megapixel question?

[JeffPoth]

I was wondering the difference between 6 megapixels and 10 megapixels. I know that its 4 megapixels but what I mean is say for instance how big can I blow up an image at 6 vs. 10 before I start to lose resolution. Also can you tell the diff. when looking a standard 4x6 print? Im asking because im looking at getting either a canon xti or maybe an xt or a nikon d40. My parents have 4 or 5 lenses that are for an older nikon film slr and im definately going nikon if they are compatible(I do not yet know the model #s and if they are AF lenses or not)<---this is also a concern. Does the D40 have an onboard AF motor?


Sorry if that is hard to follow. Ill try to explain better if need be.

 

[YEKCIM]

I have a D50 (6MP) and a D80 (10MP) and cannot tell the difference between images made with the two. Unless you are planning on extreme enlargements (16 X 20 or larger), I would not worry about megapixels.

D40 does NOT have a focus motor in the body, nor does the D40x or D60. Least expensive model with focus motor is D80.

~Y

 

[JeffPoth]

thanks for the nikon body info. and as for the enlargement that size is in the picture (lol no pun intended).

 

[dr_zero]

I was wondering the difference between 6 megapixels and 10 megapixels. I know that its 4 megapixels but what I mean is say for instance how big can I blow up an image at 6 vs. 10 before I start to lose resolution. Also can you tell the diff. when looking a standard 4x6 print? Im asking because im looking at getting either a canon xti or maybe an xt or a nikon d40. My parents have 4 or 5 lenses that are for an older nikon film slr and im definately going nikon if they are compatible(I do not yet know the model #s and if they are AF lenses or not)<---this is also a concern. Does the D40 have an onboard AF motor?


Sorry if that is hard to follow. Ill try to explain better if need be.

The d40 does not have the AF motor so you could not use your other AF Nikon lenses BUT all hope is not lost!
You can get a Nikon D80 that has the AF motor and use your lenses or if you dont want to spend what a D80 cost check out this thread there is a refurb D50 that has the AF motor for under $400.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1895040

Lens and body info
http://www.nikonians.org/nikon/slr-lens.html
Nikon Digital SLR Bodies Comparative Chart
http://www.nikonians.org/html/resources/nikon_articles/body/chart/nikon_dslr_chart.html

As far as mega pixel check this out
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/mpmyth.htm

The Megapixel Myth

Introduction

For normal 4x6" (10x15cm) prints, even VGA (640 x 480 or 0.3MP) resolution is just fine. Digital cameras did this back in 1991!

In 1999 when digital cameras were only 1.2 or 2 MP, each megapixel mattered if you were making bigger prints.

Today, even the cheapest cameras have at least 5 or 6 MP, which enough for any size print. How? Simple: when you print three-feet (1m) wide, you stand further back. Print a billboard, and you stand 100 feet back. 6MP is plenty.

 

[handicap18]

I have a Nikon D50 which is 6.1MP. I've made enlargements as large as 12x18 and they have come out tack sharp. I currently am waiting for the mail to deliver a 20x30 image I had enlarged. I should have it by Friday.

I am also planning on making a 24x36 enlargement. This image is a small file because it was taken at night so a few places I've priced out are saying it may not be big enough to print that large. I think next week I may send it out and see what I get. Eventually it will be trimmed down to 11 1/2 x 36 for a panaroma. I figured since it was a small file to begin with that I would just print it in its full size rather than crop it. More expensive that way but I also wont lose any compression from the crop.

 

[JeffPoth]

Went to the links but im not entirely sure what im looking at (forgive my ignorance). The lenses (3 of them) were used on a Nikon N2000 and they were made by vivitar. I called B&H and talked to two different people and they told me two different things; one said the lenses would work the other said that they wouldnt. They will mount up but not send any info the body.

 

[handicap18]

They will mount and you can use them in manual focus mode (they wont auto focus). As for metering, that could be an issue. I don't know about the not sending any info to the body thing. I have an older Quantaray that I bought in the mid 90's and it has no problems with giving the info to the body on my D50.

Unless they are really sharp lenses I probably wouldn't bother with them on a D40, D40x or D60.

 

[JeffPoth]

Ya ive pretty much decided that same thing. thanks for all the help and patience.

 

[dr_zero]

The N2000 was the manual focus version of the N2020 so the lenses maybe not be autofocus so there would not be a difference in how they work compared to the N2000 as far as focus goes. The metering will probably still work fine Nikon in pretty good about not orphaning their older products. I read somewhere about they built in connections that were not going to be officially released for a few years, now that's planning ahead.

 

[YesDear]

I have a picture of the castle taken at night with a D70 that I have printed at 24 X 36 and it is very sharp to me. You can see tinkerbell's wire coming off the castle. The D70 is a 6.1 mp camera.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Do you want to hear that "more megapixels on the same size sensor may not be better picture quality?"

I am remembering that correctly, right?

Mikeeee

 

[JeffPoth]

thats right on with what i was wondering. I ended up deciding on a Canon xti with the kit lens mostly because im already familiar with Canon products and used my fiance's Canon film slr for a semster while I took a photography course.(it also has the basic kit lens).