I used a Nikon D50 for years and printed large prints several times successfully. The largest, I think, was 24x30 before I decided that I couldn't go any bigger than that.
I have a 24x36 print hanging in my office taken with a 6mp DSLR. The quality of the print has more to do with the quality of the 6mp sensor and the person doing the print than the size of the camera. Yes many 6mp sensors in P&Ss are not as good as DSLRs, but many current P&S sensors are better than DSLR senors of a few years ago. Technology is a wonderful thing! My D300 is a 12mp camera but will take a 26mb image when set on RAW lossless compression.
Please explain. While I understand that sensor technology has improved, I just cannot believe that with the small size of a p&s sensor, that any of them could produce better results than a 6MP APS-C sensor. On a side note, I do think that many p&s cameras are just fine in good lighting, but overall performance does not measure up.
YesDear, I'm also confused. I don't think any PnS sensors are anywhere close to what you could get out of 6mp DSLR sensors of the past few years. They make a few advancements then cancel them out by cramming in too many megapixels.
tchan03, I did some comparisons a couple years back between a 6mp DSLR (Pentax *ist DL) and 6mp PnS (Canon SD600.) The Pentax sensor was the standard 6mp Sony sensor as used in most all 6mp Pentax and Nikon DSLRs. I believe the Canon sensor was the same 1/2.5" one that they used in their top-flight S3 model.
I can post some of the results if you like - but there was a very clear, very stark difference in detail, color, etc between the DSLR and the PnS.
i have an 8mp and have printed some 16x20( or what ever the exact measurements are) and the place i sell mine on some will print to 30ishx ?( they print the same ratio as the photo uploaded so it varies). the thing is those are full sized shots, no cropping. if you crop, it will not be able to be printed as large. i can print pretty majorly cropped to about 11x14. also a print hanging on the wall might not need to be as great as something smaller since you are viewing it from a distance. i would think 6 mp wouldn't be that far off from an 8