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Is light sensitivity in digital cameras related to megapixels? I have
an older 2MP camera which simply cannot take indoor photos without
having to use the flash. I don't like using the flash because it makes
my pictures look unnatural. If I buy a new camera, what should I look
for to avoid this problem?

thanks

On 22 Apr 2004 03:51:18 -0700, (Anthony Martin)
wrote:

>Is light sensitivity in digital cameras related to megapixels?

No, it would be to do with the quality of the CCD and the optics.
--
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In message <>, Andrew
<spamtrap@localhost.?.invalid> writes
>On 22 Apr 2004 03:51:18 -0700, (Anthony Martin)
>wrote:
>
>>Is light sensitivity in digital cameras related to megapixels?
>
>No, it would be to do with the quality of the CCD and the optics.

Well, actually, yes, but sort of indirectly.

The sensitivity of the array is, as a generalisation, down to the size
of the individual sensor elements. So if you squeeze a lot more elements
into a certain small size of sensor array, the individual elements will
be that much smaller and less sensitive (= more noisy).

But if you have a lot of elements in a large array, such as in a dSLR,
the elements are bigger, and the sensitivity is not impaired by there
being a lot of them.

Many P&S cameras come in a range of megapixels, but, within a
manufacturer's range, all may have the same overall CCD array size. I
would look very closely at the noise figures before choosing say a 5MP
over a 3MP.

Having said that, technology is improving all the time, so a later 5MP
might be better than an earlier 3MP in respect of sensitivity and noise
performance. Reading and interpreting the test reviews is essential in
my view.
--
Alan F Cross

But you're following a thread so it is more convenient to top post. This
avoids the need to scroll.

The poster is asking for *our* knowledge. Pointing him at Google before
asking a question is daft- he might already have been there for all you
know.

Graham

"Andrew" <spamtrap@localhost> wrote in message
news:...
> On 22 Apr 2004 03:51:18 -0700, (Anthony Martin)
> wrote:
>
> >Is light sensitivity in digital cameras related to megapixels?
>
> No, it would be to do with the quality of the CCD and the optics.
> --
> Andrew. To email unscramble & remove spamtrap.
> Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
> please don't top post. Trim messages to quote only relevant text.
> Check groups.google.com before asking a question.

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 13:49:06 +0100, "gsum" <> wrote:

>But you're following a thread so it is more convenient to top post. This
>avoids the need to scroll.

Did you have to scroll to read my response?
--
Andrew. To email unscramble & remove spamtrap.
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim messages to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking a question.

Light sensitivity is related to the number of pixels just as film
sensitivity is related to resolution - high resolution film is generally
slower than low res. film. But, technology has moved on and
recent ccds have much more sensitive receptors than the older
ccds.
If you buy new camera you need to look at the ISO (sensitivity) rating of
the ccd and the aperture size of the lens. For example, with an ISO 800
camera and an f1.8 lens, it is possible to photograph
a fair sized room lit by a single candle at about 1/50th sec.

Graham

"Anthony Martin" <> wrote in message
news: om...
> Is light sensitivity in digital cameras related to megapixels? I have
> an older 2MP camera which simply cannot take indoor photos without
> having to use the flash. I don't like using the flash because it makes
> my pictures look unnatural. If I buy a new camera, what should I look
> for to avoid this problem?
>
> thanks

No, but I had to scroll to read Alan Cross' response.

Graham


"Andrew" <spamtrap@localhost> wrote in message
news:...
> On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 13:49:06 +0100, "gsum" <> wrote:
>
> >But you're following a thread so it is more convenient to top post. This
> >avoids the need to scroll.
>
> Did you have to scroll to read my response?
> --
> Andrew. To email unscramble & remove spamtrap.
> Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
> please don't top post. Trim messages to quote only relevant text.
> Check groups.google.com before asking a question.

Somewhat. As others are pointing out, smaller pixels tend to have more
of certain types of electrical noise, and noise limits the performance
in low light conditions. One of the big factors in sensitivity of the
camera is the f/# of the lens. Look for a low f/#, which usually means
a large hunk of glass (and higher price).

Anthony Martin wrote:
>
> Is light sensitivity in digital cameras related to megapixels? I have
> an older 2MP camera which simply cannot take indoor photos without
> having to use the flash. I don't like using the flash because it makes
> my pictures look unnatural. If I buy a new camera, what should I look
> for to avoid this problem?
>
> thanks

--
Don Stauffer in Minnesota

webpage- http://www.usfamily.net/web/stauffer

"Anthony Martin" <> wrote in message
news: om...
> Is light sensitivity in digital cameras related to megapixels?

It has more to do with the lens (aperture) and the sensor sizes.

SNIP
> If I buy a new camera, what should I look for to avoid this problem?

Large lens aperture (smaller number is better). Most sensor sizes are almost
the same for a given category of cameras.

Bart

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 14:42:11 +0100, "gsum" <> wrote:

>No, but I had to scroll to read Alan Cross' response.

So everyone on Usenet should post messages that have no context just
because you run a crap newsreader in 640x480 screen resolution.
--
Andrew. To email unscramble & remove spamtrap.
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim messages to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking a question.