Mega Pixel Question for the Techies...
 

Have a 3.1 Mega pixel camera that can take images in 5 sizes 3.1, 2.8, 2.0, 1.2, & VGA, in addition to Fine and Standard compression ratio. What is a good trade-off between size and quality for vacation pictures? Thanks.

How large are you likely to want to print them -- 4 x 6 for albums, or bigger sizes to frame?

Looking to print standard 4 x 6, with close to 35mm quality.

2.88 megapixel would translate into max resolution if you are using a 300 DPI printer. Anything more is a waste, anything less will compromise the quality of the picture. If you want to save memory, it's up to you how good you want your pictures to look. I'd take some samples at various resolutions, print them out, and see what sort of compromise you want to make. On the other hand, flash memory is so cheap, I'd just get a 256 or 512 card and use max resolution all the time. As for compression, your camera may take bitmaps and jpegs, mine does. The bitmaps look much better but take up a lot of space. If you're taking jpegs, I'd always use the least amount of jpeg compression because it is easily noticeable, you start losing differences in shades of similar colors.

Frank,

2.8 is plenty for 4X6 or even bigger. Truth be known, 2.0 is fine (thats what I use). The prices of printing have come down in recent times. I now have most of my pictures printed commercially..I can't touch the price with home printing and I have a nice photo printer. Walmart is an especially good deal and easy to use if you are OK with matt finish (at least in my area).

I like the multiple memory card approach on vacation...2 64 MB cards, 4 32 MB cards or more, depending on your need. I get about 110 pics on a 64mb card at 2.0. I like to fill up a card and store it in my luggage ever since I had a friend have his camera stolen with the big memory card in it...almost full of photos.

I'm not a techie - but memory cards are so cheap nowadays, why not just take everything on the highest setting? Just how many pictures do you take on vacation? I went to the South Pacific for two weeks, and I like to take pictures.... I have a Canon S400 digital Elph and I always keep it on the highest setting. I have 2 - 512mb cards and that's all I needed for two weeks. At about 1.5 mb per pictures, if I maxed out my 2 cards, I would still be able to take around 600 pictures....

If you took 600 pictures using film, that would be 25 rolls of 24-exposure film. Would you ever take THAT many rolls of film while on vacation???? If not, then just keep the digital camera on high resolution and don't worry. I would much rather get the best resolution I can on vacation, than regret it later on down the road. Plus, the cost of cards is so cheap nowadays. My husband carries gig cards, but he's a serious amateur photographer. I'm a compact point-and-shoot type of photographer. :)