Steve'sDigicams

joggerman · Mar 1, 2009, 7:38 AM

I am still unsure exactly what the IQ differences are between say the Panasonic FZ28 and the D40.

I am an experienced film SLR user from years ago but have not moved to DSLR yet from point and shoot zoom digicam.
I am happy with no stabilisation and often set full manual controls to coax best quality out of the lens.

Does the much larger sensor mean images of a much higher image quality in say the D40 with the supplied kit lens 18-55?

robbo · Mar 1, 2009, 9:52 AM

I don't have the D40 but I have had two Pentax DSLR's. I did snap ahot or two with somebody else's D40. I do have the FZ28.

If you shoot in good light and with ISO 100, the average person won't see much difference at all in IQ between those two cameras. As you move up in ISO, especially above ISO 400, the D40 pictures will look "cleaner" and probably sharper.

One other thing - if there is a huge dyanmic range in the image - some parts are very, very bright while otherparts are very, very dark, the FZ28 has a tendency to "clip" the brighter parts - you will have areas of pure white.

I love my FZ28 because it's very easy to carry around and it takes pretty good pictures in a wide range of zoom settings from extreme wide angle to extreme telephoto.

mtclimber · Mar 1, 2009, 5:47 PM

Robbo has given you an excellent answer. I do own both the Nikon D-40 and the FZ-28 and the IQ out of doors is just about equal. In existing light, or low light level conditions, the D-40 will have a slight advantage as it has a larger imager, but only 6mp. However, the FZ-28 does a very creditable job with no flash as the sample photo attached illustrates.

Sarah Joyce

mtclimber · Mar 1, 2009, 5:47 PM

Robbo has given you an excellent answer. I do own both the Nikon D-40 and the FZ-28 and the IQ out of doors is just about equal. In existing light, or low light level conditions, the D-40 will have a slight advantage as it has a larger imager, but only 6mp. However, the FZ-28 does a very creditable job with no flash as the sample photo attached illustrates.

Sarah Joyce

mtclimber · Mar 1, 2009, 5:47 PM

Robbo has given you an excellent answer. I do own both the Nikon D-40 and the FZ-28 and the IQ out of doors is just about equal. In existing light, or low light level conditions, the D-40 will have a slight advantage as it has a larger imager, but only 6mp. However, the FZ-28 does a very creditable job with no flash as the sample photo attached illustrates.

Sarah Joyce

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Mar 1, 2009, 7:38 AM	#1
joggerman Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 38	I am still unsure exactly what the IQ differences are between say the Panasonic FZ28 and the D40. I am an experienced film SLR user from years ago but have not moved to DSLR yet from point and shoot zoom digicam. I am happy with no stabilisation and often set full manual controls to coax best quality out of the lens. Does the much larger sensor mean images of a much higher image quality in say the D40 with the supplied kit lens 18-55?

Mar 1, 2009, 9:52 AM	#2
robbo Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 851	I don't have the D40 but I have had two Pentax DSLR's. I did snap ahot or two with somebody else's D40. I do have the FZ28. If you shoot in good light and with ISO 100, the average person won't see much difference at all in IQ between those two cameras. As you move up in ISO, especially above ISO 400, the D40 pictures will look "cleaner" and probably sharper. One other thing - if there is a huge dyanmic range in the image - some parts are very, very bright while otherparts are very, very dark, the FZ28 has a tendency to "clip" the brighter parts - you will have areas of pure white. I love my FZ28 because it's very easy to carry around and it takes pretty good pictures in a wide range of zoom settings from extreme wide angle to extreme telephoto.

Mar 1, 2009, 5:47 PM	#3
mtclimber Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Oregon, USA Posts: 15,983	Robbo has given you an excellent answer. I do own both the Nikon D-40 and the FZ-28 and the IQ out of doors is just about equal. In existing light, or low light level conditions, the D-40 will have a slight advantage as it has a larger imager, but only 6mp. However, the FZ-28 does a very creditable job with no flash as the sample photo attached illustrates. Sarah Joyce