With PMA about to start in Las Vegas , the
resolution evolution is taking a 2 million pixel step
It started with Sony's introduction of the DSC-F828, a
continuation of its pivoting SLR line, which boasts an 8mp
resolution chip. I've actually held this camera and am looking
forward to a test unit from Sony soon
In a flurry of pre-PMA news releases, Canon announced its
Power shot Pro, mimicking its Sony and Nikon competitors in
looks and also boatsing an 8mp CCD chip.
Canon followed this up with its EOS 1D-Mark II SLR, upping the
SLR ante to 8mp and maintaining its full-frame 35mm CCD
format. The 1D-Mk II nearly matches the Nikon D2H in shooting
speed and of course doubles its resolution.
Not to be left behind, Nikon announced the successor to its
prosumer CP 5700, the Coolpix 8700 with, you guessed it, an 8
megapixel CCD. What of Nikon's new SLR, you ask? The Nikon
D70, also to be seen at PMA, maintains its DX CCD format and 6
megapixel resolution.
What's the jump to 8mp mean to most digital photographers?
Well the teknorati among us will no doubt be sporting
the new cameras as soon as they ship. Will their printed
images look 2 million pixels better that our 6mp images? I
kind of doubt it without an optical comparitor.
Thanks to larger 1gig and 2gig flash cards and
fat billfolds, these early adopters will not feel the
shrinkage of flash cards. But for those of us still using 250
or 500mb flash cards, I'm sure we'll feel the pinch of
diminishing images.
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