Pixel count and noise in P&S digital cameras

[freeradical]

The way I understand it, a 7-8 MP sensor is biggest you should have in a P&S digital camera since they have tiny sensors. The reason is that if you go over that, the sensors become noisier. Is this true?

[Lew Zealand]

When the first 3MP sensors came out for P&S Digital cameras in the 1/1.8 size (bigger than many current digicams), noise became a bigger issue. The earlier 2MP and below cams had other issues which were more important than their very minor noise issues.

It's been getting worse with larger pixel counts but the cameras' software has been getting better at managing this problem as well.

And Just because you get an 8MP camera doesn't mean it performs like other 8MP cameras. I have an Olympus C0808WZ which has a 2/3 size 8MP imager and it delivers fairly good noise control for a P&S. Current 8MP imagers may only be 1/1.8 (not too much smaller) or 1/2.6 (wayyy smaller) and will show proportionately higher noise before noise reduction (which will smear out detail to some extent).

[freeradical]

Yes, but if you need sophisticated software to fix a problem that wouldn't exist with a smaller pixel count, what's the point?

[Billybob]

I'm not sure 7-8mp are the biggest.

Many reviewers believe the 10mp Canon (S95) and Panasonic (LX5) enthusiast level cameras produce the best P&S IQ ever. Their sensors are on the larger side (~1/1.7), but they are definitely P&S cameras. They are equipped with very nice lenses and perform well in well-lit settings. However, they don't compete with DSLRs in low-light situations.

I think that going beyond 10MP, on balance, does not improve images. However, I don't know if that will always be the case. Technology keeps advancing.

For now, I'd look for P&S cameras that were no denser than 10MP.

[pRICE cUBE]

Software can only correct the problem to a point when everything starts looking like mush. Canon has actually reverted pixel count on their G series to counteract this issue.

If you really need more megapixels than 10, you probably need to get into a DSLR at that point.

More info here
http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Glossary...ity_01.htm