Can you get the same picture quality for two different types of cameras with the same amount of megapixels?

Ace

So, I'm looking for a good quality camera, and I know the higher the megapixels, the better looking the picture will be.
I was originally planning on buying a nikon D3000 which has 10 megapixels and goes for $500
But then I saw a digital camera that has the same exact number of megapixels as the nikon, but for a cheaper $150.
Would the pictures look essentially the same considering their amount of megapixels are the same? Or is there something about the Nikon that makes the pictures so amazing besides megapixel quantity?

Answer
The number of megapixels describes how the digital sensor is divided into digital "sections". The more sections, the more detail is possible.

BUT, digital single lens reflex (dslr) cameras have sensors that are several times larger than the ones in compact digital cameras. You're partitioning off a smaller sensor.

It's like saying two cars have 8 cylinders. Can they both have the same horsepower? Not if one is an 8-cylinder compact and the other is an 8-cylinder truck.

http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/size_matters.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_sensor_format

what camcorder our there is closest to a 35 mm camera's image?

dustin m

i hate hd

Answer
Hi Dustin:

What most filmmakers & videographers mean when they talk about "that 35mm still camera look" is high resolution and narrow depth-of-field (subject in-focus and background blurred).

Some of these qualities, both in 35mm film and digital work, are due to the image size (large number of pixels or fine film-grain) as well as the optical characteristics of the 35mm camera lenses and focal plane.

To bridge the gap between DSLRs (with large multi-megapixel sensors) that shoot video and camcorders (with their smaller 1/8" to 2/3" sensors), the Micro Four-Thirds Consortium was formed to develop mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras ("MILCs" for short) among manufacturers like Panasonic and Olympus. The "four-thirds" stands for the 4/3" (1.333" diagonally) size of the image sensor. The image format is also 4:3 ratio (instead of HD's 16:9), which is another reason for the name.

For typical model numbers of MFT cameras & lens options, see the Wikipedia article on the subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_Four_Thirds_system

Other cinematographers have embraced the use of DSLRs like Canon's EOS 7D, the Sony Alpha System, and various Nikon D-series to take advantage of various lens choices and depth-of-field capabilities, but by nature these are not camcorders.

Traditional movie camera manufacturers (like Arri and Panavision) have developed large-sensor digital cinema camera systems to stay competitive with high-resolution newcomers such as the "Red One" camera system and Sony's CineAlta line. All these are in the very high-end of the "camcorder" price range ($25,000 and more).

As always, image quality is only limited by your budget.

hope this helps,
--Dennis C.
 

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