Sensor Specs and Diffraction Calcs

Might be of interest to some of you:

http://home.globalcrossing.net/~zilch0/too...s/DigiSpecs.xls

I have no opinion either way - but I do agree qualitatively with his conclusion.

Cheers

James

I haven't had time to look very carefullly, but looks like a nice summary with some interesing comparisons. No big surprises. For macro shots, where you are caught between depth-of-field and diffraction, more pixels do not help. The 12Mpixel D2x is no better than the 6Mpixel D70. What does help is a bigger sensor.

Yet another thing for FF vs DX sensor folks to argue about...lol.

FWIW, with no AA filter and BIG pixels, the proSLRn is pretty sharp.

Cheers

James

Yet another thing for FF vs DX sensor folks to argue about...lol.  

 

FWIW, with no AA filter and BIG pixels, the proSLRn is pretty sharp.

 

Cheers

James

Not really that much to argue about. The optics consideration for macro photography is clear. I suspect the resolution difference between a 1.6x cropped 12Mpixel and 8Mpixel sensor will only be noticeable for apertures between around F/8 and F/11 on a few good lenses.

I don't care for the comparison. The assumption is is that pixel count must be directly converted into print size and that lower pixel density is good. OK, that's one way to look at it. The ultimate expression of "pixel peeper" to use Reichman-esque slander. I agree that more pixels must result in more detail or it's wasted. Bigger sensors are required for that. Funny that film photographers don't look at it this way.

I think more pixels do help when you are lens-limited, just in ever decreasing benefit.

I thought his conclusions paragraph was freaky.