Excellent A3 prints from small sensors too!

[copied from
<http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1033&message=25725382>]

Barry Fitzgerald wrote:

> I can happily get excellent A3 prints off my 6mp SLR.

I can happily get excellent A3 prints from my 7.2 MP FZ8.

For the benefit of non-metric lurkers, A3 paper is 11.7 in × 16.5 in
(193 in²), somewhat larger than 11x14 (154 in²), quite a bit less than
16x20 (320 in²). The diagonal is 20.2 in. Normal viewing distance is 1.5
× diagonal, or 1.5 × 20.2 in = 30.3 in.

As explained in http://www.scss.com.au/family/andrew/camera/resolution/,
the amount of resolution in MP needed for normal prints under ordinary
viewing conditions, given the limits of human vision, is (print area in
square inches) × 23.6 ÷ (viewing distance in inches)². For A3, that's
(193) × 23.6 ÷ (30.3)² = 5 MP (consistent with my table).

Thus both cameras are more than capable of excellent normal A3 prints,
even at less than normal viewing distance, with the FZ8 having a
significant edge.

>You cannot
> compare a smaller sensor 6mp to an APS one, far cleaner on APS.

"Far cleaner" is a vague and meaningless claim. Only visible differences
matter, and in normal A3 prints under ordinary viewing conditions at
normal viewing distance, the difference between your sensor and my
sensor isn't visible.

> For example major noise reduction smearing etc, will be noticable in
> moderate print sizes, you might get away with a small print. Minor
> artifacts tend to not be visible in prints, note the word..minor!

"Major noise reduction smearing" is equally vague and meaningless. I
normally shoot JPEG with Noise Reduction (and Contrast) turned down, and
there is no visible noise reduction smearing in normal A3 prints under
ordinary viewing conditions at normal viewing distance. Again, only
visible issues matter.

There are objective benefits to larger sensors (e.g., cleaner high ISO),
just as there are for smaller sensors (e.g., better lenses), but being
required for excellent A3 prints isn't one of them.

It's sad that some DSLR (large sensor) fans are so threatened on
equipment and technique that they feel the need to try to belittle and
put down smaller cameras and the people who use them.

--
Best regards,
John Navas
Panasonic DMC-FZ8 (and several others)

On Fri, 23 Nov 2007 07:49:43 GMT, John Navas
<spamfilter1.TakeThisOut@navasgroup.com> wrote:

>[copied from
><http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1033&message=25725382>]


Why? Isn't it enough that you clutter the dpreview forum
with your camera snobbery nonsense that you feel obliged to
drag it here as well?

Give it a rest, please.


--
John Bean