DSLR How important are Pixels?

robinkay6573 · Oct 21, 2005

I am looking at purchasing a DSLR.

I have been looking at the Nikon D 50. It is a nice camera with the features I want but I am really concerned that it is only a 6.0 pixel camera. Should I be? I have a P&S that is 5.0 and photos enlarged to anything over 8x10 are very grainy.

Thanks!

ksmattfish · Oct 21, 2005

The D50 will rock your point-n-shoot. Sensor size is probably more important than megapixels.

cbay · Oct 22, 2005

If you considering a Nikon D50, have you looked at the Canon EOS 350D it is in the same price range and is 8.0 million megapixels, and in my opinion a much better camera but you should go to a Jessops store and handle both of them as its your personal preference that matters.

Meysha · Oct 22, 2005

8 million megapixels! WOW!!!! :shock:

hehehe. *jks*

The difference between 6 and 8MP isn't as big as it sounds.

Say you draw a square on a peice of paper... any size... and say to yourself that it is 6MP. if you then make that square 1/3 bigger in area... that's the difference to 8 MP. It's not that big a difference because you have to add all those other 2 million dots all the way around the frame.

Does that make sense? I just meant that to make a serious difference to the 6mp you would have to add a lot of pixels.

Sensor size is more important as others have said earlier.

cbay · Oct 22, 2005

Yes, megapixels isnt the main thing. But also its not always the best camera that works the best its the handling and if you find a camera you love to hold and easy to find the functions Go for it! as you need something you know you like the hold of!

Also, YAY! 200 posts for me!!

jstuedle · Oct 22, 2005

A DSLR at 6 MP seems to me better than a P&S at 8 or more. Again, sensor size is more important than pixles. I have shot a D1X for almost 4 years now and at 5.47 M.P.'s I can and have sold many, many 24" X 36" prints at 300 DPI and they rock! I will be the first to admit I am a Nikon snob, so IMHO:mrgreen: the D50/D70 is a fine camera. To me, the Nikon just "feels" solid and like an old friend. If you can go the extra few bucks, I would opt for the D70. It uses CF cards like the majority of DSLR's. Another think to look at is the more MP, the more storage space on the computers hard drive and the slower the workflow is in post processing. To see what 5 1/2 MP can do, look in my pbase gallery at my feathered friends. The B&G macaw named Azulie is one of my big sellers at 24X36. I think you might be surprised.

hobbes28 · Oct 22, 2005

A lot, also, in your prints looking pixelated when you print bigger than an 8x10 is how you converted it to be a larger picture. If you take a 4x6 and just print it as an 11x17, it's going to look nasty no matter how many megapixels you shot at. I have an 11x17 right beside me that was taken with a 4MP point and shoot that looks just fine.

Hertz van Rental · Oct 22, 2005

Don't forget the Olympus E300 (Evolt).
8Meg with good lenses. And it has a built-in sensor cleaner.
I think they have just dropped the price.
I've had one for almost a year. It's a beaut.

clemeys · Oct 22, 2005

I just bought the canon 350d last month, and am very pleased w/ it. I think the size is a lil small for my hands though - something I'd really have looked into if I was starting fresh - I already had canon lenses from owning a 35mm rebel. I think the Nikon D50 is a lil larger so like others said, get into the shop and test 'em out. I bought mine from B&H (linked from this website) which saved me b/c I didn't have to pay sales tax as they are in NY and I'm in FL.

Marctwo · Oct 22, 2005

Basically, if you took an 8 pixel section from one line of a 6MP image, the 8MP would split the same section into 9 pixels giving it a 12.5% increase in resolution on each axis. This is very minor - esp. when the image may well be interpolated anyway.