This has been an exciting few weeks for us camera lovers. On March 25th Canon announced the 15.1 Megapixel Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i. Yesterday, Nikon took the wraps off the D5000, which has many of the same features as Nikon’s very successful D90 and adds an articulating 2.7 inch LCD screen. Both of these cameras offer excellent image quality, high ISO performance, and the ability to shoot high definition video. The best part, both of these cameras are under $900 with a kit lens!
So does this mean the race to simply pack as many pixels as they can into a camera is over? I think so.
Twelve to twenty megapixels is looking to be the sweet spot for the consumer and/or prosumer camera market. Olympus has even announced that twelve megapixels is enough for their E-system DSLRs. Companies can now shift their focus from the sensor to the overall user experience – refining the software and interface rather than the hardware.
This new “user experience focus” allows the camera manufactures to bring together the best of the compact digital cameras and the high end DSLRs into one package. Features such as face-priority, in-camera processing, and the ability to shoot video have made the jump to DSLRs from compact digital cameras. We are also seeing high-ISO performance, improved auto-focus and powerful built-in flashes trickle down from the higher end DSLRs into the consumer models.
The sub-$1000 DSLR of today has better image quality and low-light performance than the $5000+ pro model DLSR of a few years ago.
The winner in this war is not any of the camera manufacturers, but the consumer. You are getting more performance per dollar than ever. We are also seeing DSLR cameras that can be used one-moment to take fine-art images with and then be picked up by grandma to take snapshots of her 37 cats. This combination of image quality and “user experience” is going to sell a lot of cameras.
Let’s hope for continued peace in the megapixel wars!
Cool article. With cameras and iPods I cant keep up. Predetermined obsolescence has a way of draining one's wallet but gotta admit I'm addicted to the new stuff
April 15, 2009 @ 18:25
You and me both. I sold my D2X and got my D90, but I am seriously looking forward to a D400 or D700X!!!
April 16, 2009 @ 00:02
Glad I held out for a new camera.
April 15, 2009 @ 22:18
“The megapixel war…”
Problem is is that it isn't about megapixels, a lot of people buy a camera because it has an X amount of megapixels but they completely forget that the amount of megapixels is the least thing to worry about.
April 16, 2009 @ 01:04
Great article, Jim. Megapixels are overrated, and some people think the more the better, and that is not necessarily true.
The D90 is an excellent camera, in my opinion. I will have to check the D5000 out, and compare. Newer is not always better…it just depends on all of the variables, and what a particular photographer needs or wants out of a camera.
April 16, 2009 @ 07:17
I think the camera makers have twigged that consumers are more interested in how their cameras handle low-light shooting, shaky hands and getting things in focus than they are in how many pixels there are in the images. My current one (Canon G9) hits the spot for me – compact, but has load of pro features including RAW shooting.
April 20, 2009 @ 04:22
G9!?!?! Whoa, I really haven't been paying attention! I still love my G1. LOL
And I paid way more than $900 just 6 or 7 years ago for a Canon 10D. It's good to see the prices getting so low.
April 26, 2009 @ 09:17