Warning! A80 ccd is 1/1.8" A85 ccd is only 1/2.7"

See specifications on
http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/psa80/psa80_spec-e.html and
http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/psa85/spec-e.html

That means that the sensor of the new A85 is just half the size of the A80. So better grab the A80 as long as you can!

I'd like to see an objective comparison of noise levels between these two camera's. Canon names the A85 the successor of the A70 (also with 1/2.7" ccd). That's just right, because the A80 is quite a step up.

Actually the A80 has quite a big sensor for its price range and Canon wanted to end that??

--
Patrick

Also look to this thread: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1010&message=9599599

Patrick Wils said:

That means that the sensor of the new A85 is just half the size of
the A80. So better grab the A80 as long as you can!

Click to expand...

Patrick Wils said:

See specifications on
http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/psa80/psa80_spec-e.html and
http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/psa85/spec-e.html

That means that the sensor of the new A85 is just half the size of
the A80. So better grab the A80 as long as you can!

I'd like to see an objective comparison of noise levels between
these two camera's. Canon names the A85 the successor of the A70
(also with 1/2.7" ccd). That's just right, because the A80 is quite
a step up.

Actually the A80 has quite a big sensor for its price range and
Canon wanted to end that??

--
Patrick

Click to expand...

--

I know this is probably a really basic question but for some reason I do not understand how CCDs are sized. A 1/2.7 is half the size of a 1/1.8? The numbers dont make sense to me for some reason.

If you scroll a little down this page, you will see a picture comparing the two CCD sizes. Indeed, the A80 has a significantly larger CCD.

http://www.e-fotografija.com/artman/publish/article_100.shtml

Another link here:

http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=Sensor_Sizes

--

kevin

http://www.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca/~ab752
(my own home page.... imagine that!)

Basic Fractions. 1/2 a pizza is bigger than 1/4 of a pizza. 1/1.8" is bigger than 1/2.7"

atothev
http://www.pbase.com/atothev/root

Kevin Macza said:

If you scroll a little down this page, you will see a picture
comparing the two CCD sizes. Indeed, the A80 has a significantly
larger CCD.

http://www.e-fotografija.com/artman/publish/article_100.shtml

Another link here:

http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=Sensor_Sizes

--

kevin

http://www.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca/~ab752
(my own home page.... imagine that!)

Click to expand...

--

thanks, and all the while the answer was right here at dpreview. My co-workers all think I am a big dummy for not understanding it and they dont even know cameras. =)

I'm glad for the explaination too.

Glad the A80 has the larger CCD cause it takes great pictures!

So will the A90/95 have 3/4 size pizza which is better than 1/2 size pizza??

sue anne
(a-eighty)
-----------------------------------

jim bennett said:

Kevin Macza said:

If you scroll a little down this page, you will see a picture
comparing the two CCD sizes. Indeed, the A80 has a significantly
larger CCD.

http://www.e-fotografija.com/artman/publish/article_100.shtml

Another link here:

http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=Sensor_Sizes

--

kevin

http://www.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca/~ab752
(my own home page.... imagine that!)

Click to expand...

--
thanks, and all the while the answer was right here at dpreview. My
co-workers all think I am a big dummy for not understanding it and
they dont even know cameras. =)

Click to expand...

Don't think so ... wishful thinking ...

The trend is to concentrate R&D on smaller higher performance chip sizes. Smaller chips = smaller lenses = smaller size = lower cost = more sales ...

They are targeting the masses while still trying to retain the enthusiast. The PROs know what they need and can usually afford and justify the price.

I think that probably the only reason that the new 4 MP sensor didn't get in the S1 is that the sensor wasn't ready yet.

I think it is just a matter of time before the smaller sensors equal their larger counterparts. How much time will probably be exponential.

After all, the answer my friend is blowing in the wind.

sueanne said:

Glad the A80 has the larger CCD cause it takes great pictures!

So will the A90/95 have 3/4 size pizza which is better than 1/2
size pizza??

sue anne
(a-eighty)
-----------------------------------

jim bennett said:

Kevin Macza said:

If you scroll a little down this page, you will see a picture
comparing the two CCD sizes. Indeed, the A80 has a significantly
larger CCD.

http://www.e-fotografija.com/artman/publish/article_100.shtml

Another link here:

http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=Sensor_Sizes

--

kevin

http://www.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca/~ab752
(my own home page.... imagine that!)

Click to expand...

--
thanks, and all the while the answer was right here at dpreview. My
co-workers all think I am a big dummy for not understanding it and
they dont even know cameras. =)

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Sue anne,

The A90/95 will have the same pizza as A80 so that Canon can use the same size lens & Canon already has got this 5 Mp sensor in the G5 and more. They never make them bigger than 1/1.8" unless you go to the pro cameras.

Patrick

sueanne said:

Glad the A80 has the larger CCD cause it takes great pictures!

So will the A90/95 have 3/4 size pizza which is better than 1/2
size pizza??

sue anne
(a-eighty)
-----------------------------------

jim bennett said:

Kevin Macza said:

If you scroll a little down this page, you will see a picture
comparing the two CCD sizes. Indeed, the A80 has a significantly
larger CCD.

http://www.e-fotografija.com/artman/publish/article_100.shtml

Another link here:

http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=Sensor_Sizes

--

kevin

http://www.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca/~ab752
(my own home page.... imagine that!)

Click to expand...

--
thanks, and all the while the answer was right here at dpreview. My
co-workers all think I am a big dummy for not understanding it and
they dont even know cameras. =)

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

--
Patrick

A to the V said:

Basic Fractions. 1/2 a pizza is bigger than 1/4 of a pizza.
1/1.8" is bigger than 1/2.7"

Click to expand...

The claim was that it's half the size. 1/2.7 is clearly NOT half the size of 1/1.8. It's two-thirds the size. The basic point is valid but it was highly exaggerated.

Nope. 1/1.8" has about twice as much surface as 1/2.7" because it is two dimensionally measured (diagonal of a square).

See http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=Sensor_Sizes

Dogger Blue said:

A to the V said:

Basic Fractions. 1/2 a pizza is bigger than 1/4 of a pizza.
1/1.8" is bigger than 1/2.7"

Click to expand...

The claim was that it's half the size. 1/2.7 is clearly NOT half
the size of 1/1.8. It's two-thirds the size. The basic point is
valid but it was highly exaggerated.

Click to expand...

--
Patrick

I see your point. Surface area does seem like the more valid comparison.

Patrick Wils said:

See http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=Sensor_Sizes

Dogger Blue said:

A to the V said:

Basic Fractions. 1/2 a pizza is bigger than 1/4 of a pizza.
1/1.8" is bigger than 1/2.7"

Click to expand...

The claim was that it's half the size. 1/2.7 is clearly NOT half
the size of 1/1.8. It's two-thirds the size. The basic point is
valid but it was highly exaggerated.

Click to expand...

--
Patrick

Click to expand...

Thinking about the issue, I though I would go you one step further and compare the sensors on pixels per square mm, which is really where the noise problem is pinpointed.

A80: 4 MP / 38.1976 sq. mm (5.32x7.18 according to dpreview.com)
= 104719 pixels per sq. mm

A75: 3.2 MP / 20.8692 sq. mm (3.96x5.27)
= 153336 pixels per sq. mm

A85: 4 MP / 20.8692 sq. mm
= 191670 pixels per sq. mm

So according to noise specifications it does seem like the A85 is almost twice as bad as the A80 (and worse than the A75 to boot).

I emphasise specifications, because as several people have pointed out in this forum, sensor design (especially noise reduction techniques) is always being advanced. No one can be entirely sure that Canon isn't making this product move out of confidence that new technology will still produce results comparable to the A80. At least not until this camera is available in stores and reviewed with sample pics.