camera.

[digthatchick]

As an ex pro photographer (20 years) the Nikon is a good buy - 8 megapixel is plenty for almost anything you are likely to use. My Panasonic FX150 is 14 megapixel although I never set it above 7. Pixel count in a camera is not really what people think - it works on a basis called (here is the anorak bit ) inverse square law -

Pixel Count, expressed as Megapixels

Pixel Count, expressed as Megapixels, is simply multiplying the number of horizontal pixels by the number of vertical pixels. It's exactly like calculating area. A 3 MP camera has 2,048 (horizontal) x 1,536 (vertical) pixels, or 3,145,728 pixels. We call this simply 3 MP.

Small differences in pixel count, between say 5 MP and 8MP, are unimportant because pixel counts are a square function. It's exactly like calculating area or square footage. It only takes a 40% increase in linear dimensions to double the pixel count! Doubling pixel count only increases the real, linear resolution by 40%, which is pretty much invisible.

So there you have it - I have got to go and lie down now

Just for interest sake 35mm film is approx. 25 megapixels, medium format film cameras 150 - 200 megapixels and my studio format 5x4 film camera was equal to 500 megapixels aaahhhhh those were the days where did the sixties go?

[Mrs Dobby]

Have to second DIGTHATCHICK, Megapixel count isnt everything, more control over exposure, quality of lenses, quality of software, format of images (RAW or jpeg) and most importantly, the eye and brain of the photographer have more impact on the pic than a slight increase in MP!

I got an EOS 10D second hand from ebay, only 6.3 MP, but with a Through The Lens (TTL) viewfinder and loads of options to customise the pic it gives far better results than some newer camera with much higher pixel counts!

[shirlthegirl43]

The only thing that would make me upgrade my Sony Cybershot DSC-F55E would be wanting a smaller camera. It only has 2.1 megapixels but takes super pics.

[digthatchick]

Smaller cameras are a lot easier to carry with you all the time. I have just traded my Nikon D100 for a Lumix (Panasonic FX150) and the quality of pics is breathtaking. 14.5 MP and a Leica lens. Tiny little camera but very big on quality.

[Johnny Appleseed]

This is a great camera at a great price

Amazon are currently selling it for £103

Here is a very good, independant review of it - also owners feedback on this camera via the link

Nikon Coolpix P50 Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review

Looks like a bargain - hope they have one left for you!

[di]

Well thanks all!!I took the plunge(not wanting to wait 'til it'd sold out)~panicked when I came back on here that there'd be lots of negatives.JohnnyA,that's the one Asda have for £75!!I need to read up all the bumph(or rather let Andi & then he can sit & explain it to me!!)
Our old one was fine for bog standard pics,but struggled with closeups....time shall tell if this one does a much better job!

[coreopsis]

I have Nikon P50,got it in July-not so complicated even for a technological dummy like me-the pics are superb.I was going to go for Pentax m50(if I remember correctly) but I glad I got Nikon(132£ at the time,a bit too much for me).Anyway,I'm happy with it

[coreopsis]

Sorry,Pentax was more expensive,and decided against it