SOLINA DAVE

Please bear with me, as I am the reference standard for amateur photographers. But I am learning......slowly.
I have a question regarding the two photos attached. Completely disregard the obvious focus problems, as that's not relevant to the question.
Each photo was taken as wide as possible, using a compact long zoom camera, with identical setup for each. The photo on the left was taken with a Canon Powershot SX720HS with a Canon lens, 24-960 (4.3-172 mm) max. aperture f3.3-6.9. And the other photo was taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ80 with a Leica lens, 24-720 (4.3-129 mm) max. aperture f3.3-6.4.
I see more image information horizontally, and vertically with the photo on the right (Lumix) than I do in the photo on the left (Powershot). Why is that?

Thanks.......................Dave

R.G. Loc: Scotland

The obvious focus issue is half of the problem. The other half is that the picture on the right also has better contrast and stronger colours.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

Dave, when you say "image information," are you referring to the wider field of view in the Lumix image?

jack schade Loc: La Pine Oregon

I believe that the crop factors on the two camera's are different. If they were both had identical sensor sizes the images would be the same.

Jack

SOLINA DAVE

Image information just popped into my head. The wider field of view would be a much better reference. Yes, that's what I'm referring too.
And also, crop factors and sensor sizes slow me down quite a bit, but not as much as pixel pitch, area, and density. But I think you're probably on the right track Jack. (no pun) Here's a couple of links regarding that possibility. Do they confirm what you're thinking?

http://www.digicamdb.com/specs/panasonic_lumix-dmc-tz80/
http://www.digicamdb.com/specs/canon_powershot-sx720-hs/

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Not all 24mms are created equal. You see this with expensive zoom lenses, too, on the long end. The picture on the right was shot at a slightly wider focal length.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

There is a phenomenon called lens breathing. Essentially, the actual focal length changes with aperture. Furthermore, advertised focal length is approximate.

anotherview Loc: California

Let me please suggest you turn more of your attention to basic camera operation and to composition. Doing both will go more toward improving your photographs than does fretting over technical questions.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

With compact pocket cameras, focal lengths are often based more on approximation than precision. Unlike DSLR cameras, there just isn't that much consumer demand for high precision in focal length with those little cameras.

DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina

You see this freq in reviews in the camera mags.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Why are you fretting over this technical menusha when you claim to be a beginner. There are a lot of other facts about digital photography you need to worry about at this point or any for that matter. Minuscule mysteries of optics is not one of them. Most interest to you of those are Area (size of sensor) and Density. But you don't need to understand those to use a camera and create images. I've rarely have compared images from my many cameras in such a way. And I tend to be extremely curious to the point of a fault. I have and have had or used many cameras over the decades: 120 film Rollieflex TLR (at school), 7 different Pentax 35mm SLRs (more if you count at school), two 4x5" View Cameras (more if you count at school), 120 film 6x7cm Pentax 6x7, two vintage Kodak and Certo Rangefinder 35mm cameras, Nikon F & Nikon F2 (at work), 8x10" B&J view camera (at work), Giant 20x24 vertical copy camera with 8x10" custom reduction back (at work), my parent's Agus 620 Film Camera, my parent's 35mm Minolta Talker; and more recently, two different Kodak Digital P&S / Bridge Cameras, a Samsung tiny Digital P&S camera, Pentax K-5, Pentax K-20D, Pentax K-100D DSLRs, and I really doubt that any two of them would take the exact same image with out doing as much fiddling as a flight to the moon.

The problem and your question problem is cameras and lens are not exactly at the indicated or advertised magnification in actual use. Yes, they are focused, but scales are approximations. There has been a lot on the UHH about this in detail with many examples. It is sort of related to "Lens Breathing" with zoom lenses, but much more general and fundamental than that. It is also connected to why two similar lenses may and usually do have different limits of closest focus. For example and I have these lenses, a 50mm f/2, 50mm f/1.7, 50mm f/1.8, and 50mm f/1.4 all will give different closest focus and maximum magnification and image size. Fairly easy to demonstrate. Something similar can occur at the mid and infinity end of things but harder to demonstrate but you did by using two different non-DSLR digital cameras with similar lenses and sensors. It is all in the complex science of optics. I may get curious bout such things but I don't obsess over it and would rather use the equipment as best I can and ignore the mysterious perplexities.

P.S. and as pointed out by others, the focal lengths advertised for P&S and Bridge cameras are rather approximate, they are what that are, and slightly different in reality for your two cameras. Some of the highest end Nikon DSLR / SLR bodies and lenses may give you very close to one-to-one everything between lenses due to say IF and other technical features. And I am sure a few combinations of Pentax, Canon, and Fuji lenses and cameras will as well (noting they also have IF lenses too), but few bodies have 1:1 viewfinders (except a few Nikons as noted, as far as I know).

SOLINA DAVE

I'm certainly not "fretting". I like taking scenery shots. To me, the more I can get in the shot, the better. I was simply wondering why several cameras, with the same lens specs., would create differing wide angle shots.
I appreciated the replies from those who recognized that. And who recognized that although I may be inexperienced at this, I wasn't stupid. Jerry said it in one statement, "not all 24 mms are created equal". Jack generated interest when making reference to sensor size, and crop factors. And Rab-Eye, by questioning my question, confirmed to me that he probably understood what I was driving at. Also, lens breathing, I hadn't heard about that. Something else to explore. Thank you.
I was obviously, since it is obvious that I'm new to this, looking for a simple answer. I certainly didn't need a whole lot of psycho analysis. I just wanted to have a better idea as to how my little camera worked.

I'm out.......................................Dave

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

Nah, Dave, you would be a great addition to the forum. Don't let a few trolls drive you away. Some guy recently asked me if my goal was to achieve a poor job of post processing. Note that we have an Ignore list!

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

No one was saying you are stupid. Many of use have a lot of years of experience and some even as teaching photography, so we know the learning curve and that many special or highly technical topics will just confuse the novice. But I also get it that you are curious about what might be "taboo" for you to ask. So several, of us tried explaining it as simply as well could. I'm not too sure mine was simple but it was not meant to be disrespectful. Yes, some of us on the UHH can be rude or egotistical at times. Many are also trying to be funny and possibly failing at that at times (me included). But you actually missed the ire of some of the really critical UHH members. Most of us have learned to either ignore them, laugh, or run off crying! I also tend to jump around and get curious about arcane facts and the like. But keep at questioning, and reading about photography. Understanding will improve technique, eventually. Peace.

truckster Loc: Tampa Bay Area

And you got a few simple answers, and one much more detailed answer. Even though you asked the question, there are others here that might like to know a little more ... (that would be me, for one)

We see it here all the time, people get caught up with technical specs or what lens do I need to shoot "whatever" ... for us hobbyists, the best advice is just get out there and shoot with what you have.