This is not available for RAW, only JPEGs.
This is a setting hidden away in ISO: Menu A > Page 5> ISO > Multi Frame NR (the first option).
The camera shoots multiple images and combines them to form one image, with low noise. The ISO AUTO Maximum and Minimum settings apply to Multi Frame NR if you set the upper and lower limits.
You cannot use it with:
- Flash, DRO or Auto HDR
- Picture profiles or picture effects
The tests
Strangely, you can choose from Auto, and then a range of ISOs. Sony doesn’t explain how it works, so I conducted three tests:
- Auto
- ISO 100
- ISO 800
EXIF – 1/25 shutter, f/4.5 (scene normal at ISO 800); at 51mm on a 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6mm lens. Standard picture profile. X.FineJPEG quality 42MP. Multi-metering, underexposed by -0.7EV. Compressed to a small size and Medium quality JPEGs:
Auto, first Off then On:
ISO 100, first Off then On:
ISO 800, first Off then On:
Takeaways
- The camera shoots multiple images, so it can only be used on a tripod.
- The lower the ISO, the lesser the need for Multi Frame NR.
- Choose your ISO manually. E.g., in the above test, the scene was at ISO 800, and when I chose ISO 800, it did a slightly (almost impossible to tell) better job of correcting noise than Auto.
- Do not choose the wrong ISO!
Bottom line, if you’re shooting JPEGs on tripods, choose Multi Frame NR. It works! Everyone else should ignore it (as if you had a choice!).
