Hiee...
The noise thingy....yes...no doubt a larger sensor doe have better noise stability....you need to understand that in most digital camera....unless the image processing algorithms include some "noise reduction"...there will still be "noise" in the dark areas of images even in ISO 100...(mainly at higher ISO).
In a photo where darken area which have no significant colour...noise is more obvious. These noises are partly there due to the bayer pattern filters....
In a black or dark low light surface, the sensor may not respond in unison as it have to assume some colour (physically ...low/no light means it need to assume some values). These in turn may introduce noise....
I have downloaded....photos from some sites -original file- for DSLR like the hightly acclaimed 10D, 300D, E-1....and even the SD10......studying the images...you will see that zooming in will reveal rainbowed patches in mosy low light shades.
Lets be frank.....it seem that many users seem to be speaking on behalf of the manufacturers to condemn one brand over another by using the "noise argumaent"...(who one who used film before...would understand......the inherence of noise at higher ISO).....
If There is NO or very low NOISE at ISO 800.....then why do ineed to have ISO 100 in the first place.....get it???
So lets...put aside all these noise thinghy....buy what ever you can afford and need....use the camera...go out ...take more photos!!!!!
Regards,
me