6 Megapixels vs 8

[David]

I went and looked at the Nikon D50 and the Canon Rebel XT. The view
finder ont he Nikon was better. On the Nikon I could tell if the picture
was in focus easier and it took more care to manually focus with the
Canon (at first I thought I couldn't focus it all, but it turned out
part of that was that I needed to adjust the diopter setting). I know
I'll be manually focuses most of the time, but I will want to check the
autofocus, if I have time, and there may be few cases were I need to
manually focus. Now clearly this is subjective, but the trade-off is
versus the 6 Megapixels for the Nikon vis-a-vis 8 on the Canon. So....

I've not had a lot of experience (looking at pictures from friend is
all) with pictures of that resolution. How significant do most people
think having 8 megapixels is?

[Jeremy]

Versus 6... only slightly. I'd make the decision on other factors.

[Brian]

It's going to be most significant if you print over 8x10. 6 megapixels
is going to struggle a little at that size, 8 megapixels can cover it
without comment.

The other advantage to more pixels is you have a little more freedom in
cropping. IF you don't frame exactly right, you can still crop and have
6 million or more usable pixels.

Of course, 8 megapixel images hog up more space. There are always
tradeoffs.

I currently shoot with a 6 megapixel camera. Would I like more
resolution? Always. But do I need it? Only occasionally.

[Randall]

It's going to be most significant if you print over 8x10. 6 megapixels
is going to struggle a little at that size, 8 megapixels can cover it
without comment.

The other advantage to more pixels is you have a little more freedom in
cropping. IF you don't frame exactly right, you can still crop and have
6 million or more usable pixels.

Of course, 8 megapixel images hog up more space. There are always
tradeoffs.

I currently shoot with a 6 megapixel camera. Would I like more
resolution? Always. But do I need it? Only occasionally.

Bullshit!

My 10D goes to 16x20 easily and, if use a tripod and take care in
creating the image - to 20x24.

But, given the choice between 6 & 8 with all other factors being
equal...I'd go with the 8.

[Brian]

Bullshit!

My 10D goes to 16x20 easily and, if use a tripod and take care in
creating the image - to 20x24.

But, given the choice between 6 & 8 with all other factors being
equal...I'd go with the 8.

Depends on the viewing distance, I guess. I don't like the looks of the
prints I get from MY 10D when they get above 8x10. Sure, I can do some
upsampling and get creative with the sharpening, but that isn't going to
work in every instance.

[Randall]

Depends on the viewing distance, I guess. I don't like the looks of the
prints I get from MY 10D when they get above 8x10. Sure, I can do some
upsampling and get creative with the sharpening, but that isn't going to
work in every instance.

Sounds like you need to learn about photography. I've got a 16x20 here
taken with a consumer-grade Canon lens - handheld - that's sharp as a
tack...close-up or at a distance.

[Brian]

No, I do just fine with it, thank you.

I'm sure with creative upsampling and sharpening you could probably make
a 16x20 print that satisfies YOU from a 6 megapixel camera. Will it
satisfy me? Probably not.

[Zed]

No, I do just fine with it, thank you.

I'm sure with creative upsampling and sharpening you could probably make
a 16x20 print that satisfies YOU from a 6 megapixel camera. Will it
satisfy me? Probably not.

Out of morbid curiosity, what is the minimum dpi that you consider
acceptable for print?

[Brian]

Out of morbid curiosity, what is the minimum dpi that you consider
acceptable for print?

I don't like to dip below 200 DPI on the native side of the file. I
almost always upsize native printer DPI and sharpen for the final print.

[Randall]

No, I do just fine with it, thank you.

I'm sure with creative upsampling and sharpening you could probably make
a 16x20 print that satisfies YOU from a 6 megapixel camera. Will it
satisfy me? Probably not.

The print in question was shot RAW, imported into PhotoShop...adjusted
the shadow level a little, ran Unsharp Mask...and that's *it*. No
upsampling or anything special.

[Randall]

I should also add, it was saved as a TIFF and sent electonically to a
professional lab for printing/mounting.

[Brian]

I should also add, it was saved as a TIFF and sent electonically to a
professional lab for printing/mounting.

I really depends on the subject matter. I can blow up cloud pictures
huge and still have them look acceptable because... well, clouds don't
have a lot of fine detail.

[kz8rt3]

I really depends on the subject matter. I can blow up cloud pictures
huge and still have them look acceptable because... well, clouds don't
have a lot of fine detail.

detail is not everything

[kz8rt3]

No, I do just fine with it, thank you.

I'm sure with creative upsampling and sharpening you could probably make
a 16x20 print that satisfies YOU from a 6 megapixel camera. Will it
satisfy me? Probably not.

sharpness is not everything

[David]

Bullshit!

My 10D goes to 16x20 easily and, if use a tripod and take care in
creating the image - to 20x24.

But, given the choice between 6 & 8 with all other factors being
equal...I'd go with the 8.

Sheesh, you must be blind. At A4, scanned 645 looks way better than 6MP. The
difference only gets larger up to 13x19. Beyond which neither is acceptable.

[Chris Brown]

Bullshit!

My 10D goes to 16x20 easily and, if use a tripod and take care in
creating the image - to 20x24.

But, given the choice between 6 & 8 with all other factors being
equal...I'd go with the 8.


This depends on your basis for combannedbannedbannedbannedbannedon, I think. I was always happy with
my 10D prints at A3...

...then I got a twin lens reflex, and I realised that the 10D prints, even
at A4, were blurred, for want of a better description.

[Skroob]

Ive printed 20x30s from my D70 and as long as you arent leaving nose prints
on the glass you really cant tell.

[Bill]

I went and looked at the Nikon D50 and the Canon Rebel XT. The view
finder ont he Nikon was better. On the Nikon I could tell if the picture
was in focus easier and it took more care to manually focus with the
Canon (at first I thought I couldn't focus it all, but it turned out
part of that was that I needed to adjust the diopter setting). I know
I'll be manually focuses most of the time, but I will want to check the
autofocus, if I have time, and there may be few cases were I need to
manually focus. Now clearly this is subjective, but the trade-off is
versus the 6 Megapixels for the Nikon vis-a-vis 8 on the Canon. So....

I've not had a lot of experience (looking at pictures from friend is
all) with pictures of that resolution. How significant do most people
think having 8 megapixels is?


I have a 6 Mpix camera (Canon 10D) and an 8 Mpix camera (Canon 1D Mark
II) and if printed 12x18" or larger it's clear the 8 Mpix image is
better for images shot with the same lenses. For 8x10's or smaller it
probably doesn't matter (so long as you don't have to crop).

How much of this is due to 6 vs 8 Mpix and how much can be attributed
to a $1,500 consumer camera vs a $4,500 professional camera with a
generation later software and different pixel pitch is open for debate,
but all things being equal, for large prints you're better off with the
added pixels.

[Jim]

There's not much difference between 6 and 8 megapixels.

At a 3:2 ratio, an 8 MP image is about 3504 pixels wide and 2336
pixels high. A 6 MP image is about 3072 pixels wide and 2048 pixels
high.

With 8 megapixels, you only gain 432 pixels in width and
288 pixels in height.

If you print an 8 and a 6 MP image 10 inches wide, the 8 MP image
will print at 350 DPI, the 6 MP image will be 307 DPI.

The 8 MP image is only 43 DPI better in resolution.. That's not much.
The difference between 350 and 307 DPI is probably not even noticeable.

But lets go further.. There's not much difference between 6 and 5
megapixels. There's not much difference between 5 and 4 megapixels.
How many do we NEED ?

It doesn't hurt to have as much as you can.. I would prefer
to have 8 megapixels

[Mark]

I'd make the decision based on which camera feels best to you.