Panasonic Lumix FH20

[Darkstar2010]

I'm about to buy a Panasonic Lumix FH20 and I have a few questions so that when it gets here I can set it up the way I want it the day it arrives.

here are the specs for this camera:Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 digital camera specifications: Digital Photography Review


I've done a lot of research the past few days and the reason I've decided to buy this model is because the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive...the price is amazing for the quality of pictures this little point and shoot can take etc.



This camera has an extremely high number of megapixels at 14...Which is what my questions are about.


I want to take the highest quality pictures possible but I don't want to waste extra space on my memory card with this camera set to 14 megapixels. I'm not exactly sure what determins the quality of a photograph but I've read a lot of articles which state that high megapixel counts are only important for printing large posters etc. So what should I set my megapixel number to? My needs are, pictures for Facebook (whatever size that is) and I guess on my laptop which has a 15 inch screen.

What should I set my megapixels to on my camera for that kind of use? And also what else on my camera should I be setting to make sure my pictures are the highest quality possible for my needs?


thank you for any help!!!!

[OsmosisStudios]

If you're publishing to Web, you'd be fine with 2mp. Seriously.

Image quality is based on the sensor (resolution, microlenses, etc), the processor (how the information from the sensor is treated) and the lens used.

Most compacts arent fantastic in any of these. That's where dSLRs shine.

[Darkstar2010]

Thanx.


Do I set the resolution to the highest setting? And will a 2 megapixel photograph have the same quality as one that is 14 megapixels for the size of pictures Im going to be using?

[OsmosisStudios]

Ideally, you'd resize the image properly from 14mp.

Its always best to have more resolution than not enough.

[Darkstar2010]

So should I be taking pictures at 14 megapixels and maximum resolution and then resizing them?

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by Darkstar2010

So should I be taking pictures at 14 megapixels and maximum resolution and then resizing them?

I thought it was clear, but YES.

More information is always better: The more resolution you have, the better you can edit things. It also means that if you want to publish anything larger than websize, you can.

[Darkstar2010]

At first you said I should use 2 megapixels now you're saying I should use 14 megapixels? it's a little confusing understanding exactly which megapixel setting I should use...How do I figure out exactly how much megapixels are right? I dont wanna publish anything...I just want the highest quality possible for whatever Facebooks maximum image size is...without wasting extra space on my memory card with extra megapixels etc.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by Darkstar2010

At first you said I should use 2 megapixels now you're saying I should use 14 megapixels? it's a little confusing understanding exactly which megapixel setting I should use...How do I figure out exactly how much megapixels are right? I dont wanna publish anything...I just want the highest quality possible for whatever Facebooks maximum image size is...without wasting extra space on my memory card with extra megapixels etc.

No, at first I said you'd likely be fine with only 2MP. That's NOT a recommendation, but an observation/remark.

Facebook images are 600pixels wide by any number of pixels tall.

As I said, you should ALWAYS shoot as high resolution as possible. it just gives you the most options. You wont be getting as many photos onto a single card, but you'll be better off in the long run.

Just shoot at full-resolution, full quality and do your editing, then downsize to the size you need for uploading to facebook.

[Darkstar2010]

How come there are a lot of articles that say having a certain amount of megapixels is just overkill for certain situations? Ones like mine where I dont wanna have a massive picture blown up for a poster or billboard etc. I dont really want to edit my pictures, I just want to take the best quality picture possible and upload it to facebook.

Shouldn't I be shooting at a lower amount of megapixels and a lower resolution that's the right size for facebook?


Approximately how many pictures can I fit on an 8gb memory card at maximum resolution and 14 megapixels?

[hambino]

According to this chart, you could hold around 1634 photos on an 8GB card.