JPEG/TIFF Image Size & Quality
The C-2100UZ has no less than thirteen different resolution / size combinations. You can choose from 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 1024 x 768 and 640 x 480 as the image resolution, saving as JPEG you can choose from compression settings of SHQ, HQ and Normal/Low custom modes additionally there's the lossless TIFF format.
Standard Test Scene |
To give an impression of what each combination of image
size and quality produces the table below is a cross reference of image
size against quality with an original image available for each, all images
were shot within seconds of each other of the same subject.
Images below are 100% cropped 240 x 100 area of the image magnified 200%
(nearest neighbour).
| 1600 x 1200 | |
| TIFF |  5,640 KB |
| SHQ |  1,206 KB |
| HQ |  413 KB |
| 1280 x 960 | |
| SQ High |
 820 KB |
| SQ Norm. |
 260 KB |
| 1024 x 768 | |
| SQ High |
 820 KB |
| SQ Norm. |
 260 KB |
| 640 x 480 | |
| SQ High |
 820 KB |
| SQ Norm. |
 260 KB |
We've not covered all of the modes here, there are still three more TIFF sizes (1280 x 960, 1024 x 768 and 640 x 480). It's fairly clear from the above enlargements that TIFF is so close to SHQ that you'd be hard pressed to find a situation where you'd need to use it (and pay the storage price). HQ introduces some artifacts but would be okay for day to day shooting.
ISO (Sensitivity) Adjustment
ISO equivalence on a digital camera is the ability to increase the sensitivity of the CCD to allow for faster shutter speeds and/or better performance in low light. The way this works in a digital camera is by "turning up the volume" on the CCD's signal amplifiers, nothing is without its price however and doing so also amplifies any noise that may be present and often affects colour saturation.
The C-2100UZ features four ISO settings: Auto which will automatically select the sensitivity depending on the amount of available light, and three "standard" ISO's of 100, 200 and 400.
 |
| ISO 100, 1/2s, F2.8 |
 |
| ISO 200, 1/5s, F2.8 |
 |
| ISO 400, 1/10s, F2.8 |
Although slightly noisy ISO 200 is surprisingly usable, the noise is only visible at this close magnification, even ISO 400 is acceptable for a camera of this calibre.
