Nikon Coolpix S630 - Questions About The Camera & General Questions About Megapixels

[MsSarah]

I've been looking into getting a new camera and I came across the Nikon Coolpix S630 which looks pretty nice. I went and checked it out today at Best Buy and it seems like a good quality camera. 12 megapixel, 7x zoom.

I currently have a Nikon Coolpix S210 and it's pretty easy to use and works well but doesn't always take the clearest pictures. It's an 8 megapixel/3x zoom camera (I have no idea what that means? :lol: )

OK, so here are my questions:
1. If you have this camera, how does it work? Pros and cons?

Also, my other question is about megapixels...

2. In short, what are megapixels? Does a higher megapixel take a higher quality picture?

I'm just looking for a camera that takes good pictures, will last and won't make me want to scream with frustration - and so far, my coolpix has been pretty good to me.

[MonkeyDishwasher]

Re: Nikon Coolpix S630 - Questions About The Camera & General Questions About Megapix

The higher a megapixel, the more detail there is in each pixel of the camera. This essentially means that if you take a picture with a 5 MP camera, and then take that same picture with a 12 MP camera, it's basically like comparing a regular TV to a High Def version. More megapixels, more detail.

Also if you decide to blow up the image, you can make it bigger with less pixelation of your image as compared to a lower MP version. So you could make a poster of somebody's face and still get plenty of detail, whereas that 5 MP camera would pixelate sooner and become a big Picasso-y mess.

[penguinsoda]

Re: Nikon Coolpix S630 - Questions About The Camera & General Questions About Megapix

Here's an excerpt from a review at Steve's Digicam site, that I use a lot when researching info on camera's.

[quote]Bottom Line - Nikon's Coolpix S630 is a compact, 12-megapixel, digicam that is full of top-of-the-line features. The 7x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilization, smart portrait system and new Expeed image processor really make this camera stand out when compared to other digicams in its price range. As always you get the ease of use and good image quality that we have come to expect from Nikon. With a MSRP of US$279.95, we feel this camera will make a great choice for anyone looking to get a little more versatility than your typical compact digicam has to offer.[/guote]

Full review here:

Nikon Coolpix-S630 Review: Overview

And other reviews... mostly mixed.

Nikon Coolpix S630 ? Digital Camera Reviews

And don't get caught up in the megapixel myth. Unless you are going to routinely print 11X13 or larger prints, 5-7 megapixels is adequate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/08/te...y/08pogue.html

The Megapixel Myth

Digital Cameras and the Megapixel Myth | Technology | Smart Spending | Mainstreet

[MsSarah]

Re: Nikon Coolpix S630 - Questions About The Camera & General Questions About Megapix

The higher a megapixel, the more detail there is in each pixel of the camera. This essentially means that if you take a picture with a 5 MP camera, and then take that same picture with a 12 MP camera, it's basically like comparing a regular TV to a High Def version. More megapixels, more detail.

Also if you decide to blow up the image, you can make it bigger with less pixelation of your image as compared to a lower MP version. So you could make a poster of somebody's face and still get plenty of detail, whereas that 5 MP camera would pixelate sooner and become a big Picasso-y mess.

Bottom Line - Nikon's Coolpix S630 is a compact, 12-megapixel, digicam that is full of top-of-the-line features. The 7x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilization, smart portrait system and new Expeed image processor really make this camera stand out when compared to other digicams in its price range. As always you get the ease of use and good image quality that we have come to expect from Nikon. With a MSRP of US$279.95, we feel this camera will make a great choice for anyone looking to get a little more versatility than your typical compact digicam has to offer.[/guote]

Full review here:

Nikon Coolpix-S630 Review: Overview

And other reviews... mostly mixed.

Nikon Coolpix S630 ? Digital Camera Reviews

And don't get caught up in the megapixel myth. Unless you are going to routinely print 11X13 or larger prints, 5-7 megapixels is adequate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/08/te...y/08pogue.html

The Megapixel Myth

Digital Cameras and the Megapixel Myth | Technology | Smart Spending | Mainstreet

Oh wow, that's amazing. Thank you both SO much. I really appreciate your information and links!

Now I understand the whole MP thing....it's not as complicated as I thought it would be!

:yea:

[sir clinksalot]

Re: Nikon Coolpix S630 - Questions About The Camera & General Questions About Megapix

I've also found that the ZOOM makes more of a difference than Megapixels.

Our point and shoot camera is 10 megapixels with a 3X zoom. It takes decent pictures. We tried out another camera (it was too big for us) last year and it was also 10 megapixels but had a 12X zoom. The pictures we were able to get were AMAZING compared to the other camera.

[MsSarah]

Re: Nikon Coolpix S630 - Questions About The Camera & General Questions About Megapix

I've also found that the ZOOM makes more of a difference than Megapixels.

Our point and shoot camera is 10 megapixels with a 3X zoom. It takes decent pictures. We tried out another camera (it was too big for us) last year and it was also 10 megapixels but had a 12X zoom. The pictures we were able to get were AMAZING compared to the other camera.

Oh that's interesting! The pictures I take with my 3X zoom camera often times come out fuzzy - maybe the 7X zoom will make a pretty big difference. Thanks!

[Sambo]

Re: Nikon Coolpix S630 - Questions About The Camera & General Questions About Megapix

The difference is between optical zoom and digital zoom.

Optical zoom is through the lens actually focusing differently, while digital zoom just takes a smaller portion of your CCD chip and enlarges it full screen.

Optical is real and looks as sharp as your lens(es) will allow, digital is hocus-pocus and just magnifies an area blurry warts and all.

As far as the "myth" of megapixels. It is only a myth to the general population that takes snapshots and prints their photos at home or at a drug store kiosk. If you do print larger than 5x7 then you need more than 5MP. If you print larger than 8x10, then 8MP. If you print 13x19 as I do frequently, my 10MP is groaning - a 12 to 15MP would be better.

Additionally, if you crop pictures and blow up the cropped portion to a "full size" whatever that is, you run the risk of fuzzy or pixellated prints. For example, if you have a 5MP camera take a picture of a deer in the forest at a few dozen yards away, and the resulting picture has the tiny deer perfectly placed between the trees but the area you want is one tenth of the width of the full photo - when you crop and enlarge, the deer's eye is a black smudge and the white spots on it's side are blurry and indistinct. Had you used a 15MP camera to take that same photo and cropped/enlarged identically, the eye is visible edge to edge and the spots edges are clean and sharp. This is because you have greater resolution to work with.

To this photographer - the real myth is the "myth of megapixels". For most camera consumers though - it will never be an issue and megapixels above 5 is irrelevant.

It all depends on what you do with your camera.

[MsSarah]

Re: Nikon Coolpix S630 - Questions About The Camera & General Questions About Megapix

The difference is between optical zoom and digital zoom.

Optical zoom is through the lens actually focusing differently, while digital zoom just takes a smaller portion of your CCD chip and enlarges it full screen.

Optical is real and looks as sharp as your lens(es) will allow, digital is hocus-pocus and just magnifies an area blurry warts and all.

As far as the "myth" of megapixels. It is only a myth to the general population that takes snapshots and prints their photos at home or at a drug store kiosk. If you do print larger than 5x7 then you need more than 5MP. If you print larger than 8x10, then 8MP. If you print 13x19 as I do frequently, my 10MP is groaning - a 12 to 15MP would be better.

Additionally, if you crop pictures and blow up the cropped portion to a "full size" whatever that is, you run the risk of fuzzy or pixellated prints. For example, if you have a 5MP camera take a picture of a deer in the forest at a few dozen yards away, and the resulting picture has the tiny deer perfectly placed between the trees but the area you want is one tenth of the width of the full photo - when you crop and enlarge, the deer's eye is a black smudge and the white spots on it's side are blurry and indistinct. Had you used a 15MP camera to take that same photo and cropped/enlarged identically, the eye is visible edge to edge and the spots edges are clean and sharp. This is because you have greater resolution to work with.

To this photographer - the real myth is the "myth of megapixels". For most camera consumers though - it will never be an issue and megapixels above 5 is irrelevant.

It all depends on what you do with your camera.

Hmm, that's very interesting. Thank you! I generally don't print larger than a 5x7, but I do on occasion. It's a good point that your brought up about the zooming in and cropping thing - I do that frequently so I'm guessing the higher megapixels will be better! Thanks!