Sony DSC-V3 versus Olympus E500, is Sony lying?

[dillenbu]

I currently have a Sony DSC-V3 and I am not happy with the inability to get a shallow DOF with it. It has a decent sized sensor (14mm x 14mm) and yet it has a 4.85X crop magnification compared to 35mm film (I got the 4.85 figure by dividing the 35mm equivalent focal length 34mm by the actual focal length 7mm). However, if you divide 35mm by the chip size (14mm), you get 2.5X crop magnification. Anybody know why? Is Sony lying about the chip size?

Anyways, I am considering purchasing the E500 with the two lenses. Will I be able to get shallow depth of field for indoor portraits? Or should I opt for the 50mm lense?

Thanks for any help!

[George Riehm]

I currently have a Sony DSC-V3 and I am not happy with the inability to get a shallow DOF with it. It has a decent sized sensor (14mm x 14mm) and yet it has a 4.85X crop magnification compared to 35mm film (I got the 4.85 figure by dividing the 35mm equivalent focal length 34mm by the actual focal length 7mm). However, if you divide 35mm by the chip size (14mm), you get 2.5X crop magnification. Anybody know why? Is Sony lying about the chip size?

Anyways, I am considering purchasing the E500 with the two lenses. Will I be able to get shallow depth of field for indoor portraits? Or should I opt for the 50mm lense?

Thanks for any help!

Where did you read that the DSC-V3 sensor is 14mm x 14mm? It uses a standard size 1/1.8 (.558 diag.) size sensor which is 7.18mm x 5.32mm.

Now your lens calculations should work better.

The only "break-out" all-in-one camera so far, using a non standard size sensor, is the Sony R-1 using a unique 1.68X sub APS-C sized CMOS sensor.

It's your money. And you will still be at 2X with a 17.3mm x 13mm (Kodak) sensor. Have you considered the D50?

[dillenbu]

George,

Thanks for the quick response. I got the 14mm figure by coverting 1/1.8 inches to millimeters. I didn't know it was standard to misrepresent the sensor size.

I don't think I want to go with a fixed lens camera again (like the Sony R-1) and be limited in what pictures I can possibly take.

To tell you the truth, the V3 was a present from my wife and I don't think I could justify shelling out more $$$ for a 6MP camera (D50) to replace the 7.2MP one she gave me :).

[dillenbu]

George,

Ah ha, I see now, the 1/1.8 is the diagonal measurement! Thanks!

John

[Jason25]

George,

Thanks for the quick response. I got the 14mm figure by coverting 1/1.8 inches to millimeters. I didn't know it was standard to misrepresent the sensor size.

I don't think I want to go with a fixed lens camera again (like the Sony R-1) and be limited in what pictures I can possibly take.

To tell you the truth, the V3 was a present from my wife and I don't think I could justify shelling out more $$$ for a 6MP camera (D50) to replace the 7.2MP one she gave me :).
It's well worth the money, fantastic camera :)

[ReF]

I don't think I could justify shelling out more $$$ for a 6MP camera (D50) to replace the 7.2MP one she gave me :).

a 7 or 8 mp small sensor camera is not going to outperform a 6mp large sensor camera. overall performance speed of a decent dlsr is going to outperform an all in one camera and the ability to choose lenses (especially the high grade stuff) is a world apart from a fixed lens.

[George Riehm]

George,

Ah ha, I see now, the 1/1.8 is the diagonal measurement! Thanks!

John

Great. You are welcome.

[George Riehm]

George,

Thanks for the quick response. I got the 14mm figure by coverting 1/1.8 inches to millimeters. I didn't know it was standard to misrepresent the sensor size.

I don't think I want to go with a fixed lens camera again (like the Sony R-1) and be limited in what pictures I can possibly take.

To tell you the truth, the V3 was a present from my wife and I don't think I could justify shelling out more $$$ for a 6MP camera (D50) to replace the 7.2MP one she gave me :).

As long as you are not shooting low light (without a flash) the V3 should work out fine. DOF will still be a problem. I just threw the D50 in the mix as it is about the same price (with the kit lens) as the E-500.