Image resolution?

Question

I have noticed that ALL of my Nikon cameras - from P&S to D200 - produce files with 300 pixels per inch resolution. My son's Canon A620 produces files with 180 pixels per inch. If you crop a full frame from either camera to any matching print size, the resulting pixels per inch will be close to the same thing.

Another way to look at this: The Canon image is nominally 6 MP at 3072 x 2304 pixels. At 180 pixels per inch, the resulting full format print would be 17.067" x 12.8". The Nikon D70s "6 MP" image is 3008 x 2000 pixels, but the resulting full format print would only be 10.027" x 6.667". If I crop the full frame of the Canon image to 10" x 6.67", I lose a bit of the full image, but the resulting image will be 307.2 pixels per inch resolution.

Can anyone help educate me here? Why did Nikon choose 300 pix/in and Canon 180 pix/in? When it comes down to it, is the Nikon image really higher resolution?

Thanks.

I notice an almost exact effect with my brother's Pentax Optio S6. The resolution of the uneditted image is 72 pixels per inch, but when you crop the image to a like size (as outlined about), the resolution "improves" to 281.6 pixels per inch.

Answer 1

It has to do with the size of the sensor. A smaller sensor has the pixels in a more dense format while a larger one spreads them out. The density is the same when the image is placed on a standard size photograph. Note that the more dense the pixels are on the sensor, the more "noise" you will get.

You can see this comparing Nikon D200 (uses a CCD sensor) to the Canon EOS-30D (less megapixels and also uses a larger CMOS sensor).

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/nikon/d200-review/
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/eos_30d-review/

Scroll down to the ISO tests and you will see how the larger sensor makes a big difference with regard to noise levels at high ISO setting.

Answer 2

The resolution in digital imaging is affected by the amount of memory stored in a picture in terms of pixel, the higher the pixel the clearer you get the picture, proportionate to the size of picture of course. Theoretically, Nikon should have a better image with 300pixel per inch compared to 180 of canon.As you speak of the full image created by two cameras, it is indeed something to think of, that there different results from the two cameras having same migapixel.. i think it is the camera image sensor that affects them. Dont get confused also the these cameras has its own unique characteristics.. they are not meant to be the same..

Answer 3

It's probably just a firmware setting. The Nikons with 300dpi are optimized for print, the Pentax with 72dpi would show the image at 100% on your monitor, and the Canon is optimized for Lord knows what.
As for the resolution, 6MP is just that: 6 million pixels - it doesn't matter how dense or wide you spread them.

Answer 4

by way of fact the different guy mentioned, the lens high quality concerns plenty greater desirable than megapixels or determination. i might go with a Panasonic Lumix over a Fuji any day enormously by way of fact Leica makes the lenses for it and that Lumix's constantly has mind-blowing sharpness and high quality. I had one until eventually now i began out upgrading to greater end Nikon DSLR cameras (thoroughly one hundred% nicely well worth the greater desirable value btw) and that i enjoyed it. additionally; except you're making substantial *** prints (measuring in ft) the alternative and megapixels won't remember. you're becoming a 6mp digicam and demonstrate the image on an HDTV and word no much less high quality than a 80mp (however of course the 80mp digicam will in all likelihood have plenty greater effectual photograph qality which means shade and assessment) ethical of the story: in case you're no longer doing it to make artwork prints or as a job, do no longer complication approximately determination OR pixels except it incredibly is abnormally low. complication greater approximately image high quality which incorporate the way it deals with lighting fixtures, assessment, and shade