[Wind Chaser]

A 6 year old 3 megapix camera goes head to head with the Canon S90...

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1028&message=35249516

[jman66]

n/t

[SET Man]

Hey!

    Of course there won't be much difference if you are only view your pictures on screen, even if you like to pixel peeping at 100%.

    As for older digicam vs current model. Not talking about better sensor, faster and etc. The biggest different will be pixel count. Than the question will be how big you usually print your pictures? If you don't print at all then 2MP digicam will be just fine.

   For me personally I feel that minimum of 6MP is fine. My 5 years old 6MP DSLR can do perfect fine photo quality 8X10 print. I think all of the P&S digicams and DSLRs today surpassed the 6MP count.

   Anyway my 4.5 years old 8MP P&S digicam still doing fine and can do a great 8x10 print, but it is slow and not as quick in low-light compared to the current models. But I still like it and I still can get some nice pictures out of it.  So, I will hold off replacing it for a while... but I do have been keeping my eyes on one, maybe when the price is right

Take care,
Buddy

   

[Wind Chaser]

IMO 2MP is enough for 8X10.

I am considering another P&S, not that I need one, but the tough new waterproof cameras are something else.  At a glance the Lumix TS2 seems like the best of the lot, and it's a fair bit cheaper than buying any lens that is of interest to me.

[SET Man]

IMO 2MP is enough for 8X10.
...

Hey!

    Of course you can print 8x10+ out of 2MP but not with what I would consider "photo quality" 220dpi print.

    But this is pretty much depend on personal preference.

Take care,
Buddy

   

[Wind Chaser]

I haven't printed anything yet.  Can't be bothered physical library. Oh the benefits and joy of digital.

[SET Man]

I haven't printed anything yet.  Can't be bothered physical library. Oh the benefits and joy of digital.

Hey!

   Ah, you've never made print from digital now I see why you said 2MP is enough for 8x10. In that case 2MP will enough for you.

Take care,
Buddy

[low.pfile]

What printer do you use Buddy?!

Yep, I agree 6MP is sufficient for most people just using the JPGs, an older 4MP Canon P&S (S40) I had was very good for daylight images.

Though let's consider high ISO images with low ambient light for P&S. The link above from the first post pits the Pentax Optio 33WR from 2003 against the Canon S90 from 2009. Both CCD sensors. same sensor footprint. more pixels on the Canon. To me it's pretty clear that sensor sensitivity has improved substantially, so higher ISO images will be different between the two, while bright daylight may be less noticeable.

Having the S90 myself for 6 months, I am aware that it does meter bright so underexposure -0.7 is needed. The samples in the review show the default metering(overexposed). For high ISO it is pretty dang amazing for the price/size.

[SET Man]

What printer do you use Buddy?!

....

Hey!

    I have cheap Epson R200 printer at home. But I don't print picture with it. I drop off pictures files at my local photo labs that use Fuji's Frontier machine.

    Ink jet printers still can't match the quality of real photo paper from the lab... at least to me. Even with more expensive Epson at my photographer boss' studio, we both agreed that it is better to do it at a good lab with real photographic paper.

     But for a temporary mural prints, ink jet output can be more cost effective though.

Take care,
Buddy

[mjosef]

Hey!

   Ah, you've never made print from digital now I see why you said 2MP is enough for 8x10. In that case 2MP will enough for you.

Take care,
Buddy

Come on Buddy...why are u surprised? Audiophiles never need to actually hear a product to judge its merits  ...why should it be any different when they pick up a camera...heh.
Its like the tailor that can tell the complete measurements before the subject turns the corner and becomes visible.

[Wind Chaser]

I 2004 I bought a 5 MP Coolpix.  I was had pressed to see a real difference in IQ between it and an old 2 MP Sony.

[low.pfile]

2 Years.....The Difference IS Different.

Differences between a couple of years for canon....after work I had my two canons with me, I said I have 15 extra minutes. So I stopped down to the fairly well lighted town square around 9pm.

Canon SD800 7MP ($390-2007)
SD800 sensor= 1/2.5" CCD

Canon S90 10MP ($425-2009)
S90 sensor= 1/1.7" CCD (larger of the two sensors by about 70%)

My images below: SD800 left side / S90 right side. Both ISO 800. Auto Settings. Only composited and resized in Photoshop.


cartop (self time on top of car)  >  f2.8, 1/3sec    |    f2.0, 1/6sec


Below are all handheld....

arches >   f2.8, 1/20sec    |    f2.0, 1/30sec


wide arches >   f2.8, 1/10sec    |   f2.0, 1/20sec


fountain  > f2.8, 1/15sec    |    f2.0, 1/30sec


palms  > f2.8, 1/13sec    |    f2.0, 1/20sec


Arches 100% crop  (actual pixels captured)
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/7942/arches100pctcropcenter.jpg

Fountain 100% crop (actual pixels captured)
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/9039/fountain100pctcrop.jpg

Sure there is a different noise reduction algorithm between the two Canons, but default settings for everything on both.

I don't know the technical nuances of the 3MP Pentax Optio camera relative to my 7MP Canon used in the comparison linked to in the OP, but I see advancement within Canon. The advancements are image stabilization, allowing clearer images. Also newer cameras have improved sensor sensitivity allows for faster exposure to prevent subject blur and user induced image blur. And the sensor advancement also allows less digital noise (grain) in image captures as ISO values increase. Lastly, I'd bet that the DPreview comparison post writer used a tripod for his images, while a sound practice for lens comparisons, who carries a tripod with their compact P&S?

[Wind Chaser]

No doubt there are differences in IQ, but are they really that substantial?  I've got a crap monitor here at work so I can't see the difference until I get home. 

[SET Man]

No doubt there are differences in IQ, but are they really that substantial?  I've got a crap monitor here at work so I can't see the difference until I get home.

Hey!

     Seriously? Man! The monitor at your work must be the ancient green screen one or something. 

    BTW... I'm viewing this on my good old Apple 12" PowerBook G4 of which is a little over 6 years old now.

     low.pfile, that's quite a big improvement just over 2 years. The new cam don't just have more pixels on larger sensor but also a faster lens for just couple of $ more. I think these tend to be true across all the brands when is come to low-light performance. But in bright light outdoor I think older cam can still perform fine, up to a certain point I guess.

Take care,
Buddy
   

[Wind Chaser]

Hey!

     Seriously? Man! The monitor at your work must be the ancient green screen one or something. 

It must be set to 256 colors.  My terminal is part of a network strictly controlled so I can't change any of the settings.  Anyhow, yeah there's quite a difference between the two Canons.  However if I buy another point and shoot, I think I'll go for one of the water, shock, dust & dirt, freezer proof cameras.