Which image size ?

[gotrocks]

I think I understand a little about shutter speed, F stop,& ISO.

But I'm very confused regarding which image size to use.
What determines which size is preferred?

Here's a list of available choices
,

[wfooshee]

Image size is a tradeoff with memory capacity mostly. Smaller images take less memory, more pics on a card.

In your case, you have a choice of aspect ratios, too. 4:3 is the old TV standard, also used by PC monitors. 16:9 is the new wide-screen TV and PC-monitor standard. 3:2 comes from film, the ratio of the 35mm film frame size.

A large image can always be resized to a smaller one. It can also be cropped if it contains more than your actual subject, perhaps without losing too much resolution.

A small image cannot be scaled up. You're not going to be making 2-page magazine spreads from 2300-pixels-wide pictures.

[Frog]

Bigger is Better!

[gotrocks]

Thank you, wfooshee AND Frog.

Now if I can learn how to "blow all the bells and ring all the whistles...."
Oh! and "talk to the animals" (so they will pose for me).

[freygr]

I would use the largest size available, in your case 4:3 (L). You can always crop to the format you wish to print of display. You can't go from 16:9 to 4:3 without losing pixel width but 4:3 to 16:9 all you lose is pixel high. Losing pixel width is like using a longer lens.

Be sides if you catch a very good shot you will want the best quality image the more pixels you have the better quality you can get. Also you should set the camera to RAW format if you can, again for the best quality you can get (some cameras do not have RAW format but may have TIFF option for out put).

Note saving in any thing other than JPG will take along more storage space per image. But the prices of SD cards are very cheap now days, I just purchased two 64 Gig SD card for under $50 each, the CF cards that size are still over $300 each

[OldClicker]

I would use the largest size available, in your case 4:3 (L). You can always crop to the format you wish to print of display. You can't go from 16:9 to 4:3 without losing pixel width but 4:3 to 16:9 all you lose is pixel high. Losing pixel width is like using a longer lens.

Be sides if you catch a very good shot you will want the best quality image the more pixels you have the better quality you can get. Also you should set the camera to RAW format if you can, again for the best quality you can get (some cameras do not have RAW format but may have TIFF option for out put).

Note saving in any thing other than JPG will take along more storage space per image. But the prices of SD cards are very cheap now days, I just purchased two 64 Gig SD card for under $50 each, the CF cards that size are still over $300 each

I believe that the sensor is 3:2 so anything other than 3:2 would be cropped and be less pixels. - Terry

[freygr]

I believe that the sensor is 3:2 so anything other than 3:2 would be cropped and be less pixels. - Terry

He did send a listed and 4:3 is list at 4608 x 3456 and 3:2 is 4608 x 3072 pixels, so the 3:2 was cropped in the camera. The point is to use the cameras native format, at it's highest resolution, with the camera equivalent raw file format. SD cards are cheap now.