A Must Read from DPP Magazine

I was reading some photo magazine websites and came across this article at Digital Photo Pro Magazine http://www.digitalphotopro.com/studio/megapixels-how-much-is-enough.html.

I spend time in our workshops on technology and how to choose a camera. The general consensus in the workshops are the more mega pixels (MP) the better. Better quality and all cameras of a given MP number are the same. While this article is written for advanced enthusiast the main point is clear. MP count is not every thing.

With so many components in a camera MP count is just one spec, and not a very important one. Lets dim the conversation down a little. 5 MP and higher is good. Below that and you may run into some problems. That's not to say all 5 MP and higher cameras will give great photos. A $200, 6 MP camera probably will not render the same as a $450, 6 MP camera. The difference being the lens, processing software in the camera, body design and bells and whistles on the camera.

If you want a camera to render a quality print, then that is what should be number one when making your purchase, and MP count will NOT tell you that. How comfortable the camera is, ease of use and camera modes and other bells and whistles are important considerations and has nothing to do with how many pixels are on the sensor.

This is not the consumers fault, though it wouldn't hurt to do some research before speaking to a sales rep in the store. From a marketing point of view, it is easier to try to sell a camera focusing on 1 0r 2 features. You have about seven words in which to make the sale. It takes time to educate the consumer. Much easier just to throw meaningless numbers at people.

When buying a camera know what you are using it for and the quality you expect. If you need high quality output then go higher end and pay more. If you are just going to share them online and don't need high quality prints then something cheaper will do. See how the camera feels, small thin cameras are convenient to store but people often find the buttons are too small and the camera awkward to use and you may end up blurring your pictures. Generally when I buy cameras, computers etc, I buy the best quality item I can afford. Technology changes so fast items become obsolete quickly.

Remember you get what you pay for. If you buy a cheap $200 camera chances are you will not get quality prints, regardless of MP count.

Dallas Mitchell