Garbz
No longer a newbie, moving up!
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2003
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- 9,713
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- Location
- Brisbane, Australia
- Website
- www.auer.garbz.com
- Can others edit my Photos
- Photos NOT OK to edit
Detailed yet simple. ummmmmm.
Showing a photo of this is impossible because in time as sensor resolution has increased so has technology that overcomes the increase in noise that cramming more resolution causes. So things like new 21mpx sensors have little micro lenses to ensure less light is reflected off the surface of the sensor and such things. Really all I can do is try and dumb down astrostu's post.
Physics states that there's an uncertainty in how you count photons (particles of light) and this is based on the square root of the number of photons collected. Larger pixels collect more photons. The square root function forms a smaller percentage for a higher number so:
Photons -> Sqrt -> Percentage of Sqrt related to Photons (the noise).
4 -> 2 -> 50%
25 -> 5 -> 20%
100 -> 10 -> 10%
10000 -> 100 -> 1%
etc. So as you collect more light, the uncertainty of what you collect reduces. This is not taking into account any other noise sources which are introduced by electronics etc. So a smaller resolution gives dramatically less noise. Less noise = more fine detail visible, especially as noise goes up when you increase the sensitivity of the camera.
Remember when you reduce resolution you a reducing all the extra fine detail you recorded (assuming you recorded) so that all is left is the question of is noise. This doesn't work the other way of course. Taking the 10mpx image and increasing it to 20mpx will produce an image with notably less detail, but still notably less noise.
Wow I think I complicated it not made it better :S
Showing a photo of this is impossible because in time as sensor resolution has increased so has technology that overcomes the increase in noise that cramming more resolution causes. So things like new 21mpx sensors have little micro lenses to ensure less light is reflected off the surface of the sensor and such things. Really all I can do is try and dumb down astrostu's post.
Physics states that there's an uncertainty in how you count photons (particles of light) and this is based on the square root of the number of photons collected. Larger pixels collect more photons. The square root function forms a smaller percentage for a higher number so:
Photons -> Sqrt -> Percentage of Sqrt related to Photons (the noise).
4 -> 2 -> 50%
25 -> 5 -> 20%
100 -> 10 -> 10%
10000 -> 100 -> 1%
etc. So as you collect more light, the uncertainty of what you collect reduces. This is not taking into account any other noise sources which are introduced by electronics etc. So a smaller resolution gives dramatically less noise. Less noise = more fine detail visible, especially as noise goes up when you increase the sensitivity of the camera.
Remember when you reduce resolution you a reducing all the extra fine detail you recorded (assuming you recorded) so that all is left is the question of is noise. This doesn't work the other way of course. Taking the 10mpx image and increasing it to 20mpx will produce an image with notably less detail, but still notably less noise.
Wow I think I complicated it not made it better :S