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Compact Digicam - Optio WP or WPi

Anonymous
Posted 07/11/2005 - 19:43 Link
Hi

I read the megapixel thread with great interest as I am about to take the plunge into digital photography. I have not seen the above cameras discussed on the forum so I hope someone can comment on them.

I do a lot of mountain walking, often in awful weather, and although I have an "expendable" MZ30 specially for this task, I find its bulk and fiddliness (ie having to remove it from rucksack to take a photo) annoying to the point I often don't bother with it. Because of this I want a compact camera and the waterproof Pentaxes seem perfect.

Now - does the Optio WPi (6MP) offer any real advantage over the Optio WP (5MP)? I ask because in the other thread the suggestion was that cramming more pixels into the same size sensor would result in more noise. How large a print can you make with a 5MP compact with acceptable quality? Will the WPi be afflicted with a noise problem?

I noticed most of the discussions are around the Pentax DSLRs so apologies if I have brought shame to the forum by asking about compact digicams!

Thanks in advance
James Brooks
johnriley
Posted 07/11/2005 - 20:10 Link
No shame at all, the Pentax compacts are excellent and we get good results in A3 prints from a 5MP Optio S5i. There are even better results to be had from the 750Z that I also use, and in fact I have been very, very impressed by its quality.

But there is a catch. The smaller sensor is definitely more susceptible to noise, so although sharpness is not an issue noise will be if you up the ISO rating. I would recommend using these cameras at their lowest ISO, and not allowing any auto-ISO function to operate.

Gradation in smooth areas of tone will also be not quite as smooth, another by-product of the smaller sensor, but there is no escaping that.

Having said that, you would only notice these effects if you do indeed make A3 prints. If you only make A4 prints or only upload to the web, then there will IMHO be no problem.

Personally I am very pleased with my personal choice of the 750Z. Sue is delighted with her S5i, but I find it too small.
Best regards, John
Anonymous
Posted 08/11/2005 - 18:20 Link
Thank you John.
Anonymous
Posted 08/11/2005 - 20:50 Link
My experience with taking the plunge to digital was this:
We went with canon g5. why? it had the focal lengths we used most, no worries about dust on sensor, we could always shoot at iso 50 because we were using studio lights.
In other words, we found what worked for us and never regretted it. We later added a Pro 1 and now an ist ds2 to our digital kit. When jobs or customers require bigger we rent bigger. when they ask for film-we shoot film.
From what I've read, you are thinking it through, and the only thing I could add to the excellent advice above is this:
a carbonfibre monopod/walkingstick, and a fanny pack camera case, spare batteries, and chemical type handwarmers!

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