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Digital Camera Pixels - How much is too much?

RPatrick

Member
I am looking for a decent camera that takes good quality pictures and I have it narrowed down to the Sony DSC-P30 & Sony DSC-P50. The main difference is that they are 1.3 MP and 2.1 MP respectively. I am not a professional, though I do want sharp pictures. Will I be satisfied with the 1.3 MP or should I spend the extra $100 for the 2.1 MP?

Input appreciated!
 
Spend the extra $100.

Lets just say, I wish I spent the extra $200 to get 3.1 mega pixels knowing what I know now...
 
Definetly go for the 2.1. I used to have a 1.3 and then got a 2.1 and it was like night and day. Of course the 1.3 was a Kodak, Which, IMO all suck, and the 2.1 is a Nikon. The nikon has a much better lens and better setting option than the kodak. Its also very important to get a camera that has a good lens. With digital cameras, anything 2.1 and up the lens becomes more of a factor than the resolution.
 
I have the DSC-50 and it is an awesome camera for the money. I know it's not cheap..I bought it a year ago...it was $600 back then. Ouch. :Q But, the extra pixels mean a much sharper image at max image size (I think it's 1200 x 800?...or something like that.)

Most of the pics I take are at the smaller pixel count (I think that's 800x600) but they look really good on a pc screen, and print on photo paper well up to 4x6 size.

The extra $100 is money well-spent. Get the DSC-50, you'll like it.
 
Unless it is a poorly designed camera, sharpness of picture has little to do with the resolution of the ccd and everything to do with lens quality.

The main reasons you would want resolution above 1280x960 (1.3 megapixel) are:
ability to crop a picture down and still end up with a useable size without enlarging (interpolation). Not really an issue if you get a zoom camera and consider the possible end uses of the photo you are about to take.

The ability to printout at A4 (8"x11&quot😉 and above without blockiness in the printout. This is a subjective thing, and will vary from person to person. Ask yourself if you are going to print almost every photo you take at A4 size, or whether you will print at regular snapshot size, or greeting card sizes more often, with only occasional large prints.

I personally own an Olympus D-460 Zoom (C-960 Zoom for those forum members in Asia/Europe). It's a 1.3mp camera.

here are a couple of links to some photos I've taken with it. Much better than trying to explain with words.

Link 1
Link 2

Greg
 
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