Midnight Compression
One good indicator of whether you'll get sharp photos from a camera is if the camera lets you adjust the image quality setting. This is generally found as a menu option called JPEG Compression.
Inexpensive digital cameras generally don't allow you to adjust JPEG compression. Other cameras let you choose different compression levels, such as "Standard" or "Fine." Choosing the "fine" setting results in slightly larger image files, as the camera's processor isn't squeezing your image file into a smaller "standard" setting.
If you visit Flickr and use their Camera Tracker, you can track down a specific camera and view the output quality. (Check out full-size versions, not the default snapshot size). Then see if the image quality meets your expectations -- and visit the manufacturer's website to see if the camera's specs list several JPEG compression levels.
Don't confuse this with image size. Most cameras permit you to select a smaller megapixel size; say, a 7-MP setting instead of the camera's maximum 10- or 12-MP setting. Choosing a slightly smaller megapixel setting will save a little space on your memory card, and if you never print photos larger than 8 x 10 inches, you can easily reduce the file size to a 6-, 7- , or 8-MP setting.
(The photo above was taken with an 8-MP camera, but I've cut the file size down to what you might get with a 1.5-MP camera, if you could find one. Click the image for a larger view. The image looks OK on a computer screen, but the original file -- 1.32 megabytes -- was used to 8 x 10-inches in prints.)
But since I never know whether I'm going to want an enlargement, I'll use the camera's largest file size (usually painted on the camera itself someplace). I can always reduce the file size in a photo editing program later on.
For what it's worth: 8-MP is usually all anyone ever needs.
Inexpensive digital cameras generally don't allow you to adjust JPEG compression. Other cameras let you choose different compression levels, such as "Standard" or "Fine." Choosing the "fine" setting results in slightly larger image files, as the camera's processor isn't squeezing your image file into a smaller "standard" setting.
If you visit Flickr and use their Camera Tracker, you can track down a specific camera and view the output quality. (Check out full-size versions, not the default snapshot size). Then see if the image quality meets your expectations -- and visit the manufacturer's website to see if the camera's specs list several JPEG compression levels.
Don't confuse this with image size. Most cameras permit you to select a smaller megapixel size; say, a 7-MP setting instead of the camera's maximum 10- or 12-MP setting. Choosing a slightly smaller megapixel setting will save a little space on your memory card, and if you never print photos larger than 8 x 10 inches, you can easily reduce the file size to a 6-, 7- , or 8-MP setting.
(The photo above was taken with an 8-MP camera, but I've cut the file size down to what you might get with a 1.5-MP camera, if you could find one. Click the image for a larger view. The image looks OK on a computer screen, but the original file -- 1.32 megabytes -- was used to 8 x 10-inches in prints.)
But since I never know whether I'm going to want an enlargement, I'll use the camera's largest file size (usually painted on the camera itself someplace). I can always reduce the file size in a photo editing program later on.
For what it's worth: 8-MP is usually all anyone ever needs.
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