To give you my 2 cents worth on your original question I'd say that 5 mp is enough to make really good 8x10's and decent 11x14's. What you're going to find is NOT enough is sensor performance (raw not withstanding) and lens performance. The makers of fixed lens cameras with "super zoom" focal length ranges don't achieve 10x or 12x optical zoom by great lens design. If they could then you'd see super zooms for SLR's too. No, they achieve that huge zoom range in part by using smaller sensors. The Fuji S5100 @4mp for example has a smaller sensor in relation to focal length than an Olympus C2040 @ only 2mp. That little Olympus is actually capable of better quality images than the Fuji (which has twice the resolutuion) because it uses a larger sensor and doesn't try to push the limits of focal length.
Secondly, a 10x or longer zoom is an optical compromise that you're going to see at one end or the other. Usually it will be lousy at the extreme long end. I've seen it with Fuji and Panasonic Lumix and I have no reason to believe that this would not be true of any manufacturer who attempts such ludicrous extremes.
If you buy even an entry level SLR you won't be sorry. Yes, you'll have to drag more lenses around with you and you'll have to exchange them on your camera body for different situations but you'll get great glass that doesn't resort to unreasonable compromise. And you'll get a sensor that will render a good picture without a ton of noise.
Comments
Secondly, a 10x or longer zoom is an optical compromise that you're going to see at one end or the other. Usually it will be lousy at the extreme long end. I've seen it with Fuji and Panasonic Lumix and I have no reason to believe that this would not be true of any manufacturer who attempts such ludicrous extremes.
If you buy even an entry level SLR you won't be sorry. Yes, you'll have to drag more lenses around with you and you'll have to exchange them on your camera body for different situations but you'll get great glass that doesn't resort to unreasonable compromise. And you'll get a sensor that will render a good picture without a ton of noise.
Bob