A Photography forum. PhotoBanter.com

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » PhotoBanter.com forum » Digital Photography » Digital Point & Shoot Cameras
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

No P&S for a serious hobbyist?



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #21  
Old September 3rd 07, 06:50 AM posted to rec.photo.digital.point+shoot
RPS
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 32
Default No P&S for a serious hobbyist?

Nobody is saying the there are no physical limitations, only that the
cameras are nowhere near them. What is being offered or withheld is
governed not by physics but marketing decisions.

The 35 mm film cameras had a bigger "sensor", the film itself, than any
digital ps. Lenses, zooming, etc. are not affected by whether the image
is recorded in analog or digital format.
  #22  
Old September 5th 07, 04:32 AM posted to rec.photo.digital.point+shoot
bob prohaska's usenet account
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4
Default No P&S for a serious hobbyist?

Dennis Gnad wrote:

With a bigger sensor you can then push up the ISO, and it will be less
noisy. Of course the lens will let less light through. So in the end you
might have the same, if there wasn't diffraction.

The trouble is, ISO rating is not a free parameter: It's a property of
the sensor, I think roughly it's the ratio of quantum efficiency and
dark current with some fudge factors added to make the numbers comparable
to the old ASA film speed ratings.


And I also think the factor of the lens letting light through depending on
the image circle is not directly proportional to a sensor being more or
less sensitive to light and being more/less noisy depending on the image
circle it can capture.

I think that it behaves more exponential at sensor size, but linear in lens
size? I'm not sure at all, but to my observation it looks like that (at
least as a rule of thumb).

I'll admit I didn't follow those two paragraphs.....

So, I think, a bigger and more sensitive sensor and slower (letting less
light through) lens will be a better combination than a fast lens and small
sensor. (also because of the diffraction, and yes pinholes can suffer from
diffraction, but if you have a larger format camera it will be less)

A bigger sensor will also contribute more noise (dark current) so making
it bigger becomes a losing game after a point where it catches most of the
light the lens puts on it.

One of the tricks is that the sensor surface is not all active; a bigger
sensor can have a higher percentage of active area, that may be what
you're thinking of: For a given number of pixels, active area goes up
as the sensor grows, but as the pixels grow so does the noise. In a
noiseless detector you might be correct, but then you'd be lugging a
Dewar of liquid nitrogen around to top up your camera 8-)

The pictures, however, would be very good, especially the night shots.

bob prohaska

  #23  
Old September 6th 07, 02:32 AM posted to rec.photo.digital.point+shoot
Grumpy AuContraire
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 35
Default No P&S for a serious hobbyist?



RPS wrote:

Nobody is saying the there are no physical limitations, only that the
cameras are nowhere near them. What is being offered or withheld is
governed not by physics but marketing decisions.

The 35 mm film cameras had a bigger "sensor", the film itself, than any
digital ps. Lenses, zooming, etc. are not affected by whether the image
is recorded in analog or digital format.



I have long argued that digital photography is in its infancy.

I have tons of Kodachrome 25 tranparancies that I shot with my old,
(well I still have it if I want to get serious), Leica M2. I have a few
scans and believe me, they are the standouts in my screen saver.

Additionally, the tonal range is far greater and I get great detail even
when shooting into the sun late in the afternoon.

OTOH, nothing beats the convenience of digital and the cost is far less
when you can simply erase and reshoot...

JT

  #24  
Old September 11th 07, 05:01 AM posted to rec.photo.digital.point+shoot
Johnny Slothman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2
Default No P&S for a serious hobbyist?

Canon SD 800IS.
Just bought one 3 weeks ago and I am ready to sell off all my other gear.
Greta little camera with a 28mm FOV on the wide side, optical stabilization,
and great picture quality.
You can find it under $300 now.


--
© Johnny Slothman
Slowest Contractor In The West
If you need it done 10 years from now, call Johnny


 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
No P&S for a serious hobbyist? Nushar Digital ZLR Cameras 15 August 31st 07 10:46 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:22 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 PhotoBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.