SLR Camera Quality?

A photographer told me that megapixels don't play a big part in an SLR camera's quality - the MP only vary concerning the size of the image (how many pixels the image can hold). If that's the case, then what determines the quality of an SLR camera?

What determines the quality of an image is the photographer. What determines the quality of an SLR is how the photographer uses it.

When comparing cameras, megapixels play a role, but not the overriding role in determining an SLRs quality. Let's break this down into factors affecting the "quality" of an SLR camera:

1) Ergonomics/build quality
--This is how the camera handles in YOUR hands. How it feels to you. How solidly it's built. A well-made camera that has the buttons in the wrong places will be a camera you don't like and thus, while it may be sturdy and tough, it's quality goes down for you personally. This is a very important factor--a camera you like to use will be the camera you actually use.

2) Sensor
--This is where megapixels play a role. But also, how that sensor captures light and color, how sensitive it is to light, its physical size, the speed of offloading of data, etc. all play important parts in determining SLR quality.

3) The autofocus and exposure system
--What good is a super megapixel camera if it can't focus? Or if it can't get the exposures right, so that the photos are too dark or too bright? Yes, you need to get an SLR with a good AF system and a good metering system.

4) Internal processing chips
--Here's the dirty little secret: cameras need to do tricks with the data coming off the sensor, things like cleaning up noise, setting ISO, converting to jpeg, etc. All of these things are done in-camera by special speedy processing chips (especially the noise part). Each camera company has their own brand of processing chip and that's what makes all the difference, especially in jpeg shooting. A well-tuned sensor--processing chip pair can give you great images with low noise and lots of great color; a poorly tuned sensor and processing chip pair can give you smeary, grainy images with no detail and bad color.

So, megapixels, while they do play part, are not the only factor in determining an SLR's quality, especially image quality. In fact, I have an example: I own a Fujifilm S5 Pro and a Nikon D200. The D200 has 10mp while the Fujifilm S5 Pro is 6mp. They both use the same body, but the Fujifilm images are better--better color, less noise at high ISO, and more dynamic range. Even shooting RAW, the S5 Pro is better. They only place it's not is in frame per second speed. But otherwise, I find the S5 Pro to be a better quality camera because: it takes better photos in my hands, even though it has fewer megapixels.

SLR and DSLR cameras are defined by the lenses. Many lenses for these cameras use glass, while cheaper point and shoot cameras use plastic. The quality of the glass is what makes DSLR's superior. Aside from the lens, the ability of the user also plays a big part in the quality. In the hands of a professional, a DSLR can be manipulated manually to get the absolute best image possible. By making adjustments to the exposure, white balance, contrast, etc. Those manual controls are also a factor in a DSLR's ability to produce better quality.

what the "photographer" told you is in fact WRONG! the pixel rating is directly related to the quality along with a number of other factors. Simply put the greater number of pixels the better the quality of the finished. Think of a pixel as a dot on the "film" of a negative type camera. the greater number of dots that make up the image the smaller the dots have to be resulting in a better quality picture when viewed. The other governing factors that go to making a quality are the quality of the lens (including the number of individual elements (pieces of glass) & their grouping (7 elements in 2 groups for example) & the amount of light. the better & more even the light the better an image will look. you also have to consider the overall axposure & whether the subject that you want to photograph is moving or not as this will affect the end result

Okay, here's the deal. While the number of pixels is an important part of determining the cameras resolution, it is not the most important part.

Pixel count is one of four factors that can help you determine the quality and resolution you can expect from a digital camera in order of importance.

* Quality of the lens
* The quality and sophistication of the analog to digital converter within the camera.
* Sensor size
* Pixel count

That said, the typical P&S camera's sensor is 1/15th the size of a DSLR's .. so in reality a 10MP P&S camera's images cannot compet with a DSLR with only a 6MP sensor.

As you can guess, DSLR's have the edge over P&S cameras.

It's the lens. A good quality lens is basically kept forever, while camera bodies come and go.

Your photog friend is right about megapixels, doesn't really matter anymore because all current DSLR cameras have 8+ megapixels.