new-generation BIONZ X image processing engine that produces excellent image quality, 4Kvi video recording, a 180-degree fully tiltable LCD touch screen and much more, making it the ultimate tool for all types of creators ranging from professionals to everyday vloggers.

The impressive autofocus system on the new α6400 inherits many technologies from Sony’s newest line-up of full-frame cameras including the α9, α7R III and α7 III models. The new camera features 425 phase-detection AF points and 425 contrast-detection AF points that are placed densely over the entire image area, covering approximately 84% of the image area. This high-speed, high-performance-tracking AF system is paired with a new-generation BIONZ X image processing engine that together allows the camera to acquire focus in as little as 0.02 secondsii and maintain subject lock extremely effectively, ensuring even the fastest moving subjects can be tracked and captured with ease.

The α6400 introduces an advanced ‘Real-time Eye AF’, the latest version of Sony’s acclaimed Eye AF technology. This exciting new capability employs artificial intelligence-based object recognition to detect and process eye data in real time, resulting in improved accuracy, speed and tracking performance of Eye AF. In all autofocus modes, the camera now automatically detects the eyes of the subject and activates Eye AF with a half press of the shutter button, and when in AF-C or AF-A mode, the preferred eye (left or right) of your subject can be selected as the focus point. Choices include Auto / Right Eye / Left Eye, and a Switch Right / Left Eye function can be assigned to a custom function as well. This exciting new technology completely frees the photographer to focus solely on composition with full trust that focus will be tack sharp on the subject’s eye. Eye AF support for animals[vii] will be added in Summer 2019 via a system software update, ideal for wildlife photographers.

Also debuting on the α6400 is Sony’s newly developed ‘Real-time Tracking’. This mode utilises Sony’s latest algorithm including Artificial Intelligence based object recognition and processes colour, subject distance (depth), pattern (brightness) as spatial information to ensure that all subjects can be captured with excellent accuracy. Plus, when photographing or videoing humans or animals, face and eye position information is recognised by AI and the subjects’ eyevii is monitored in real time with extremely high tracking precision. This can be activated by a simple half press of the shutter button[viii], or can be assigned to a custom function as well.

In terms of overall shooting speeds, the new camera can shoot at up to 11 fpsiv with full AF/AE tracking while utilising the mechanical shutter, and up to 8 fpsv with full AF/AE tracking while silent shooting. It can shoot at each of these speeds for up to 116 frames JPEG Standard / 46 frames RAW compressed, greatly increasing the chances of capturing the perfect moment.

Sony’s new α6400 is equipped with a 24.2 MPiii APS-C sized image sensor that is paired with an upgraded BIONZ X processor to deliver incredible advancements in image quality and colour reproduction in all types of shooting conditions. Standard ISO ranges up to ISO 32000 for both still and movie and is expandable up to ISO 102400 for still images, with excellent noise reduction at medium and high sensitivities.

The camera also inherits many of the image processing algorithms from Sony’s newest full-frame cameras, greatly suppressing noise while preserving resolution and improving texture depiction.

The versatile α6400 is an exceptional video camera, offering internal 4K (QFHD: 3840 x 2160) movie recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning to collect about 2.4x the amount of data required for 4K movies, and then oversamples it to produce high quality 4K footage with exceptional detail and depth. Focusing during movie shooting is fast and stable thanks to upgraded Fast Hybrid AF technology, which keeps the subject in constant smooth focus no matter the scene, and even if an object crosses in front. This advanced AF plus touch focus functionality make it an ideal camera choice for many vloggers and video creators that are regularly creating and uploading content online.

For time-lapse movie creation[ix], the new camera features built-in interval recording that can be set anywhere between 1 and 60 seconds, with a total number of shots from 1 to 9999. AE tracking sensitivity can be adjusted to “High”, “Mid” or “Low” during interval shooting, allowing for reduced changes in exposure over the shooting interval.

Additionally, for the first time in a Sony APS-C mirrorless camera, the new model includes an HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) picture profile, which supports an Instant HDR workflow, allowing HDR (HLG) compatible TV’s to playback beautiful, true-to-life 4K HDR[x] imagery. Furthermore, both S-Log2 and S-Log3[xi] are available for increased colour grading flexibility, as well as Zebra functionality, Gamma Display assist and proxy recording. The camera can also record Full HD at 120 fps[xii] at up to 100 Mbps, allowing footage to be reviewed and eventually edited into 4x or 5x slow-motion video files in Full HD resolution with AF tracking.

The new camera is designed to offer a high level of functionality and customisation to maximise shooting freedom. New on the α6400 is a 180-degree, fully tiltable, 3.0-type LCD flip screen with 921k-dots of resolution that allows for simple and effective framing of selfie-style shooting for both still and video capture. Utilising this capability, vloggers will be able to check and monitor composition throughout their entire creative process. The LCD screen is also equipped with touch functionality, with options for Touch Pad, Touch Focus, Touch Shutter and new Touch Tracking which quickly activates ‘Real-time Tracking’ through the touch screen.

The camera features a high quality XGA OLED Tru-finder™ viewfinder, extensive customisation with 89 functions that are assignable to 8 custom keys, the new My Dial and My Menu functionality, enhanced overall menu usability, a help screen for menus, star rating for images, and many other features that allow for a seamless shooting experience. It is also built with a tough magnesium alloy design, is dust and moisture resistant[xiii] and has an extremely durable shutter that is rated for approximately 200,000 cycles[xiv]. It is also capable of seamlessly transferring files to a smartphone or tablet when connected to the brand-new ‘Imaging Edge Mobile’ application[xv].

The α6400 will ship in Europe in February 2019 priced at approximately £950. It will also be offered as a kit with the SELP1650 lens priced at approximately £1,000 or in a kit with the SEL18135 lens priced at approximately £1,300.

A variety of exclusive stories, videos and exciting new content shot with the newest cameras and other Sony α products can be found at https://www.sony.co.uk/alphauniverse. Sony’s European photography hub is available in 22 languages and details product news, competitions and an up-to-date list of Sony events in each country.

[v] Maximum fps will depend on camera settings. Some distortion may occur with fast-moving subjects or if the camera is moved sideways rapidly while shooting

The Sony A6400 is a 24-megapixel APS-C mirrorless camera with 4K video recording and the most sophisticated auto-focusing system of any Sony mirrorless camera.

The Sony A6400 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We"ve provided some Sony RAW (ARW) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative)."

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 15 second movie is 188Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 32 second movie is 384Mb in size.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 offers a big, 11-inch screen in a surprisingly compact package that’s great for watching video, playing games, or just browsing the web, and its sizable battery ensures that you won’t run out of power while doing all of that. The Galaxy Tab S8 also comes with an S Pen stylus for you to draw and take notes on the tablet. It runs Android 12L out of the box, and Samsung’s enhanced multitasking features let you easily run multiple apps. In addition, this tablet will receive OS updates through spring 2026, much longer than most non-Samsung tablets.

The Galaxy Tab S8 has a 1600×2560 LCD screen, a major improvement over the Amazon Fire HD 8’s mediocre 1280×800 screen. Although it’s not as good as the OLED on the larger Galaxy Tab S8+, this model’s screen is still sharper and more vibrant than those of most tablets we’ve tested. In contrast to the squarish iPad (4:3), the Galaxy Tab S8 is widescreen (16:10 ratio). Larger widescreen tablets like the Galaxy Tab S8+ can be awkward to use in portrait orientation, but the Galaxy Tab S8 is light and easy to handle at just over a pound. The bezel around the screen is just the right size to hold yet doesn’t waste space, and the tablet’s aluminum unibody frame feels solid and resists scratching—Samsung claims that its custom Armor Aluminum is 10% stronger than other alloys.

Samsung bundles the S Pen with this tablet (in contrast to Apple, which makes you pay extra for the Apple Pencil), and the stylus magnetically attaches to the back of the tablet to charge. It connects to the tablet over Bluetooth to enable features like button shortcuts and gestures, but even if the S Pen’s battery is totally dead, it still works for writing and drawing on the Galaxy Tab S8. The S Pen also takes advantage of the screen’s high refresh with just 6.2 ms of latency; it’s much faster than on previous generations of Samsung tablets and even a bit more responsive than the Apple Pencil. The result is by far the best stylus experience on Android—vastly better than buying a clunky capacitive stylus and using it with a regular touchscreen.

With a big, 8,000 mAh battery, the Galaxy Tab S8 can run for a couple of days on a charge. In our tests, we couldn’t completely drain it in one day, even with heavy use, and it won’t die overnight if you leave it unplugged. The tablet can charge at up to 45 watts, though most USB-C chargers top out at 25 W—that’s fine if you’re plugging the tablet in overnight, but you might want a charger that supports USB PD PPS if you need to plug in to get a boost in the middle of the day.

The Galaxy Tab S8 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, which also powers many 2022 flagship Android smartphones, including Samsung’s Galaxy S22 family. This eight-core chip is fast enough to keep multiple apps running smoothly side by side, and the tablet’s 8 GB of RAM is enough to ensure that the apps you leave will remain in memory as you multitask. The Gen 1 chip also offers excellent graphical performance, maxing out high-end games like Genshin Impact and Civilization VI. (Those games aren’t even available in the Amazon Appstore, and they wouldn’t run on the Fire HD 8 if they were.) The Galaxy Tab S8 also has quad speakers that are better than those in most laptops. It even has a microSD card slot for you to expand your storage, a feature that Samsung dropped from its smartphones years ago.

Software is usually a weakness for Android tablets, but Samsung has come as close as anyone to solving Android’s large-screen problems. The Galaxy Tab S8 runs One UI 5 (based on Android 12L), which includes Samsung’s enhanced multiwindow functionality to support floating windows and split-screen apps. Even if an app isn’t formatted for tablets, it’s usable on the Galaxy Tab S8. You can open up to three apps at the same time in split-screen mode and save them as a group for easy access. The bottom app bar also lets you quickly open your favorite apps in full-screen or split-screen mode.

The Galaxy Tab S8 has both a 13-megapixel primary camera and a 6-megapixel ultrawide camera on the back, and they’re impressive for tablet cameras, which are usually an afterthought. Still, taking photos with a tablet is awkward. The front-facing 12-megapixel ultrawide camera is great for video calls, and it can take a crisp, well-exposed selfie if you must.

Virtually all Android smartphones have a fingerprint sensor, but that feature isn’t a sure thing on tablets. The Galaxy Tab S8 has one, but it’s in the power button, which might not be easy to reach depending on how you pick up the tablet. In contrast, the Galaxy Tab S8+ has an in-display fingerprint sensor, a design that makes unlocking faster.

Although Samsung’s own apps are optimized for the S Pen, you won’t find many third-party apps that are. Likewise, you will occasionally encounter apps that don’t work very well on large displays. You can run them in split-screen or floating windows, but that’s an extra step. Apple’s tablet-software ecosystem has Samsung and Google beat, and that situation is unlikely to change anytime soon.

Samsung released the Galaxy Tab S8 at $700, but it has dropped in price closer to $550. It’s still expensive enough that most people who want a large, high-end tablet should just get an iPad instead. However, the Galaxy Tab S8 is reasonably priced for an Android tablet, and even if you can’t find it on sale, you have another opportunity to save, as Samsung offers high trade-in values for old devices. Samsung also sells a keyboard case that props up the tablet and makes being productive easier, but it’s expensive ($140), cramped, and not very useful in Android—it’s not worth the price.

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The 65-inch 2022 Sony BRAVIA XR65X90K 4K Google TV is a nice affordable option for anyone looking for a set with excellent Sony video processing and responsive Google TV smart streaming and recommendations.

Unlike some of the company’s step-up BRAVIA 4K LED LCD TV series with Mini-LED backlighting, the BRAVIA X90K series is comprised of standard full-array with local dimming LED LCD models. This makes for a more affordable option, at the sacrifice of some black level detail found in Mini-LED systems that typically generate more brightness and better controlled black and haloing artifacts in dark scenes. The set also presents some shadow detail crushing in SDR and at times noticeable screen reflection that can get distracting.

The set also lacks quantum dot color volume and wide gamut enhancement technology found in many competitors models at this price point. However, Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR and Triluminos color system deliver a very similar result, with powerful brightness and color gamut boosting across the set’s 4K (3840 x 2160) screen pixels, This produces a very nice, realistic-appearing SDR and HDR pictures, over all.

Nicely, the X90K TV series, like many other Sony TVs this year, includes built-in NextGen TV ATSC 3.0 as well as obligatory ATSC 1.0 over-the-air broadcast tuners, so with the right antenna hooked up for your area, you should be able to tune in free (and otherwise) new TV broadcast networks and ancillary local market sub channels bringing the latest and greatest features and content. Sony is one of the most aggressive TV brands at bringing this nice new functionality to consumers and will become a bigger factor in a TV purchase decision in short order.

The BRAVIA X90K series comes in three screen sizes: 55-inches ($998), 65-inches ($1,198), 75-inches ($1,698) and 85-inches ($2,198). Although the number of local dimming zones will vary by screen size, we expect the design, picture and sound performance to be similar across the four models.

For this review, we tested the BRAVIA 65-inch XR65X90K, offering approximately 54 local dimming zones (by our count – Sony doesn’t release zone counts and the actual number might be slightly higher or lower) inside the 120Hz native refresh rate, full-array LED-backlit panel.

Sony’s powerful XR Cognitive processor drives an assortment of picture enhancement systems including what the company calls “XR Motion Clarity” blur reduction, “XR Triluminos Pro” for a wider, more natural color palette, and “XR 4K Upscaling” that intelligently controls the upconversion of lower resolution images to preserve lost visual textures and detail that can result from lesser technologies.

The processor itself was developed by Sony to drive the picture performance in a way that will appeal more naturally to the human visual system, to deliver what Sony believes is an experience that is more true-to-life and therefore more stimulating to the viewer’s perception.

Sony continues to offer High Dynamic Range (HDR) in three profile flavors including HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG. It does not specifically support the HDR10+ profile, though it will produce similar effects from such content. Each of these profiles help black shadow detail and bright specular highlights in HDR-produced content stand out from the scene for a picture with contrast and brightness details that appear more realistic than the same content delivered in standard dynamic range (SDR) pictures.

In addition, the set supports the IMAX Enhanced certification for improved performance with IMAX Enhanced 4K/HDR content. The certification is only available to more advanced display models.

Also featured is the Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode, which is a system developed to make supporting TVs display Netflix content as closely as possible within the limitations of the set to the way it appears on Netflix’s mastering monitors in post production.

The BRAVIA Cognitive XR Processor also supports Sony’s exclusive content available through the BRAVIA CORE app supporting specially produced movies and programs that tap the full advanced picture and sound boosting features of Sony BRAVIA XR displays.

The performance we obsevered from this model is better than we expected to see from a television in this class, though absent some of the brightness and black level detail many upper-midrange 4K Mini-LED TVs from companies including Sony, Samsung, TCL, Hisense and others are aggressively promoting.

The BRAVIA XR65X90K is a very good display for watching both Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) and High Dynamic Range (HDR) movies and film-based television shows in both well-lit and controlled dark room settings. However, noticeable screen glare will appear on dark scenes in moderately well-lit to bright viewing environments. It also handles SDR live television programming such as news and sports telecasts, quite well, with excellent color handling and sharp resolution, but the set will benefit somewhat from a professional calibration.

That said, the set does a competent job of self-calibrating for gamma and screen brightness via an on-board ambient room monitoring and enhancement system. Considering the price point, we figure most buyers will rely on this value-added asset.

The television handles movies streamed through the Google TV OS especially well, with 4K Dolby Vision content. We found Dolby Vision supported HDR presented the best appearing images for this display, although the improvements are subtle compared to standard HDR10 metadata or live broadcast-HDR programming using HLG. We didn’t test for IMAX Enhanced or BRAVIA CORE content performance for this review, but we expect them to both be excellent on this display.

The XR65X90K is also a capable gaming display, offering a moderately low input lag of 22.6ms for Full HD 1080/60p HDMI input and we expect similar performance for 4K/60p as well. The set has a pair of HDMI 2.1 bandwidth inputs accepting high-frame-rate gaming and PC sources, with support for variable refresh rate (VRR) after firmware update from newer gaming devices.

The styling of the Sony BRAVIA XR65X90K features an attractive glass black narrow bezel frame measuring 0.43 inches thick surrounding all four sides of the screen.

The included stand consists of a pair of metal feet that can be attached at two different along the bottom of the screen to fit tabletops or credenzas of varying widths. The short position fits the screen snugly atop the placement surface, but this can be raised for situations where a soundbar is desired to avoid blocking any portion of the screen. These feet are very easy to attach to the screen and provide above-average support without much screen wobble.

The footprint of the reviewed 65-inch model measures 46.3 x 13 inches. With the stand in the lowest position the gap between the mounting surface and the bottom of the screen is 1.54 inches. In the elevated position, the set provides 3.31 inches of clearance allowing for many soundbar models to be placed in front of the screen without interference.

The back of the panel is made of a black textured plastic with a rounded ramp up in depth from the edges of the frame inward toward the center back of the screen. The panel depth measures 2.76 inches at its deepest part. This design provides a flat surface for wall mounting with a slight gap around the perimeter of the back of the panel and the wall surface. VESA standard bracket screw holes are provided.

Facing the screen, the inputs are arranged in a carved out niche on the left side of the panel facing out to the side, providing plenty of clearance in wall-mounted applications. The set offers four HDMI ports (two HDMI 2.0 and two 4K HDMI 2.1 ports). HDMI input 3 adds support for eARC/ARC audio passthrough, and ports 3 and 4 support up to 4K/120fps frame rates, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and will support Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) following a firmware update. All four inputs are HDCP 2.3 compatible to play the latest copy-protected 4K video content.

The compact remote fits comfortably in the hand and offers a minimal button layout, relying on the Google TV operating system to do most of the work controlled by the central up/down/right/left app/settings highlight control. Fast-access app buttons are provided for YouTube, Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video. The buttons are not backlit but most of the pertinent controls are easy to determine by feel in the dark.

The VA-type LCD panel in our test model was relatively free of any distracting dirty screen effect with a 100% full-screen gray test pattern and only subtly visible vertical line blemishes across 201 nit white screens and brighter. This was not immediately noticeable or distracting in real-world demo material most of the time, but it can be seen occasionally in some camera pans and zooms depending on the scene backgrounds.

Like most LCD TVs, Sony BRAVIA XR65X90K Google TV suffers somewhat when viewed from off angle — both vertically and horizontally — although horizontal viewing angles hold onto contrast and color details better most televisions in this price class. Reflections in the screen are visible and can be distracting at times viewing dark scenes when lights are on in the viewing room.

Where it’s positioned in the market, the Sony XR65X90K isn’t likely to attract many customers who will be willing to shell out for a professional-level calibration, or have the equipment necessary to perform one themselves. But for those with the inclination, Sony supports a Calman AutoCal workflow that will speed the process up considerably when the right light meters and test pattern generators are available. Nicely, Sony provides a comprehensive assortment of settings and picture modes to tweak brightness, contrast, gamma and color levels precisely to fit the lighting conditions of the room.

Keep in mind that each source, including content streamed through the Google TV UI, must be calibrated separately. When streaming content through the Google TV OS, the set typically shifts into a set of pre-determined picture settings upon detection of content flags in signal sources like Dolby Vision HDR, for example. While not perfectly customized to the room, these pre-sets tend to look quite good, with little to no action required by the viewer.

For calibrating HDMI input sources, pre-set picture modes include: Vivid, Standard, Cinema, IMAX Enhanced, Custom, Custom for Pro 1, and Custom for Pro 2. Where a signal contains a flag for Dolby Vision HDR, the picture modes present options for Dolby Vision Bright and Dolby Vision Dark modes. When a signal comes in via an HDMI input, the set also provides picture mode options for game, which turns off processing systems that interfere with the fastest possible lag time.

For this review, we calibrated the set using Portrait Displays’ Calman AutoCal workflow for SDR. This is used as the base setting for HDR performance as well in the Sony set. Along with this we used a Spectracal C6-HDR Colorimeter and a Murideo Six-G test pattern generator. All of the automatic picture processing settings were turned off or to low.

Out of the box readings from the television looked quite good for the moderately well-lit test room, although grayscale and color positions were a little off target in some areas, and improved nicely post-calibration with bright, accurate skin tones and color saturation levels.

With the set in “’Vivid” picture mode, color temperature at Expert 2 and brightness, contrast, gamma, Advanced Contrast Enhancer, Auto Local Dimming and Peak Luminance all on high, we measured peak HDR brightness of 1023 nits, which is excellent and above the 1000 nit peak HDR luminance threshold for a “Premium Ultra HDTV” as specified by the Ultra HD Alliance. However, these settings are not very realistic.

Measuring HDR10 peak brightness after calibration, the set produced a top level of 914 nits running a 10% D65 white window pattern. This dropped down to 621.6 nits measuring a full 100% window pattern. Again, the HDR brightness levels are somewhat lower than found in step-up Mini-LED back-lit 4K LCD TVs in the market, including better Sony BRAVIA models.

The large size of the set’s local dimming zones diminishes its ability to control pure black reproduction in some dark scene conditions. As mentioned, when viewing HDR some issues with haloing/blooming around bright test pattern objects is observable moving across solid 100% black backgrounds. This is boosted or reduced depending on the dimming setting, with greater haloing observed at “High” and “Medium”. However, the set didn’t produce any flash-lighting (light bleeding) into border frames when viewing real world letter-boxed content from Ultra HD Blu-ray movies or streamed widescreen programs.

Viewing the moving star field patterns in the Spears & Munsil 4K HDR test pattern Ultra HD Blu-ray, detail crushing was minimal as were cloud-like blooming artifacts around moving star clusters. However, the brightness levels in the tiny points of “star” light were somewhat more subdued than we’ve seen. Similarly, the intended deep inky black background was elevated slightly into gray.

The handling of shadow detail as tested in the title sequences of the Ultra HD Blu-ray version of “The Martian,” shows a wide field of stars against a black space background, but these appear dimmer than on a Mini-LED-based set like a TCL 6 Series or a step-up 2022 Sony BRAVIA model. In addition, the black in the surrounding space image shows as slightly elevated dark gray, which is more separated from true black than sets with more better local dimming systems will produce.

On the other hand, the television’s LED dimming feature manages to measure “zero nits” on black test patterns in a dark room. The Ultra HD Alliance black level threshold standards for a Premium 4K LED LCD specify 0.05 nits or lower, but the way the set handled these test patterns is not quite true to the way most real world images seem to be displayed.

Smaller bright white circle test patterns on black fields or the tiny white cursors in the Spears & Munsil zone counter test pattern emit a very apparent blooming effect for several inches into the black portion of the pattern, testifying to the set’s tendency to show haloing in certain conditions due to the large size of the dimming zones.

As for real world HDR presentations,