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Our little point and shoot digital camera died a few weeks ago. I knew this would happen eventually but failed to make good preparation for this event. This camera was given to us by our neighbors when they got a new one. Prior to this we had had one other incredibly cheap, barely usable, digital camera, the one given to us was a HUGE upgrade. From it we discovered the joy of digital cameras. So to now be without one is pretty sad.
I am hoping that you, dear reader, can offer me some advice on what new camera to purchase. I would like to get a Nikon CoolPix, as that is what the last camera was and we were very pleased with it, but, have you seen how many of those CoolPix cameras there are?! Way too many to make it an easy choice. So if anyone out there has some recommendations, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
I am hoping that you, dear reader, can offer me some advice on what new camera to purchase. I would like to get a Nikon CoolPix, as that is what the last camera was and we were very pleased with it, but, have you seen how many of those CoolPix cameras there are?! Way too many to make it an easy choice. So if anyone out there has some recommendations, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
posted by Lady Steed at 9:29 AM
3 Comments:
I learned the hard way that Megapixels don't matter anymore. Pixel Density is far more important. You want the pixel density to be as LOW as possible, because that means each pixel will be more accurate. When the pixel density is low, each pixel is relatively large, which means it gets a more stable reading of the scene you're photographing. When the pixel density is high, the pixel values the sensor generates are often overwhelmed by noise, especially in low-light situations. This means that images have a strange multi-colored pixelly fuzz to them.
Our first digital camera was a 3 MP Olympus D-40 Zoom, which had a pixel density of 10 MP/cm^2, and served us well. After several years, I thought it was time to get one with better movie making capabilities and larger image storage, so I bought a 7 MP Canon A570IS, which had a pixel density of 29 MP/cm^2. That was a disaster. Even though the images had twice the pixels, they were so noisy that we could tell the difference between pictures taken on the Canon from across the room. 'Spoza was not pleased at all with this camera.
So we bit the bullet and bought a Nikon D80. It has a pixel density of 2.9 MP/cm^2. And it takes beautiful pictures, even in low-light situations.
Obviously, the lenses are really important, too - but pixel density is an often overlooked criterion that correlates well with the quality of images the camera will produce.
You can look up pixel densities for any camera here:
DPReview
We own the s9 coolpix. It is fine for the basics. I am a cheap girl, with no photography training, so it suits me. I would go with a newer version if I were to do it again, the one I have drains battery even when it is off.
Having used every camera known to man and woman by now (seriously, there is probably yet to be a camera I haven't used), I prefer the Canon Powershot series to the Nikon Coolpix. I just think it responds better and it is easier to "wake up" if the camera goes to power saver mode.
Also, I just don't really care for Nikon's. Even though I use one 40 hours a week.
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