SLR v P&S

I would expect a picture taken with a digital SLR to have better resolution
and contrast than the same picture taken with a P&S. Are there any web sites
which show exactly how much difference there is between the two types of
cameras and also explain what the average P&S photographer is giving up on
on his typical family and holiday snapshots.

YDOD wrote:
I would expect a picture taken with a digital SLR to have better
resolution and contrast than the same picture taken with a P&S. Are
there any web sites which show exactly how much difference there is
between the two types of cameras and also explain what the average P&S
photographer is giving up on on his typical family and holiday snapshots.


Why would you expect that? I have a five mp DSLR, I see P&S cameras
with ten mp. That is a lot more pixels to make up.

With scenes shot from longer distances, I cannot think of any reason
there would be an inherent technical reason why resolution and contrast
should depend on what kind of viewfinding and focusing mechanisms a
camera has.

Now, with macro work, that is something else. Seeing the actual lens
focus through an SLR does have advantages.

In article , "YDOD" wrote:
I would expect a picture taken with a digital SLR to have better resolution
and contrast than the same picture taken with a P&S. Are there any web sites
which show exactly how much difference there is between the two types of
cameras and also explain what the average P&S photographer is giving up on
on his typical family and holiday snapshots.


There are 4 things to consider I think

Lens
Processing power and number of bits dynamic range
Number of pixels
Pixel noise.

Contrast is a subjective thing and can be a variable.
Family indoor shots have had a handicap of not enough wide
angle to the lens. More cameras are going wide.

You can certainly compare camera images at Imaging Resource.

greg

"YDOD" wrote in message
...
I would expect a picture taken with a digital SLR to have better resolution
and contrast than the same picture taken with a P&S.

Not necessarily. Resolution is simply a matter of how many pixels you have
on the sensor. Many compact cameras have as many megapixels as the typical
DSLR, and some have even more. Nor is there any reason to expect better
contrast from a DSLR.

The DSLR has many advantages over the compact camera, but not in resolution
or contrast. DSLRs invariably have much lower noise at high ISOs because of
their larger sensors. Their zoom lenses are zoomed manually, which provides
much faster and more accurate control than the switch-operated motorized
zooms on compact cameras. Their viewfinders are much better. They allow
interchangeability of lenses. They offer many kinds of control over the
image that compact cameras don't, and/or make such control much easier
through the direct use of buttons and control wheels instead of having to go
into a tedious menu system.


Are there any web sites which show exactly how much difference there is
between the two types of cameras and also explain what the average P&S
photographer is giving up on on his typical family and holiday snapshots.

I don't know of any sites that do that exactly, but I suspect that if you
aren't already aware of the benefits of a DSLR perhaps you aren't ready for
one. What you might want to do is go into a camera store and look a few
over, try handling the cameras and see how you like that type. A salesperson
may (or may not) be helpful in this. Best of all might be a friend who has
this type of camera and would let you handle it.

The ideal first DSLR for a beginner in this type would be something like a
Nikon D40. In fact, something so EXACTLY like a Nikon D40 that that's what
I'd recommend. It's relatively inexpensive and will do anything you're
likely to want it to do. You can get a pretty darn good D40 User's Guide for
free, right he
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40...uide/index.htm

Read that and see if you think that's the sort of camera for you.

"Neil Harrington" wrote in message
news



The ideal first DSLR for a beginner in this type would be something like a
Nikon D40. In fact, something so EXACTLY like a Nikon D40 that that's what
I'd recommend. It's relatively inexpensive and will do anything you're
likely to want it to do. You can get a pretty darn good D40 User's Guide
for free, right he
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40...uide/index.htm

Read that and see if you think that's the sort of camera for you.

I should mention that Ken goes into a great deal of technical stuff that as
a beginner you're probably not ready for. You need not be put off by that.
Remember that the D40, like most other DSLRs, can be just as easy to operate
as a compact camera, in some ways even easier because there's somewhat less
bothering with pesky menu systems. Turn the mode dial to the green camera
"Auto" position and it does everything just as automatically as a compact
camera.

In article , (GregS) wrote:
In article , "YDOD"
wrote:
I would expect a picture taken with a digital SLR to have better resolution
and contrast than the same picture taken with a P&S. Are there any web sites
which show exactly how much difference there is between the two types of
cameras and also explain what the average P&S photographer is giving up on
on his typical family and holiday snapshots.


There are 4 things to consider I think

Lens
Processing power and number of bits dynamic range
Number of pixels
Pixel noise.

Contrast is a subjective thing and can be a variable.
Family indoor shots have had a handicap of not enough wide
angle to the lens. More cameras are going wide.

You can certainly compare camera images at Imaging Resource.

There is one very important thing I left out.

Latency

I have a consistant problem with this on my digital cameras, but
none of them is a DSLR. It affects most of the shots I take. I have
lost control of my shots, and I'm sure the DSLR would be best.

greg

YDOD wrote:
I would expect a picture taken with a digital SLR to have better
resolution and contrast than the same picture taken with a P&S. Are
there any web sites which show exactly how much difference there is
between the two types of cameras and also explain what the average P&S
photographer is giving up on on his typical family and holiday snapshots.

The differences go way beyond that, in fact resolution and contrast are
_not_ really reasons to switch to a D-SLR.

Here's a list of advantages of the D-SLR:

Better low light shooting
Much more powerful built-in flash
Able to use flash attachments (also available on a few P&S models)
Extreme wide angle lenses available
Long telephoto lenses available
Much faster auto-focus for shorter lag time
Wider apertures
Faster shutter speeds
Lower Shutter Lag
Much wider dynamic range
Optical viewfinder
Full manual control
Better control of depth of field
Better macro capability
Expandable and upgradeable
Much higher frame rate
Much higher quality lenses available

As to what the average P&S photographer gives up, that's hard to say. I
find the high frame rate, low shutter lag, extreme wide angle lens, and
better low light capability to be very helpful in typical family and
holiday photos. For outdoor shooting in good light, where you don't need
wide angle, and you don't need to photograph kids that can't be still,
the P&S is adequate.

YDOD wrote:

I would expect a picture taken with a digital SLR to have better resolution
and contrast than the same picture taken with a P&S. Are there any web sites
which show exactly how much difference there is between the two types of
cameras and also explain what the average P&S photographer is giving up on
on his typical family and holiday snapshots.

Go to www.dpreview.com and evaluate sample shots from various cameras.

In article , (Ron) wrote:
YDOD wrote:

I would expect a picture taken with a digital SLR to have better resolution
and contrast than the same picture taken with a P&S. Are there any web sites
which show exactly how much difference there is between the two types of
cameras and also explain what the average P&S photographer is giving up on
on his typical family and holiday snapshots.

Go to www.dpreview.com and evaluate sample shots from various cameras.

Or as I prefer, go to Imaging Resource.

Dpreview didn't even have sample images from the camera I just bought.

greg

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:45:22 -0700, "YDOD"
wrote:

I would expect a picture taken with a digital SLR to have better resolution
and contrast than the same picture taken with a P&S.

No real difference in good conditions.

Are there any web sites
which show exactly how much difference there is between the two types of
cameras

Go to any online camera supplier and you'll see quite a difference in
price.

and also explain what the average P&S photographer is giving up on
on his typical family and holiday snapshots.

He is giving up the inconvenience of carrying more camera than
he usually needs. If low light photography, or fast autofocus (not
pre-focus) time is very important to you then spend the extra money
on a DSLR. Remember that you have to lug it around and if stolen you
are out of much more money.