Is 2 megapixel cameras good for 4R shots?

Please advise.. Thanks.. And by the way, 4R is 4 by 6 inches?

[Zerstorer]

Yes to both queries.

[imaginary_number]

Yes, 2 MP should give reasonable 8R prints as well (provided u don't crop too much).

Yes, 4R is 4x6".

[ckiang]

A good 2mp file can be printed all the way to a good 8x12. Been there, done that, got amazed, and amazed people.

Regards
CK

Thanks everyone for all your prompt replies

[stk]

2mp is good for 4R.. but 3mp is even better for 4R..

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by stk 2mp is good for 4R.. but 3mp is even better for 4R..

At 4R? No diff one. When you print negs, the scans are at 1800 by 1200 anyway, that's very close to your typical 1600x1200 2mp cams.

Regards
CK

[stk]

Quote: Originally posted by ckiang At 4R? No diff one. When you print negs, the scans are at 1800 by 1200 anyway, that's very close to your typical 1600x1200 2mp cams. Regards CK

I feel got a bit of diff lah. 2mp for 4R would actually be 1600x1067, whereas 1800x1200 would be more ideal for 4R. Maybe depends on how closely one scrutinises the photos.. Or perhaps it's because my 3mp camera produces better pics than my previous 2mp camera..

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by stk I feel got a bit of diff lah. 2mp for 4R would actually be 1600x1067, whereas 1800x1200 would be more ideal for 4R. Maybe depends on how closely one scrutinises the photos.. Or perhaps it's because my 3mp camera produces better pics than my previous 2mp camera..

That's probably the more likely reason. If you send the 3mp image, and a resized 2mp image (from the 3mp file), they should look the same at 4R size.

Regards
CK

[stk]

Quote: Originally posted by ckiang If you send the 3mp image, and a resized 2mp image (from the 3mp file), they should look the same at 4R size.

That would be the best way to know.. who wanna spend money to verify??

Still feel that if u look close enough should be able to see a difference..

[lennon]

Quote: Originally posted by stk That would be the best way to know.. who wanna spend money to verify?? Still feel that if u look close enough should be able to see a difference..

I agree, photos from higher resolution camera is more vivid.

If you have been to those IT shows, where they sell printers and stuff.

Head to Canon's booth and they will have sample prints from various cameras and printers.

I have seen 3 A4 sizes prints (equivlant to 8R) from a IXUS V2 (2MP), IXUS 330 (3MP) and the S45 (4MP).

In the IXUS V2 print, If you view the picture at 1-1.5m away, it looks good, however if you walk up close like reading a book, I can't help but notice the blur or noise caused by the image being blown up.

In the IXUS 330, the effect is noticeably less obivous and in the S45 print, unnoticeable.

of course, the reason may also be due to the camera settings at the time of shoot and the skill of the photographer.

Having printed pictures from my old 2MP camera and my new 5MP camera both on A4-sized prints, I find the prints from 2MP camera @ A4 to be less satisfactory.

At 4R, even a 1MP camera will be sufficient for a good print.

Quote: Originally posted by stk That would be the best way to know.. who wanna spend money to verify?? Still feel that if u look close enough should be able to see a difference..

The 2MP camera and the 3MP camera will have to be similar to be fair, since 3MP cameras tend to have better features than a 2MP camera.

Or else, using a 3MP camera take a shot at max resolution, then using the same 3MP camera take a shot at the next lower resolution. using the same object, settings..etc

Then resize the lower resolution shot to the same resolution as the max resolution shot.

Send both for printing at 4R. That should be a better test since both prints oringated from the same camera.

However I feel at 4R, a 2MP print and a 3MP print is difficult, if not impossible to tell apart.

[mpenza]

Quote: Originally posted by lennon I agree, photos from higher resolution camera is more vivid.

Vivid in terms of color?

[MaGixShOe]

Quote: Originally posted by newuser The 2MP camera and the 3MP camera will have to be similar to be fair, since 3MP cameras tend to have better features than a 2MP camera.

not all, some 2MP cameras has far more features than 3 or 4MP cameras

[Tweek]

Quote: Originally posted by newuser I have seen 3 A4 sizes prints (equivlant to 8R) from a IXUS V2 (2MP), IXUS 330 (3MP) and the S45 (4MP).

IXUS 330 is a 2.1MP camera.

[lennon]

Quote: Originally posted by mpenza Vivid in terms of color?

Yes, vivid in terms of color. Put it this way, 3mp photo printed in 4R should be better than 2mp printed in 4R since they dont have the same number of pic elements, 3mp in 4R is more compact.

[Zerstorer]

It depends mainly on the quality of the image. A good and sharp image from 2MP camera should be sufficient for good 4R print.

In fact I have even printed a good 4R image from a ~700x500 image using Qimage Vector interpolation when I had to print from my own pbase image gallery as I didn't have the source image with me. The quality is almost indistinguishable from the very same 6MP image printed on a Fuji Frontier at a later date.

[mpenza]

Quote: Originally posted by lennon Yes, vivid in terms of color. Put it this way, 3mp photo printed in 4R should be better than 2mp printed in 4R since they dont have the same number of pic elements, 3mp in 4R is more compact.

Erm... don't think I buy this. "Vividness" has little to do with number of pic elements. A 2MP pic can be more vivid than a 6MP pic and will print out more vivid. Two pics that looked as vivid on the monitor will turn out as vivid. If you don't believe me, take a 3MP pic and print it at 4R. For the same image file, resample it to 2MP (using bicubic or other more sophisticated algorithm) and print it out at the same 4R size. Let us know if the first printout is more vivid.

I'm more willing to accept the argument that the level of details in the printout is higher for a 3MP pic compared to a 2MP pic.

[lennon]

Quote: Originally posted by mpenza Erm... don't think I buy this. "Vividness" has little to do with number of pic elements. A 2MP pic can be more vivid than a 6MP pic and will print out more vivid. Two pics that looked as vivid on the monitor will turn out as vivid. If you don't believe me, take a 3MP pic and print it at 4R. For the same image file, resample it to 2MP (using bicubic or other more sophisticated algorithm) and print it out at the same 4R size. Let us know if the first printout is more vivid. I'm more willing to accept the argument that the level of details in the printout is higher for a 3MP pic compared to a 2MP pic.

How can 2mp pic be more vivid than 6mp pic, assuming the same subject was taken with the same settings, color tone and lighting conditions?

Level of details and the vividness of colors are hardly noticeable for 4R printout, unless you take a “serious” look. But if your print 2mp photo and 3mp photo in A4/A3 then the diff in terms of vividness will be evident. Of course, there are other big factors affecting the vividness of printout, like, the photo paper itself, the saturation, contrast and sharpness of the image.

In order to produce a more vivid and natural pictures, we have to minimize the noise. One way is to increase the resolution or decrease the ISO to produce a fine-grain image. To me, sharpness of the images produce by the higher pixels camera enhances the intensity of the colors.

Well, based on my own observation, photos I have taken from my 6.3mp camera are always more vivid compare the photos taken from my 2.6mp printed from the same printer. Of course 10D is better than IS pro90 in all aspects!