The Megapixel Race

The manufacturers STILL keep pushing the megapixel count higher and higher.
After reading what I'd consider an unfavorable review of yet another 10mp
compact camera, I'd say they went beyond the current limits. Perhaps the
average camera shopping consumer still gets wrapped up in the numbers game,
but many enthusiasts will be wary of the less then stellar image
performance.

I say its time for the sensor manufacturers to research the development of
larger sensors for compacts. Not necessarily APS size, but 1/2 APS size
(quarter area), or at least use the 2/3 size again. This may impact the size
of the super small cameras, but I'd wager that there are many users who want
a good performing camera who don't want to lug a SLR and a bag of lenses
around.

The SLR format is reaching a limitation of a different kind. The APS sensors
of 10-12 megapixels are capable of resolving nearly 90 lines per mm. This is
beyond the range of nearly any consumer zoom and even some high end zooms
and a few primes. I wonder if they will push APS sensors beyond 12mp just to
play the numbers game or will full frame be the next step.

The next few years of digital will be interesting!

-S

Agreed, the latest crop of small digitals are a step down in picture
quality. Lots more noise, loss of detail, and way too much post processing.
I was going to get a smaller cam to use as an adjunct to my SLR, but forget
it, the picture quality just plain sucks. I had hoped that Panasonic would
step up and improve the picture quality of the LX1, but all they did was
stuff more pixels into the LX2 and it's OK, but still not good enough. For
now, I'll just lug the SLR.

Good comment about the APS sized sensors. I think it's only a matter of time
before they all realize that larger sensors are a reality, given the
physical limitations of sensor technology. Nikon, are you listening?

"SimonLW" <nospam.DeleteThis@donet.com> wrote in message
news:453c7b15$1_3@newsfeed.slurp.net...
> The manufacturers STILL keep pushing the megapixel count higher and
> higher. After reading what I'd consider an unfavorable review of yet
> another 10mp compact camera, I'd say they went beyond the current limits.
> Perhaps the average camera shopping consumer still gets wrapped up in the
> numbers game, but many enthusiasts will be wary of the less then stellar
> image performance.
>
> I say its time for the sensor manufacturers to research the development of
> larger sensors for compacts. Not necessarily APS size, but 1/2 APS size
> (quarter area), or at least use the 2/3 size again. This may impact the
> size of the super small cameras, but I'd wager that there are many users
> who want a good performing camera who don't want to lug a SLR and a bag of
> lenses around.
>
> The SLR format is reaching a limitation of a different kind. The APS
> sensors of 10-12 megapixels are capable of resolving nearly 90 lines per
> mm. This is beyond the range of nearly any consumer zoom and even some
> high end zooms and a few primes. I wonder if they will push APS sensors
> beyond 12mp just to play the numbers game or will full frame be the next
> step.
>
> The next few years of digital will be interesting!
>
> -S
>