How Many MegaPixels Do I REALLY Need?
Henry Peach wrote: Anything over 6mp on most compact cameras is probably wasted. The more photo receptors are crammed on that tiny sensor, the smaller each photo receptor is, and the sooner aperture diffraction starts affecting resolution. By sooner I mean at larger apertures (small f/#). For instance on my Canon G7, which has 10mp, I can see a noticeable sharpness reduction due to aperture diffraction at f/5.6. I try to stay at f/2.8 to f/4, because even wide open it's sharper than stopped down a few. Many of the high mp compact cameras on the market right now suffer aperture diffraction even at their max aperture. So even though some compact cameras have a 15mp sensor, and the file size and dimensions reflect this, the actual resolution is no better than cameras with 1/2 or 1/3rd the mp.
www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/diffraction-photography.htm
In general I think 6mp makes as nice prints as I was getting from 35mm film. When people have compared my 12"x18" prints (and some even larger) they cannot seem to tell which I took with an 8mp APS-C DSLR and which with a 21mp 35mm DSLR. At least for photos taken at ISO 400 or slower. So I don't think high megapixel counts are as important as many make them out to be.
Thank you so much, Canon is currently on the G12. What are your thoughts on that camera?
Thanks!
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