If the main intention of purchasing a photo camera is enlarging the image, then mega pixel resolution indeed will become the main factor. In this case one might consider a different option, which will keep his product updated for years to come. I'm talking about a used 4x5" film photo camera, together with a high resolution flat bed film scanner. All of this for less than one thousand US dollars. With all of this, one will get over 100 mega pixels in fine detailed film resolution and fine scanned digital images that can be enlarged up to 30x40" in size with professional quality. These 4x5" film cameras have done a remarkable job in general personal and commercial photography such as wedding, portraiture, product, documentary, advertising and landscape for nearly a hundred years.
Where to find 4x5" used film cameras? Since some of these cameras were mostly used in the past, until the 1960's, it should be no problem in finding them in American auction web sites. Anyway, a good used 4x5" camera with lens can be found for less than four hundred US dollars.
As for the flat bed film scanner, one can find brand new ones for less than five hundred US dollars. Just make sure the scanner is able to scan films.
Whenever purchasing a 4x5" film camera, one should look for the following features: folds into a compact box, flexible bellows, lenses that can be easily interchanged, accepts sheet film, ground glass focusing screen, easily handheld and optical viewfinder accessory.
As for the lenses, there are four main categories: 1 - general purposes; 2 - wide field (mostly used for close up work and landscape); 3 - extreme wide angles lenses; 4 - special effects lenses (telephoto). However, one might use a general purpose 127 or 152mm lens for most of his photograph sessions. In cases where it requires special lenses, such as architecture or macro photography, one will still find lots of them available in auction sites. Used lenses for 4x5" cameras made after World War II have excellent performances comparable to today's modern lenses.
Whenever making a purchase of a 4x5" camera make sure that: 1 - the bellows have no light leaks, 2 - the lens shutter works accurate at all speeds; 4 - the lens elements have no fungus and scratches of any kind; 4 - the focus is working properly between the ground glass and the film.
The option of using a 4x5" film camera, together with a flat bed film scanner, for enlarging images with professional quality is viable and accessible. Cheaper than top digital cameras, the 4x5" film camera offers better image quality and will always be updated in the future, maintaining its original value.
For those who wishes the very most detailed image enlargement, one can always use the 8x10" film camera. Four times the physical film size of the 4x5", this option offers so much film resolution that it is considered by many as the ultimate step for photo image enlargement.
Sometimes analog products deliver better results that its digital counterparts. If you are doing the job of enlarging photo images, you should give it a try with a 4x5" camera. You might just surprise yourself.
