4:3 or 3:2 Aspect Ratio (FZ38)?

[Hotulc]

Hello.

can someone please tell me which ratio makes a better image quality?

with 4:3 ratio i can take 12MP pictures. but when i take picture with 3:2 ratio, than i get 10.5MP.

my friends with DSLR cameras said me, that they almost always use 3:2 ratio.

thanks for answers.

best regards

[dwig]

Originally Posted by Hotulc

...
my friends with DSLR cameras said me, that they almost always use 3:2 ratio.
...

Your DSLR buddies normally shoot 3:2 because that's the native aspect ratio on most DSLRs. Only the Panasonic and Olympus DSLRs, which are 4/3rd format, shoot 4:3 as their native aspect ratio.

As to which will yield better quality: it solely depends on what shape print you're going to make. If you are going to print an 8x10 then shooting 4:3 will require less cropping than 3:2 and net more pixels in the final print. If you are going to print a 12x18 (13x19 paper with a 1/2" border) then there's no difference. A shot taken at 3:2 fits the paper uncropped and one takes at 4:3 has to be cropped to the same aspect ration and pixel count of the 3:2 shot. There will be no situation where shooting 3:2 will yield better quality than a 4:3 shot provided both are originally framed to avoid unnecessary cropping.

The reason for the option is that the your camera's sensor is 4:3 ratio. The 3:2 "crop in camera" mode is simply a convenience that allows the camera to preview the cropping. If you are going to crank out 4x6 prints (3:2 ration) its nice to see the cropped 3:2 framing before you shoot. If you're going to print 8x10s then 4:3 is a better fit.

[Hotulc]

Thanks for help.

best regards