8 MP Non SLR for landscapes

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I am interested in opinions about using 7 - 8MP non SLR digital
cameras for landscape outdoor pictures where I can shoot at ISO 50 or
100.
Advantages of digital SLR that I do not need:
1. Fast startup
2. Capability of high quality pictures taken at ISO 400 and up
3. Sports capability to take 3 - 6 or more frames per second
4. No shutter lag
5. Fast autofocus that is used for sports
6. High ISO (400 - 1600) for low light pictures at high quality

I know the basics of sensor size and the ability to use higher ISO with
less noise. Digital SLRs have much larger sensors when compared to say
a Nikon 8700 or Canon G6, Pro 1,etc. These prosumer cameras have
smaller sensors and thus require smaller lenses (less glass is required
to cover smaller sensors) and thus might be able to have high
resolution at much lower cost than SLR lenses.

Can one of these 8mp prosumer cameras provide equal quality pictures to
say a Canon 20D or Digital Rebel XT at ISO 50 or 100?
Looking at the sample pictures at DP review and Imaging-resource, it
looks like the quality of the sample pictures (the type I am talking
about)is the same for both types of cameras.

I have a Canon G1 and cannot tell the difference in color quality
between that and a Canon Digital Rebel.

I also use stitching software to make larger pictures with the G1 which
are great.

Any opinions on this topic or are there any links that might discuss
this.
Thanks,Rick

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

In article <1124772230.915246.11390@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, Rick
says...

> Can one of these 8mp prosumer cameras provide equal quality pictures to
> say a Canon 20D or Digital Rebel XT at ISO 50 or 100?
> Looking at the sample pictures at DP review and Imaging-resource, it
> looks like the quality of the sample pictures (the type I am talking
> about)is the same for both types of cameras.

I get good results with an Olympus 8080, shooting at lowest ISO, where
noise is low enough not to matter.

Whatever camera you choose, take one with a good lens (very important)
and for best results shoot RAW.
--

Alfred Molon
------------------------------
Olympus 4040, 5050, 5060, 7070, 8080, E300 forum at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MyOlympus/
Olympus E300 resource - http://myolympus.org/E300/

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Rick wrote:

> I am interested in opinions about using 7 - 8MP non SLR digital
> cameras for landscape outdoor pictures where I can shoot at ISO 50 or
> 100.
> Advantages of digital SLR that I do not need:
> 1. Fast startup
> 2. Capability of high quality pictures taken at ISO 400 and up
> 3. Sports capability to take 3 - 6 or more frames per second
> 4. No shutter lag
> 5. Fast autofocus that is used for sports
> 6. High ISO (400 - 1600) for low light pictures at high quality
>

How about the abilty to actually see the focus plane? With an EVF or the
LCD, you can't tell where the camera is really focused. Does the lens on
these non-slr models have distance scales? How well does the manual
focusing work (since you'll normally use it for most shots in landscape
type work)? The kit lens that came with my E300 had no distance scale which
I found was a problem for me shooting landscapes. I was glad to see their
better glass like the 11-22mm does have it!

Otherwise you're probably right, a dSLR has no real advantage.

--

Stacey

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Rick" <stromer2@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1124772230.915246.11390@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>I am interested in opinions about using 7 - 8MP non SLR digital
> cameras for landscape outdoor pictures where I can shoot at ISO 50 or
> 100.
> Advantages of digital SLR that I do not need:
> 1. Fast startup
> 2. Capability of high quality pictures taken at ISO 400 and up
> 3. Sports capability to take 3 - 6 or more frames per second
> 4. No shutter lag
> 5. Fast autofocus that is used for sports
> 6. High ISO (400 - 1600) for low light pictures at high quality
>
> I know the basics of sensor size and the ability to use higher ISO with
> less noise. Digital SLRs have much larger sensors when compared to say
> a Nikon 8700 or Canon G6, Pro 1,etc. These prosumer cameras have
> smaller sensors and thus require smaller lenses (less glass is required
> to cover smaller sensors) and thus might be able to have high
> resolution at much lower cost than SLR lenses.
>
> Can one of these 8mp prosumer cameras provide equal quality pictures to
> say a Canon 20D or Digital Rebel XT at ISO 50 or 100?
Not to me they don't. However, these digital point and shoots do provide
amazing quality considering their sensor size.
> Looking at the sample pictures at DP review and Imaging-resource, it
> looks like the quality of the sample pictures (the type I am talking
> about)is the same for both types of cameras.
I don't use images downloaded from the internet to make such judgements.
>
> I have a Canon G1 and cannot tell the difference in color quality
> between that and a Canon Digital Rebel.
If you can't see the difference, then you have answered your own question.
It really makes no difference what others think about this question.
In my case, I find the digital point and shoots to be a little lacking in
wide angle shots, and I am not into stiching things together.
Jim

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I just lugged a Sony 828 and a Nikon D70 through China for 3 weeks.
IMHOP the 828 has a superior lens to most other cameras of its class but it
is big and slow, among other issues.
For landscape shooting the quality results are a toss-up, even comparing the
Sony jpeg to the Nikon RAW. In fact I mixed up prints made from each camera
and now I have to go back and compare to the originals to tell which is
which.
Focusing with the EVF, if there are no time constraints, is not all that
difficult. If you are shooting landscapes this is a non-issue.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

In article <1124921459.287634.196050@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
MitchAlsup@aol.com says...
> Want a really wide image and very little distortion? Sharp to the
> edge? Want a really long telephoto image with no distortion? Sharp

Did you see the wide angle samples posted on Canon's site of the 5D ? My
8080 takes sharp shots, with edge to edge sharpness. The same does not
hold for that lens used for the 5D wide angle shot.
--

Alfred Molon
------------------------------
Olympus 4040, 5050, 5060, 7070, 8080, E300 forum at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MyOlympus/
Olympus E300 resource - http://myolympus.org/E300/