how many megapixels?

[sarah12334]

Sorry if this is a really "newbie" question, but I've read all the advice columns on "how many megapixels" and I still have questions.

As best as I can see, most of the basic point-and-shoot cameras that won't break the bank are around the 4 megapixel range. I'm considering a couple of 4 mpx cameras, but I want to know if this will be enough for me.

Let's say I take a picture on the highest quality setting and then I want to crop it (using 40% as a "what if") and then take it to Costco or Wal-Mart on CD and get a printout of a quality that would rival film prints (and by film I mean basic 35mm point-and-shoot, developed at Costco, not fancy professional film).

Could I do this with 4 mpx in a 4x6 size? What about 5x7? Is 8x10 really pushing things? If there any way in hell I could get a decent 11x14 out of a 4mpx camera, or do I need something with higher resolution?

Most of the time I'd be printing 4x6 prints, but I'd like to know what the limits of a 4mpx camera would be.

Thanks!

[timmciglobal]

A lot has to do with subject on the need for megapixels.

Could you get a good 8X10 picture of say 3 folks taken at 10 feet, sure, could you take a picture of a stage taken at 50 feet and zoom in, then expect clear sharp details on a small child on stage at 8X10? probably not.

Optical zoom overcomes megapixel barriers in many situations, its why the 5X+ optical zooms so popular.

For example, two shots taken with my pro1, Ones the "full" image downsized to ~ 0.8 megapixels, the other is just the bird, notice how the bird LOOKS better in its smaller size then it does at 100% zoom in, the "Detail" on the subjects gets worse as you zoom in on any megapixel count so the greater the ability to optically zoom in before the picture taken the better.

http://home.rochester.rr.com/galidin/birdfull.jpg

http://home.rochester.rr.com/galidin/bird.jpg


Tim

[Newbie]

My answer here will be for no crop, no digital zoom, just 4mp.

You can print a 4mp picture at a size up to 5x7 and get photo quality picture(I mean the best result possible). That is the largest "common" size you can print and get such results.
With that being said, in most cases you can print at 8x10 and get very good results, perhaps you wouldn't even notice the difference; for sure you wouldn't if you would look at the image at 2 feet away.
Now, without interpolation, about the maximum you can go is 11x14, it will still give you good results, but for some people its unacceptable, so you'll have to see for yourself... Basicly take any picture and print it at 150 ppi and you will get an image roughly the equivalent of what you'd get if you print a 4mp picture at 11x14.

With all that being said, the quality of the lens, the size of the sensor, the compression level and the kind of picture all matter more or less when doing large prints. So I gave you the basic guidelines of what is generally accepted.

[ssidlov]

The straight answer is that they do not actually make such a camera for consumers at this time. A 35mm film frame contains 4-45mb of data depending on who you ask and how they count.

See: Brad Templeton's Digital Faq (http://pic.templetons.com/brad/photo/pixels.html) for an explaination.

However, since most processing at Costco etc is usually only 1500x600 pixels the same size as a Kodak Picture Disk's jpgs a 4mb camera would generally be fine. If you are just looking to get photos that you can email, ask for a picture disk to be created when you develop the film . I do this all the time, for years now, with the film cameras we still use. Kodak disks even come with an okay program to help you email them and give the people you are sending them to an opportunity to get prints of the photos.

I think that you should make an effort to find a camera with as high an optical mulitplier as possible. Digital zoom is not what it people think it is and using it reduces the amount of actual detail recorded. See:Optical vs Digital Zoom (http://www.photoxels.com/article_zoom.html)


As an article in the NYTimes said a month ago, that picture of Aunt Lucy you took last month may be the last one you ever take - you never know - and there she is off to the side looking on at the action in the center of your shot. Too few pixels and you won't be able to do too much with it and you won't have the opportunity to take another.

As newer bigger cameras come on the market, steeper discounts appear on older models. Also, you may be able to find a better camera in an unusal place. I read a email lately where someone purchased a current med-high-end camera from a pawnshop for a very good discount.

[sarah12334]

Thanks guys. That was exactly the info I was looking for. I think 4 megapixels should be adequate for my needs (usually printing in 4x6 with the occasional option to print bigger). I appreciate the answers.