Re: Canon 650 IS vs SX 100 vs 720 IS

Paulo Almeida wrote:
"John" <zen@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:6cp5huF3i03voU1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Paulo Almeida wrote:

Thank you for your answer.
If I degrade the resolution from 12 to 8 megapixels on the 650 IS shouldn't
I get a better picture? I am sure I don't need the 12 megapixels resolution.
What makes you think that Paulo?

John.


John,

Do your question refers to the "downgrade" of the resolution or to the need to use
the 12 megapixels resolution?

Regarding the use of the 12 megapixels resolution, the way I see it, you only need
that resolution if you're going to print (very) large size pictures, which I won't.
I think I'm perfectly OK with 6 to 8 megapixels. If I could get a digital camera
with the Canon 650IS specifications but with only a 6 or 8 megapixel sensor
I would buy it. That's the reason in my original post I mentioned the Canon SX100IS
which has an 8 megapixel sensor.

Regarding the "downgrade" of the resolution from 12 to 8 megapixels I thought that
when you use a 3264x2448 resolution, which is about 8 Megapixels, since you are putting
less pixels on the sensor, the picture should be better. I read an article somewhere where
they say that a 6 megapixel sensor was the ideal for an 1/2.5" sensor. Above that number
of pixels, increasing the megapixels but keeping the 1/2.5" creates a lot of noise and noise artifacts.
Since the 650IS has a 1/1.7" sensor it should handle the 12 megapixels, but I thought that
"downgrading" to 8 megapixels could produce better pictures.

Best regards

Paulo Almeida


I agree with you insofar as I don't need and if I had a choice wouldn't go above 8mp. However, I doubt you would improve quality by shooting at a lower resolution. I suspect the noise is kept acceptable by limiting iso range. You would get a smaller file size but the higher mp would permit more cropping flexibility. If you needed a smaller final file size better to post process.
Having said all that, I would get the camera for it's other features. The next step up would be a dslr or possibly G9. The mp count is somewhat of a marketing gimmick and we might as well get used to it since it's not likely to go away.
Dave Cohen
.

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