One of the big differences between different digital cameras is the size of the sensor.  We a continuing megapixel race between all of the manufacturers.  The interesting point to think about is "Are all all megapixle measurements the same?"  The answer is not what you would think.

The short answer is that a megapixel measurment is consistent and so a camera that has 15 megapixels will have the same resulting image size regardless of the camera.  The issue really has to do with pixel density.  That is imagine the sensor is the size of a coin.  15 megapixels on a dime will require much smaller pixels than the same image size on a quarter.  This is the big difference between dSLRs and P&S cameras.  Pretty much all dSLRs have larger sensors then the average point and shoot.  This translates into better image quality since the required pixel size to achieve the resolution is larger.  It also means that the dSLRs handle low light situations better since larger sensors mean greater light sensitivity.

If you are interested in view in this graphically, I suggest that you check out this link.  It graphically shows the difference sized sensors used in various cameras.  It definitely puts this entire conversation in perspective.

You may have heard the term EXIF data before or you may have not.  The reality is that this information is really important and you may not realize that you are even capturing it.  The entire process of capturing and including EXIF data is automated by the camera, but the information is there for the viewing.  The data inlcudes valuable information about each shot that was taken including date time and other pertinent information.  Read on for more information about it.

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In a previous column, I posted about exposure and how cameras use sophisticated algorithms to choose the proper exposure. In this piece, I will cover the basics on the algorithms that cameras use. Remember that many cameras have different metering modes, but all rely on common fundamental principals and this post will focus on those. After reading this article you will emerge with a basic understanding of camera metering and some of the common pitfalls to think about.

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