I missed commenting on some recent threads about megapixels, resolution
and prints. But, surprise, surprise, I have some thoughts and opinions
on the subject.
---------------
Mr Pogue of the NY Times says people can't tell the difference in prints
from 5, 8 and 13 mp prints.
> http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2006/11/21/21pogues-posts-2/
>
5 mp for a great 16x20, sure, I believe it. I've printed up several
8x10s, often cropped from the 1.9 effective mp of the Canyon S110. They
look great, and no, I've never looked with a loupe, that's not what they
are for. 16x20 would require twice the rez of 8x10, and 4 times 1.9 is
7.6, so 16x20 from an uncropped 5 mp is about the same as what I've done.
But - his not really a useful one for the intended purpose. From what he
says, it appears the original image was from a 5D, what else is 13mp?
But he didn't just grab an inexpensive 5-6 mp digicam, or a low end DSLR
and take pics of the same subject with it and the 5D. Rather, he
downrezzed the 5D image for the lower mp test images to print. As I've
pointed out, the 5D, and I assume, other recent sensor system design
DSLRs, has better resolution than more older generation and/or
smaller/cheaper pixels.
I don't know how a properly done comparison would come out, but I do
know that he hasn't proved the point he started out with, that you don't
need a high mp camera for good large prints.
More to a practical point for the digicam buyer might be a real apples
and apples comparison of 5-6 mp P&Ss vs. the newer 8-10 mp ones. My
suspicion is that 16x20 prints from the lower mp models would be better
than those from the higher mp ones, and especially so above base iso. If
he published those results in the Times, maybe the mindless mp race
would slow down. Maybe the Sharp twelve megapixel 1/1.7" sensor would
die a quiet death before disappointing a bunch of buyers.
Moose
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