Can I expect detailed LANDSCAPE shots from a compact?

[mtbjay]

What is the BEST compact, pocketable camera for good, detailed landscape photos that can be enlarge to, say 12x18? A Canon G7 is too big, the Nikon P5100 seems about right... but what about the new sub-compacts like the Canon A870 IS? I understand the chip is marginally larger in the Nikon. What about a good depth of field? The compacts have a small F-stop range... so is it even reasonable to expect SHARP detail from compact when shooting long-shot landscapes such as horizons?

Looking for advice for those with HANDS ON experience.

Jason

[leaftye]

As I understand it, the sensor has little to nothing to do with detail. To get detail you need a good lens and a good autofocus, or at least a manual focus with a good operator.

[coldrain]

The very small sensors in compact digital cameras mean you have a VERY DEEP depth of field, not comparable to that of SLRs.

So, you get lots of detail over the whole depth of the photo. The Canon cameras have better image quality than the Nikon P5100. The Nikon also is irritatingly slow in focussing, by today's standards.

[AndyfromVA]

The Canon A570IS takes nice landscape photos.

http://www.flickr.com/cameras/canon/powershot_a570_is/

[fionndruinne]

The Canon SD800 IS is wide-angle, so it'll give you better landscape shots than many of it's compact brethren, which start out with a standard 35mm focal length.