[pct-l] Digital Pictures Question

[elee at microsoft.com (Eric Lee (GAMES))]

Shane wrote:
>
 I understand
the differences in most of these, but does anyone
have a clear understanding of the difference
between SHQ (Super High Quality) and HQ (High
Quality).  Specifically, how much of a difference
in quality is there?
>

Picture quality is really very subjective; what one person might
consider excellent quality another person might think is horrible.  In
particular, serious amateurs and professionals often detect minor
defects in prints that will drive them absolutely batty but wouldn't
bother "normal" people.  Whenever you ask for advice on picture quality,
always make sure you understand the perspective of the person giving you
answers.

Technically speaking, the difference between high-quality and
super-high-quality compression settings usually means that you lose a
little bit of fine detail in the picture.  If you look at the more
compressed picture very closely, you'll notice some square-shaped blobs
where detail should be.  The compression algorithm is usually smart
enough to stick those blobs in places where there's not a lot of color
contrast so they're not very noticeable, but they're there.  See
http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Glossary/Digital_Imaging/JPEG_01.htm for
a demonstration of what happens to pictures as they get more and more
compressed.  The difference between HQ and SQH on your camera is
probably comparable to the difference between the 100 and 80 pictures at
the above link; i.e. you really have to know what you're looking for in
order to see it.

I guess I lean toward the serious amateur part of the spectrum so I tend
to error on the side of quality.  Who knows what I might want to do with
those photos at a later date?  If I skimp on quality now, I'll probably
kick myself later.  I always go for as much quality as I can get.
Always.  But I can be obsessive about such things.

My best advice is to buy the camera you finally settle on and then do
some experiments using the small storage card that comes with the
camera.  Take sample photos at different quality settings and have them
printed at a good photofinisher at different sizes.  Look at them and
see what's acceptable for _you_.  Then based on that information, go buy
an adequately-sized storage card for the size and number of pictures you
want to take.

Also, Murphy's Law dictates that the more pictures you put onto one
single storage card, the more likely it is for that card to meet a
tragic end and to take your data with it.  <grin>  It's usually safer to
buy a few moderately-sized cards and swap between them than to buy one
enormous card and store a month's worth of pictures on it.

Eric