Can someone explain to me why digital cameras have such limited apertures?
psryb asked:
I am looking at digital cameras and i’ve found that only the super expensive cameras have narrower apertures. Is it that expensive to build them in? oR do you just not need a narrow aperture in a digital camera.
Great question! Most people don’t take notice. In order to cram so many CCD’s (AKA Pixels) in such a tiny imaging array (i.e. 6 million pixels on a chip 16mm wide) those little suckers have to be very small. Thus it takes a lot of light to make the images. Now, D-SLR’s use larger chips, hense the CCD’s are larger and require less light. With my Nikon D1X’s I shoot with my 105mm micro lens at F32!
I like j.peggs answer as it is a nugget of data by one who truly understands your question. But for a further way-in-depth, yet very easily understood articel try this one and scroll down to The key specifications that affect digital camera image quality at link below. It’s the best read I’ve run across:
I am not sure but it sounds to me like psryb might be referring to the differences between low and high end point and shoot type cameras rather than the differences between point and shoot and SLRs like the Nikon D1X’s. Most modern D-SLRs use interchangeable lens (aperture controlled in lens) including lens from some older 35mm cameras so they are really not effected by this problem.
I would have to say that for the most part this limitation is probably for the same reason that most point and shoot cameras are also limited on the speed of there lenses (no large or small apertures). Manufactures are trying and doing a good job of making digital cameras affordable for everyone. Since point and shoot cameras are seldom used by professionals in there work and the average user would rarely need or use extremely small apertures it would be a waste in most cases. Also since the sensitivity of the chip can be controlled a large range of apertures is not as necessary as with a film camera where you have to change film (or push it) to change the sensitivity. Again cost, it is much harder to make a low priced lens that is reasonable sharp through a large range of apertures. Also extremely small apertures would also severely limit the on camera flash. And yes, bigger more expensive chips are more sensitive to light.