The megapixel "hype"...

[Charade]

Do you find that more and more people are sucked into the "more megapixels is better" hype that's shown in advertising? My dgf's sister and BIL are in the market for a new digital camera (their old Sony sorta died). I've tried to sell them on a long zoom with IS and specifically on the Canon S3 IS. When she found out it was "only" 6mp, she "oh no , that's too low, I want at least 8-10mp". I think I convinced her that not all megapixels are created equally. So now I'm on the "hunt for the best price on an S3 as these are people that just buy at the first place the find something regardless if it's a good price.

 

[Furgus]

Just show them this Sensor Sizes I would much rather have 6mp on a sensor this size the trying to cram 8-10.

Not sure if that camera is listed on this, but I am sure you can find out the sensor size, and use that too.

 

[AbbysFamily]

You have my personal vote. I have the S2 and wouldn't trade it for any non-slr on the market.

You will find that MOST people will never print anything that needs the higher MP count. Ask what they are going to print.. All that shooting at higher MP will do is create larger file sizes for the average person.

I take pictures with my S2 and often get the comment "wow, you must have been in the front row!". Nope, just a good zoom.

At the price the S3 is a very good camera.

 

[Charade]

You will find that MOST people will never print anything that needs the higher MP count. Ask what they are going to print.. All that shooting at higher MP will do is create larger file sizes for the average person.

.

And this is another marketing hype factoid. If you had two sensors that performed exactly the same other than one was 6mp and the other was 10mp, you'd (and most everyone else) would be very hard pressed to see any noticable difference between prints from each of them.

 

[Gdad]

I agree - with most of the new digital P&S the megapixel's far exceed the dynamic range of the camera & lens. My wife's new 7mp P&S can't come close to my 6mp dslr.

 

[safetymom]

I have many pictures that I took with my 3.3 megapixel Epson digital that I have blown up to 13x19. People don't believe me when I tell them I did it with a 3 megapixel camera. No retouching either.

So there is more to it than megapixels.

 

[seashoreCM]

I estimate that at the 5 mp level the lens of a typical point and shoot digital camera is the limiting factor.

Double the megapixels and the number of pixels per linear inch (or centimeter) on a print is increased by a little less than half. Quadruple the megapixels to double the number of pixels per linear inch.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[tinksdad]

Do you find that more and more people are sucked into the "more megapixels is better" hype that's shown in advertising?

The "big camera marketing boys" are really doing their job aren't they??
Their goal, (of course) is to sell cameras, with the intent to have folks upgrade with the lastest and greates every six months or so when the new version comes out.

I think that we will be seeing changes in the sensors in the next few years to have more exposure range rather than more pixel range. Or, at least I'm hoping!!

 

[Charade]

The "big camera marketing boys" are really doing their job aren't they??
Their goal, (of course) is to sell cameras, with the intent to have folks upgrade with the lastest and greates every six months or so when the new version comes out.

I think that we will be seeing changes in the sensors in the next few years to have more exposure range rather than more pixel range. Or, at least I'm hoping!!

Otherwise well get a 47.1 megapixel camera that still has a sensor 1/4 the size of a postage stamp.

 

[cryssi]

we were going to get our uncle a 7mp powershot, but opted instead to get the S3 IS b/c he would LOVE the 12x optical...he says that it's better than the lens on his old SLR and can't wait to try it out at the World...