The Digital Camera: Series 1A

I have always found it fascinating how people in general perceive photography! Isn't it a wonder what we can do with technology today. Just ten years ago I said "In ten years we won't be using film", and here we are. It was five years ago a 1 mega pixel camera was a great entry level camera and 2 megs would get you an 8x10 print in stunning color! Present day, 8 megs is better than 6 and nothing less than 6 will give you quality. Would it interest you to know that if 35mm film was converted magically to digital it would be in a 24 meg format? We could not work with that digital increase as our computers would need to catch up and our printing technology would not display much difference. As it is, we print at the lab from pegs and RGB color, entirely missing most of the nuances in the color gamut. Well we are using the digital format now, and with Kodak's recent dismantle of their processing plant to build a new digital center, there is no turning back. And so moving back to my entrance statement of how people perceive photography, "If it looks good, it is good no matter what". In this short series I will discuss what I have personally found true in digital photography with tip number 1:

Mega pixels do not matter: While it is true that a 10 mega pixel image is bigger than an 8 and then again a 6 meg image; size does not matter to the overall quality of the image. I have found that six megs is just about right for workability. The computer moves a little faster. You don't need as large a capacity card to carry the images and the final print result is just as stunning. Photo labs today require that you send them images as j-pegs and in the RGB color gamut and so you will not discern any difference between 6, 8, or 10 meg images! Remember the cartoon with the chameleon jumping from one scene to another, finally ending up on plaid with the statement "I just can't do it!"? Same thing here, we just can't make a print that rivals what was once film from what we have now. So if you are one of those that has gotten caught up in the trap of bigger is better, think again, less is more! Save your money and concentrate on the finer qualities of photography such as composition. If you want a mathematical equivalent to the statement above here it is from Ken Rockwell, noted photographer, confirming everything I have stated. Take a look:http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/mpmyth.htm.