I have a point&shoot 7.1 megapixel Sony Cybershot camera, and I want to get a Nikon D40. It has 6.1 megapixel. Should I get it? Is it worth it? Is there a difference between the megapixel and quality I’ll get between the two cameras?
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A 6MP DSLR is much better than a 14MP point & shoot camera.
There are many reasons. The main ones are
1) physically larger pixels gather more light and create less noise @ higher ISOs.
2) larger sensor makes better prints (especially @ 8×10 or bigger) since the picture doesn’t have to be enlarged as many times.
3) a better quality lens (even kit lenses are better)
4) room to grow as your skill or ambition dictate.
No matter how many pixels a P&S camera has, they tend to break down around 8×10. I’ve seen 6MP images blown up to 16×20 and they still looked good.
You are not going to see significant difference b/wn the two cameras if all you want to do is print 4×6, 5×7 or 8×10 prints.
I’m assuming your Sony is a sub-compact. The Nikon D40 offers you the benefit of being able to use a system of different lenses and filters as well as higher ISO (for greater flexibility shooting under different lighting conditions – though I’m not sure it goes down to ISO 100 – which would be bad; check it out).
Your Sony is display oriented (yes?), whereas you can use a viewfinder to compose pics in the DSLR. Much better if you want pro-sumer capabilities.
Depends on what you want to be shooting… If it’s just casual ‘snapshots’ as memories of different events why spend the extra money.
If you want to get serious about photography then you should move to a DSLR with a system of lenses and filters – why not look at the Nikon D80 instead of the D40? Broader range of options, not outrageous price – roughly comparable $$$, but up to 10 m.p. (if you want to print larger pics). That would be more of a tradeoff worth considering.
Yes there is a difference.
A DSLR might not have as many megapixels, however the size of the sensors that take in the light that create the image in a DSLR are a lot larger than those normally in a point and shoot digital camera. This means the quality of the pixels can be much higher creating a cleaner picture in many situations.
Secondly DSLR cameras have a lot more features that can be changed depending on the situation. This can be very beneficial in some situations, such as taking photos in the dark, or altering the focal point in a photo.
Generally though, if it is just for personal use there is a significant price difference when buying a DSLR camera that might not be worth the cost. The cost of lenses can be $200 or more. There is also the cost taken in learning the different settings of a DSLR. There is certainly a knack to using one in comparison to a point and shoot camera! However if you want to take some really nice photos then a DSLR is a great way to go!
Well there may be a slight difference but
The question is would you notice the difference?
I have sometimes asked myself the same question, but at the end of the day i look at the images i have taken on both a fuji 900e, and my wifes pentax point and shoot and i can’t fault them.
I have an a1 enlargement of Kiev city centre taken at night, and the clarity is as good as anything i could of taken a few years ago on a hassleblad so why change if the camera you already have is good enough