spally

iTrader: (1)

I know there are a few of you about, just wondering if someone could help with a question my brother in law has, as he is looking at buying a new camera.

His question is:

i am looking at are the sony dslr alpha 200k 10.2 mega pixel,which comes with a 18-200mm zoom lense,or the sony alpha 300 14.2 mega pixel camera.they are to be used for general pics and landscape pics,but i wonder if the 10.2 pixel will be good enough for taking pics then transfering to canvas?or would the 14.2 pixel be better?

has a budget of around £300.

thanks in advance all.

Dave_68

To print on canvas you don't really require that much resolution at all, you could easily get away with 3mp. I have prints made at 30x20 inches from a 6mp DSLR and there are stunning quality. Megapixel quantity (unless your talking billboard size) is pretty much irrelevant, apart from a marketing perspective. For general use anything from a DSLR will be surfice. You won't notice any quality difference between 10 and 14mp, you will be able to print slightly larger, but you'd need to be printing in excess of 3ft to notice, or the larger resolution will allow you to crop a bit more if you need too.

HTH

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

The 10.2 megapixel has a sensor with approx 3.75 thousand pixels in one direction and 2.75 thousand in the other.. if he prints at 300 dpi then the picture size without resizing will be 12.5 inches x 9.16 inches (3750 divided by 300 and 2750 divided by 300).

The larger sensor will be approx 4.3 thousand by 3.3 thousand pixels. This will produce without resizing at 300 dpi a print size of 14.3 inches x 11 inches.

Megapixels is just one part of the story, but as he is only looking at Sony you cant compare 1 cameras sensor with another. The lens will make the biggest single difference.

Printing on canvas means you can get away with a slightly less that perfect image quality, firstly the quality of the canvas means you wont get a perfect print anyway and secondly they are usually put on walls which means that you stand further away and hence don't notice the lack of quality, think of billboard posters. If you stand up close you can see the pixels but stand across the street and you'll think it looks great.

He'll be happy with a sony but eventually he'll hanker over a Canon or Nikon. Especially if he intends making good quality prints...

HTH


Chris

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

you see Dave and I both mention billboard posters, great minds think alike

Dave_68

Size of the sensor (CCD) and size quality of the lens is more important thn MP count (for general usage) i.e a 4mp DSLR will make visually better prints than a 10mp compact camera.

Dave_68

spally

iTrader: (1)

cheers for the replies fellas

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

copycat

Tiny

Did you understand them though ?

spally

iTrader: (1)

lol...not a clue mate....but mark seems happy with what has been said.

also would either of you chaps mind have a chat on the phone with my brother in law?

cheers

Dave_68

No probs PM sent.

spally

iTrader: (1)

cheers Dave, have given your number to mark

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

You've got my number mate, you don't need permission to call it

spally

iTrader: (1)

cheers chris.