how many megapixel and opt. zoom do I need

[lidec]

I am a Mom who loves to take pics of my son playing his sports. I sit in the bleachers or on a hill and zoom in a little to take pics. I want a camera that I can zoom in and then come home and crop on the computer to bring the image in real close. I have a 7 meg. and 3x zoom. When I crop and zoom in close they are grainy. Do I need a higher zoom or higher megapixel? I used a 10.1 meg the other day with a little larger zoom. When I came home to crop them I pulled the pic in real close and it was still nice a clear. Thats what I want but is it because of the higher meg. or the higher zoom or both? I just like to have the camera do the work for me I dont need any special features.

[SmartWombat]

More zoom (optical not digital) means you can get better results with less megapixels.
When you say a little larger zoom, going from 3x to 6x zoom is the equivalent of going from 7 to 28 megapixels.
I think you will get better results from more zoom than more megapixels.
So a 10x or 12x zoom will give much better results.

[Rocket_Scientist]

...I think you will get better results from more zoom than more megapixels...

For what it's worth, I concur: 7 MP is plenty... even 6. My S3 IS only has 6 MP, but 12x optical zoom, and it does quite well.

[mn shutterbug]

For what it's worth, I concur: 7 MP is plenty... even 6. My S3 IS only has 6 MP, but 12x optical zoom, and it does quite well.

My Panasonic has the same features, and it works great. However, because I love birds, I did buy a 1.7 conversion lens for it.

[fx101]

For a point and shoot, if you're going to get more zoom remember that lens shake will increase sustantially and the images aren't going to come out so clear. Megapixels don't equal better quality nescessarily... 7 should suffice. Give serious thought to at least an entry level digital SLR and maybe a zoom lens to go with it. I take it you don't need anything press quality, so you might be able to get a decent zoom and body for under $700 and that would completely blow away any point and shoot you own (and the consumer models offer neat automatic modes).

I would say the quality of the sensor and the increase in megapixels makes it so there is less quality loss as you crop in, but a high quality zoom will always be better than cropping in digitally.

[SmartWombat]

For a point and shoot with long zoom, Optical Image Stabilisation is essential.
Without it then it's hard to hold still enough. With it, on my wife's Panasonic with Mega (marketing hype) OIS I could shoot at effective 400mm hand held.

[dumpy]

On the topic of camera shake with a P&S (and anything with a lens and light capturing device) camera, to solve this problem I only have one word:

Tripod

It's easy, pretty cheap and just plain works.

[SmartWombat]

True, but if you can't carry one, OIS is a solution.

[dumpy]

True, but if you can't carry one, OIS is a solution.

Yes, in my haste I forgot to mention that OIS is worth every penny.

For the record 100% (it's only 2) of the digital cameras I have owned featured OIS. These purchases were no accident. Even with a tripod, unless you are using a timer or remote, there will be some camera shake. The more portable the tripod, typically the more shake.

[SmartWombat]

I wish there was a remote for the G9.
The gorillapod holds it steady, there is no mirror to slap and shake the camera, I just find using the timer fiddly.

[dumpy]

I wish there was a remote for the G9.
The gorillapod holds it steady, there is no mirror to slap and shake the camera, I just find using the timer fiddly.

I had the same gripe with my S2IS. I went searching for a solution and I found some stuff about people making (or trying to) USB remotes from generic USB controllers, but it sounds like some programming knowledge is needed.

[fx101]

OIS on P&S' is unbelievably useful because since the sensor is so small the thing can give you enormous reductions in hand shake.