Coolpix 8800 or D-70?

[Elsa]

I have a simple question:
Quality-wise, which picture would be better:
One taken at ISO 50 with a Coolpix 8800 or another taken at ISO 200 with a D-70, both taken with the maximum resolution the cameras provide?
Thank you.

[Ant]

Hmm. Simple question but not necessarily a simple answer. Most people would automatically say the image from the D70 would be better but I'm not so sure.

Under ideal conditions...ie. ideal for the coolpix to be able to shoot quickly at ISO50...then I'd say the coolpix would produce just as good an image, maybe even better because of the slightly higher resolution.

However, and this is a big however. It's not just the sensor that produces the image. The lens is extremely important: The sensor only captures the light that's focused upon it and that's where the lens matters. The big advantage of an SLR is the fact that you can buy an expensive lens to stick on it...one that will easily outperform the fixed lens of the coolpix. In which case the image from the D70 will be superior.....people don't shell out more than £1000 on a lens for nothing.

Another big advantage of a Dslr is the fact that it has a larger sensor. This doesn't necessarily produce a better image under ideal conditions but what it does do is enable you to get better images under less than ideal conditions. Because the larger sensor has much less noise you can jack up the ISO without getting too much grain. On a dull overcast day you can still keep your shutter speed high and have a small aperture and get enough light on the sensor, under those conditions the image quality of the coolpix will suffer and the D70 will be clearly superior.

So the short answer is that the coolpix will match, or even slightly exceed the image quality of the D70 under ideal conditions (a bright sunny day) and assuming that the D70 has an equal lens. Under all other conditions the D70 will be superior.

[Elsa]

Thank you very much, but now I have another question:
Is the Nikkor DX 18-70 lens better than the Coolpix 8800 lens, regarding image quality?

[Ant]

I have absolutely no idea. I have just checked the specs for the coolpix 8800, however, and noticed that it features the Nikon VR technology...which is pretty good.

If you're just looking to spend a limited amount of money on one camera for general purpose use then you can't really go wrong with the coolpix and that's what I'd recommend. The one caveat I'd put in is if you want to shoot fast moving subjects. A DSLR such as the D70 will be much quicker, both to focus and to take pictures. The shutter lag on these all-in-one cameras is usually quite high whereas the D70 will take pictures instantly.