quick question on digi cams

[Ralidan]

How many pixels do you need to get a quality picture? (35mm quality) just a normal everyday run of the mill pic?

thanks,
-Ralidan

 

[mooojojojo]

if you want to print 2-3 megapixels could be enough for a regular sized photo I think. depends on the quality and sharpness you look forward to.
you can do the calculations yourself. for example:

4x6inches=24
300x300dpi=90000
24x90000=2160000

so that's ~2 megapixels for a 4x6 print at 300dpi. I don't think that printing services go with a resolution that high though.. not sure. I can tell you that I made a 5x7print from a 640x480 file at a konica studio and the photo came out really nice.

if you want to look the pics on the screen - 1600x1200 (2 megapixels) is pretty large. so a 2-3megapixel camera should fit your needs.
there are things perhaps more important than the resolution though - quality of the lens, optical zoom and features. so don't judge a camera just by the MP count.

hope this helps

 

[Frankie]

I have a 2.3 megapixel one myself and it takes great pics at 1024x768.

 

[Ralidan]

thanks alot to both responses, if anyone else has more info on selecting a good digi cam, please feel free to reply or pm me. thanks alot!

 

[mooojojojo]

ok, hi again.

several sites you can check out:
www.dpreview.com
www.steves-digicams.com
www.dcresource.com

and here are some cameras that might fit your need and receive good reviews.
low-end: canon A40
mid-range: nikon 4500, canon S30
for portability - canon S330, S230

 

[TheCorm]

Thanks for the links, reading through Steve's Webcams now...

Anyone have any experience of the Kodak DX4330 or CX4230?

 

[BentValve]

3 megapixels is the minimum I would buy. Keep in mind that a 3 mp camera is going to take more detailed and way better
looking picture than a 2mp camera will at the lower resolutions such as 600x480 just because it has a larger CCD , also
the quality can vary dramatically between say a 3.0 Cannon vs a 3.0 Kodak.

 

[Frankie]

Originally posted by: BentValve
3 megapixels is the minimum I would buy. Keep in mind that a 3 mp camera is going to take more detailed and way better
looking picture than a 2mp camera will at the lower resolutions such as 600x480 just because it has a larger CCD , also
the quality can vary dramatically between say a 3.0 Cannon vs a 3.0 Kodak.

I bought my camera about 2 or 3 years ago and at the time I got a Cannon A20. Like I said, mine takes great pics but I'm sure that today you might look at 3 Mega Pixels. I picked Cannon, because they have a such a huge line of Cameras.. both digital and non digital. Just make sure that when you do buy one you get 2 sets of rechargable batteries. My Cannon sucks those batteries up like they are going out of style. LOL

 

[Macro2]

nikon, canon...