I thought it might be of interest to readers to show them the different sizes of the camera sensors to really understand how sensor sizes affect image quality.
Most point and shoot cameras uses sensors from the 1/2.5" to the 1/1.6" size. For example, the Canon G11 uses the 1/1.7" size while the Canon 780IS uses the 1/2.3" size sensor which is smaller than the sensor on the Canon G11.
The Four Thirds System is used by camera manufacturers like the Olympus Pen E-P1 and the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1.
The entry level DSLR cameras like the Canon Rebel series and Nikon D5000 uses the APS-C sensor.
Professional cameras like the Canon 5D and Nikon D3 uses full frame sensors. Full frame sensors means 35mm which is the size of the films use in film cameras.
The medium format sensor is also used by professionals. Medium format cameras are usually used to shoot landscape and in fashion for magazines and billboards because of the high megapixel count. Cameras like the Hasselblad H3DII is a medium format camera.
Basically, the bigger the camera sensor, the more sensitive it is. This means it can capture more light and more details.
In the last few years, camera makers jam a lot of megapixels into the sensors to make them sound better in their marketing. This would be fine if the sensors were bigger. But try to jam more than 10 megapixels into a 1/1.8" size sensor and you can see why you get a lot of noise in higher ISOs. Because the sensors are so small, there's not enough light that can go through it. That is the reason the megapixel wars is silly. There is just no point in jamming too many megapixel in a small sensor.
Every camera sensor size has a maximum optimum megapixel count that will give it the right sensitivity with minimum noise. If you go over that, you just make it sound good for marketing, but you get horrible end results.
Panasonic has realized this so they didn't go any more than 10.0 megapixel on their Lumix DC-LX3 camera and no more than 12.1 megapixel on their Lumix DMC-GF1. They came to realized that adding more megapixels just makes the images too noisy. Sometimes even at low ISOs.
The bigger the sensor size, the more megapixel you can use. That is good if you need to print really big photos or need very high details such as landscape photos. That is why most photographers who shoot for magazines and commercial photography either uses a full-frame sensor or the medium format cameras.
Whichever camera you choose, choose the best that you want to shoot for. If you print photos that are no more than 8x10 inches and only view them on your computer, then any small sensor camera will work for you.
If you need to print higher than 8x10 inches, then you may want to go with micro four thirds to full frame cameras.
If you are a really serious landscape photographer and commercial photographer, then you should go with full frame to medium format cameras.
Most point and shoot cameras uses sensors from the 1/2.5" to the 1/1.6" size. For example, the Canon G11 uses the 1/1.7" size while the Canon 780IS uses the 1/2.3" size sensor which is smaller than the sensor on the Canon G11.
The Four Thirds System is used by camera manufacturers like the Olympus Pen E-P1 and the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1.
The entry level DSLR cameras like the Canon Rebel series and Nikon D5000 uses the APS-C sensor.
Professional cameras like the Canon 5D and Nikon D3 uses full frame sensors. Full frame sensors means 35mm which is the size of the films use in film cameras.
The medium format sensor is also used by professionals. Medium format cameras are usually used to shoot landscape and in fashion for magazines and billboards because of the high megapixel count. Cameras like the Hasselblad H3DII is a medium format camera.
Basically, the bigger the camera sensor, the more sensitive it is. This means it can capture more light and more details.In the last few years, camera makers jam a lot of megapixels into the sensors to make them sound better in their marketing. This would be fine if the sensors were bigger. But try to jam more than 10 megapixels into a 1/1.8" size sensor and you can see why you get a lot of noise in higher ISOs. Because the sensors are so small, there's not enough light that can go through it. That is the reason the megapixel wars is silly. There is just no point in jamming too many megapixel in a small sensor.
Every camera sensor size has a maximum optimum megapixel count that will give it the right sensitivity with minimum noise. If you go over that, you just make it sound good for marketing, but you get horrible end results.
Panasonic has realized this so they didn't go any more than 10.0 megapixel on their Lumix DC-LX3 camera and no more than 12.1 megapixel on their Lumix DMC-GF1. They came to realized that adding more megapixels just makes the images too noisy. Sometimes even at low ISOs.
The bigger the sensor size, the more megapixel you can use. That is good if you need to print really big photos or need very high details such as landscape photos. That is why most photographers who shoot for magazines and commercial photography either uses a full-frame sensor or the medium format cameras.
Whichever camera you choose, choose the best that you want to shoot for. If you print photos that are no more than 8x10 inches and only view them on your computer, then any small sensor camera will work for you.
If you need to print higher than 8x10 inches, then you may want to go with micro four thirds to full frame cameras.
If you are a really serious landscape photographer and commercial photographer, then you should go with full frame to medium format cameras.
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