One Response to “What Are The Differences Between 12m, 3:2, 8m, 5m, And 3m On A Sony Cybershot?”

1. LEM says:

   October 21, 2009 at 1:49 am

   These are the sizes in which your camera can take pictures.
   Firstly you should never use 8m, 5m and 3m. What they mean that you use your 12mp sensor to capture a 12mp image, and then reduce it’s size to either 8, 5 or 3 megapixels by interpolating the adjacent points using whatever method the camera chooses and its internal processor. That pretty much means you’d throw data out of your image. It will create smaller files, but as cheap as memory cards are these days, it’s much better to get another card or two if you run out of space often. You can’t re-gain data after you throw it out, and in-camera reduction algorithm may even deteriorate your image quality.
   12m is straight forward 12 megapixels. You use all of your sensor area to capture a picture. No tricks. This mode is good for many people, but if I was using that camera, I would’ve opted for 3:2.
   The 3:2 is also throwing some of the data away, but does it in a different way. Your sensor has 2:3 aspect ratio, which is great for viewing on “square” CRT monitors or standard definition televisions (ones they no longer sell in stores). But if you decide to print a 4×6 (the most popular size) from it, you’ll have to lose a little bit on top and bottom of your image, because the side ratio on these would be 3:2.
   So 3:2 mode does it for you. It throws out that extra data from top and bottom, creating a 3:2 ratio image (maybe it will be 10mp now, not 12). If you are using an LCD to compose, it will also not show the bands on top and bottom that are going to be thrown out as you’re composing, so you’ll see exactly what you’re shooting, and then be able to print just that, no cut scalps or chopped off feet due to size differences…
   But that’s of course my opinion, and I came from film camera world, when all cameras were 2:3 ratio, so it seems more native to me anyway.
   LEM.