Digital camera gurus: Is it incorrect to equate megapixels with quality?

[The Sauce]

Will a higher megapixel camera always give you better image quality than a lower MP camera? Seems a lot of mfgr's are marketing it that way.

 

[iamwiz82]

a higher MP camera will allow you to print bigger photo quality pictures.

 

[DaFinn]

Yes,

after about 3 Mpix it's the quality of the optics that sets the cameras apart. 4 Mpix with poor optics is worse that 2 Mpix with great optics etc...



-DaFinn

ps. Just got my Canon A70!

 

[her209]

The quality of the lens is also a factor.

 

[Wallydraigle]

Also noise destroys detail. A noisy image from a 4MP camera even with good gass will probably suck more than a clean image from a 3MP camera with so-so glass. Always look for images from the camera you are looking to buy to see how clean the images are.

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

Image noise, lens distortion, internal post processing (edge enhancement, etc.), low light capability, storage format (JPG vs RAW) all play a role in image quality. Thinking of megapixel as the only quality defining factor is likely to get you a camera you are not happy with.

 

[RossMAN]

For most people anything over 2.1MP is overkill UNLESS you definitely plan on printing a lot of pictures onto paper.

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
For most people anything over 2.1MP is overkill UNLESS you definitely plan on printing a lot of pictures onto paper.

Amen to that, I like my S200 very well, thank you.

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
For most people anything over 2.1MP is overkill UNLESS you definitely plan on printing a lot of pictures onto paper.

...or plan on using digital zoom or processing the images further

 

[ShawnReeves]

I just picked up the Fujifilm Finepix 2800Z a couple weeks ago and am very happy with the quality. I prefered the zoom and video to 400-500 cameras I looked at. A++

 

No, megapixels do not totally equate to quality.

Example, the new Sigma Digital SLR that came out uses a new type of chip, the megapixel rating is only at 3, but the colors are perfect.

 

[Lucky]

Originally posted by: SammySon
No, megapixels do not totally equate to quality.

Example, the new Sigma Digital SLR that came out uses a new type of chip, the megapixel rating is only at 3, but the colors are perfect.

You bought the hype, eh?

 

[MC Webster]

Which format is better to use, JPG or RAW?

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

better, it depends

in terms of quality and flexibility, raw wins everytime.

 

You bought the hype, eh?

The hype? Is this another case of you talking out your ass about something you know little about?

Since my family is into professional photography, and has been for sometime, I'll much more readily listen to their opinion over some stick on a forum.

 

[Lucky]

Originally posted by: SammySon

You bought the hype, eh?

The hype? Is this another case of you talking out your ass about something you know little about?

Since my family is into professional photography, and has been for sometime, I'll much more readily listen to their opinion over some stick on a forum.

"Some stick", eh? I'm a professional photojournalist, I think I know *a little* bit of what I'm talking about.

 

[Lucky]

steve's digicam's review:


Color:

On the flip side, when examined at 200% (or greater) there are lines or curves that exhibit prominent stair- stepping (jaggies.) Red colored objects can be oversaturated at times to the point that they look to be painted in. There is an abundance of red channel noise visible in all images. More than a few of my sample images have unnatural and over-saturated blue skies. We've also seen chromatic aberrations (purple fringing) on contrasting highlight areas.


There's an abundance of other problems with this camera if you care to read the review.

 

"Some stick", eh? I'm a professional photojournalist, I think I know *a little* bit of what I'm talking about.

Yes, some stick.

stick[5,noun]
Main Entry: stick
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English stik, from Old English sticca; akin to Old Norse stik stick, Old English stician to stick
Date: before 13th century.
1: a woody piece or part of a tree of shrub: as a: a usually dry or dead severed shoot, twig, or slender branch b L a cut or broken branch or piece of wood gathered for fuel or contruction material.
2: a: a person with a overly inflated ego b: a person who speaks in condescending tones c: a someone who equates their intelligence level with their ability to argue semantics on a intarweb forum c: "lucky" from anandtech intarweb forums.

Well, in your divine wisdom, please post some facts that support your opinion.

Edit: OHHHH so STEVE, this .. this random guy who I don't know, nor ever will know, his opinion REALLY matters to me.

Foveon imager, you can read about it here. And if you have several hours to spare you can peruse DP Review's Sigma SLR Talk Forum and read the pro and con comments from the user community. Just bear in mind that 99% of them haven't even seen or used the camera as of the time of this writing (11/29/02.)

Jeez, what quality, timely, up-to-date information to divulge! That's just like all the kids here making decisions about cars they never drove in their lives.
So, since someone wrote that a Pontiac Grand Prix beat a Nissan Maxima, it's GOTTA be true!

 

[Lucky]

I did, dimwit. Now retract your comments about it having "perfect color".

 

[Booster]

It's not megapixels, but the price that's influencing the quality a lot. I noticed that somewhat good cameras are insanely expensive, they cost thousands of $, and yet aren't considered truely professional quality.

 

[RossMAN]

Hey numb nuts!

Sorry just felt like name calling and wanted to be part of the action

 

[fatbaby]

Originally posted by: Booster
It's not megapixels, but the price that's influencing the quality a lot. I noticed that somewhat good cameras are insanely expensive, they cost thousands of $, and yet aren't considered truely professional quality.

So you're saying that the EOS1DS ($7000) and its 30mb highest resolution image size is n00b =)?

 

Edit: OHHHH so STEVE, this .. this random guy who I don't know, nor ever will know, his opinion REALLY matters to me.

Quote

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Foveon imager, you can read about it here. And if you have several hours to spare you can peruse DP Review's Sigma SLR Talk Forum and read the pro and con comments from the user community. Just bear in mind that 99% of them haven't even seen or used the camera as of the time of this writing (11/29/02.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Jeez, what quality, timely, up-to-date information to divulge! That's just like all the kids here making decisions about cars they never drove in their lives.
So, since someone wrote that a Pontiac Grand Prix beat a Nissan Maxima, it's GOTTA be true!

In case you didn't see my edited post.
So, ONE person's OPINION, is now held to be fact? Funny how that works, I thought you said there are always influencing factors.

 

[0roo0roo]

lense a big factor/most important. quality of ccd a big factor. pos ccd/electronics and you have bullsh*t megapixels. instead of crystal clarity you have um, pixel clumps which is more or less cheating.

 

[Lucky]

Edit: OHHHH so STEVE, this .. this random guy who I don't know, nor ever will know, his opinion REALLY matters to me.

Obviously you have not seen much else of the site; it's one of the best digital photography review sites on the entire web. I'll gladly find another link supporting that the color is not perfect....what would you like me to quote from, the bible this time?

Jeez, what quality, timely, up-to-date information to divulge! That's just like all the kids here making decisions about cars they never drove in their lives.
So, since someone wrote that a Pontiac Grand Prix beat a Nissan Maxima, it's GOTTA be true!

I did not quote from the forums; so that is irrelevant.

In case you didn't see my edited post.
So, ONE person's OPINION, is now held to be fact? Funny how that works, I thought you said there are always influencing factors.

How many reviews of this flawed camera will it take for you to believe in something else other than the hype?