Why won't digital camera makers put the big SLR sensors in compact cameras?

Question

I don't mind paying the full SLR price tag for the convenience of a smaller portable camera. I know that Leica and Sigma have proven that it can be done. Why don't all the inexpensive Japanese makers do this? I just want the noise-free pics of an SLR without the extra size.

Answer 1

In the majority of the consumer market, the hype is "more megapixels equals sharper pictures." Of course that isn't true, but manufactures don't care- all they need is to jam more pixels into their pathetic sensors to entice more buyers. Another reason is that manufactures need to reduce manufacturing costs, using their big and high quality sensors only in their high-end compacts or dslrs.  

Answer 2

They want to keep prices low to stay competitive. They see better returns from having the cheaper smaller sensors in their cameras. As the price of larger sensors go down, I'll guarantee it will be incorporated into the smaller cameras. Just look at how much Fuji's FD50F is priced compared to similar cameras. It has a relatively large sensor for a small compact camera.

There's also the problem with keeping cameras compact. Having a larger sensor means making cameras larger. The distance between the sensor and lens have to be greater, hence the cameras would be larger with bigger lens. They probably will introduce larger sensors, not nearly as large as those in DSLRs, but ones which keep the cameras compact and also reduces the noise.  

Answer 3

Micro Four-Thirds (Olympus & Panasonic): http://four-thirds.org/en/microft/

Micro 4/3 is what people call "EVIL" (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens). It's like a DSLR but without the bulk of the mirror box, pentaprism/pentamirror, and phase-detection AF mirror/sensor/chamber. What you end up with is a smaller flange focal distance which means the bodies can and will be extremely compact. The entire system allows for interchangeable lenses, maybe fixed lenses, with a full Four-Thirds sensor. More information on mFT is expected to be released during Photokina.

Leica? IIRC, Leica's compact cameras are rebranded and tweaked Panasonic Lumix cameras. Sigma is the only manufacturer brave enough to pack a APS-C into a compact body AFAIK (Sigma DP-1).

Answer 4

In addition to what everyone else said, if camera makers were to make large-sensor P&Ss they'd be competing with their own SLRs. One of the reasons that people buy an SLR is for that large sensor. Put that sensor in a P&S and you're going to see a large drop in your SLR sales.

Answer 5

If they put bigger sensors in then they have to put larger lenses set out from the sensor far enough to ficus light on the all of the larger sensor. It will also require more image processing power which means larger electronics. So there is a limit as to how small a camera they can put the sensor in  And of course as you spoke of a larger price so there is not as much of a market for it.