Like many others here I am considering progressing from a DSLR to a cooled CCD at some point. Obviously there are many factors to consider - image scale, QE, read noise, dark noise, well depth etc.
For me (and perhaps others here too...?) another factor apart from those above is the suitability of images produced for printing, as I would not only like to produce quality images to display on the web, but also to print and frame for display in my house and as gifts to family/friends etc.
My local photo lab prints at 300dpi, and I take it that this is pretty standard. My understanding is that to produce a print with no image quality loss, the maximum enlargement I can make is [pixel width of sensor]/300 x [pixel height of sensor]/300. For my 400D which is 3888 x 2592 pixels, that translates to approx 12 x 8 inches.
If that is correct, does that mean that for a QHY8/SXVR-M25C (~3115 x 2025) or KAF6303 (~3066x2044) the max size is 10x6", or for the SXVR-H694 (~2750x2200) the max size is 9x7" or for the QSI540 (2048x2048) the max size is 6.8x6.8".
Am I missing something here, or is it really about spending serious coin to only produce A5 sized images? Or is it simply that images from these cameras are not intended for producing hard copy prints, rather they are for on-screen viewing only (where obviously they look spectacular)...?
Is this an area where the humble DSLR still has an edge over their more expensive counterparts?
