Originally Posted by Fabula
Is 10 Mpix an overkill ?
Yes and no. For most uses, 3 megapixel is more than sufficient, if supported by decent optics and low noise etc.
If buying new now, 6 megapixels should be the minimum, and higher is nicer. Don't choose a camera based on megapixels alone.
But if you will be wanting to print out at sufficient size for a lounge wall, go for as high is you can!
I'm confused by what you're saying. First you advise that 3mp is sufficient if it has low noise, but that if buying new, more mp is better. Yet the low mp cameras have low noise
because they have a lower pixel count, and vice versa. More pixels crammed into the same space = more noise. Imho 10mp is way over the top for compact cameras due to the physical size of their sensor. All it will do is give you bigger files without any discernible increase in image quality compared to, say, a 6mp camera. Huge mp counts on compact cameras can lead to lots of noise and limited useful ISO range, and I'd be surprised if the optics on compact cameras are good enough to resolve the extra detail a 10mp sensor can (in theory) pick up.
My old 4mp compact camera gave better image quality than a friend's 6mp camera. Why? Because it had a better lens, better metering, and better processing. Megapixels has nothing to do with the image quality, so don't pay any attention to the megapixel race.
