| Photography Article 41 |
Photography Article 52
The Mega-Pixel Myth
By:
Mark SincevichI recently responded to some questions about the importance
(really lack thereof) of Mega-pixels. It will shed some
insight as you think about making your next digital camera
purchase.
Q1 - Does image quality really go up with more mega pixels on
digital cameras?
A1 - This is a common misconception. Image quality may go up with
more MP, but it’s not the whole story. There are three components
to having top quality images, (a) the quality of the optics, (b)
the size of the digital camera’s sensor, and (c) the number of
MPs. They are listed in order of importance. Therefore, if you
take the same camera with the same sensor and the same optics, the
image quality won’t go up! Something else has ‘gotta give’ or
improve first.
Q2 - Do you really get a better 8×10? print, for example?
A2 - You will get more data to play with if you only increase the
MP count. Let me explain. Some of the best advice about taking
photographs came from Robert Capa who said, “if your photograph
isn’t good enough you’ll probably not close enough.” Consumers
often times take photos of people and are too far away. If there
are more MPs in a camera, then the non-essential areas around the
subject can be cropped. For example you can have an 8MP camera and
take an image of a couple from far away. When the extra area is
cropped away, you might end up with the equivalent of 3MP. This
3MP will usually be enough data to give a decent 8×10 … but then
you need to remember that the optics will have a play and so will
the sensor.
Q3 - Do consumers care (that dynamic range is reduced, with muddy
shadows and washed-out highlights, but that in-camera
image-processing is harder and consumes more power.) ?
A3 - It’s been my experience that consumers want good quality
photographs that are relatively easy to take. They want to have
enough data to share their images and to enlarge a few. Some want
to enter contests even, but they won’t stand for sub-optimum
images that are grainy, washed out or not very sharp. What
consumers don’t like is the next shot delay when taking photos of
their friends and family and some of the grainy images from
consumer digital cameras. They won’t care if the processing is
taking place in the camera, but then this means that manufacturers
need to be conscious of the type of batteries … in almost all
cases the batteries should be NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride)
rechargeable AA’s.
Q4 - Can camera makers afford to stand up against the marketing
momentum?
A4 - I’m not sure I understand this question, but let me add a
review about my latest book that might shed some light here: "… The knowledge gained from this text (Snap) allows the
photographer to take control of the medium in a manner that best
fits her/his personal, professional and financial photographic
goals. Marketers are
happy to fill in the knowledge gap with their
mission. Mark empowers readers by helping us understand and focus
on what equipment and software we need to accomplish our
photographic goals. He provides a type of check and balance
viewpoint that is refreshing in a market-driven digital world. …"
- Diane Bugeja, Photography Instructor, Iowa State University
For more information on Snap: the ultimate guide to digital
photography for the consumer, please see
http://www.digitalphotoinstitute.com/snap.html
. The bottom line is that there is a lot of marketing hype with
respect to Mega-pixels, the meaningless digital zoom factor and
manufacturers not really talking about the next shot delay
problem. What manufacturers need to start doing is practicing
honesty in what their cameras can realistically deliver. In my
programs I have people who want to take candid’s of people. I say
get a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) with a good quality lens
(not the kit lenses). Basically, my mission is to empower the
serious consumer and photography enthusiast with quality
information to increase their self-confidence. This allows them to
make the best choices for their respective situations outside of
the influence of manufacturers or sales clerks on a specific
product incentive.
Mark Sincevich is the
Executive Director of the Digital Photography Institute (DPI) as
well as a world-class professional photographer. He regularly
speaks about photography and related subjects, is frequently
quoted in the media and is the founder and Chief Perspective
Officer of Staash Press. Mark is also the creator of the Staash
Perspective System (SPS). The SPS takes its inspiration from photography and teaches that simplicity leads to more powerful
communications. He can be reached
at 301-654-3010 or
www.digitalphotoinstitute.com .
Article
Source:
http://www.bestphotographyarticles.com
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