Are you having megapixel envy each time you walk by the camera section of your favorite electronics store? So do I. But, do we really need more and more pixels? The answer depends on what we intend to do with the images. First, a quick definition of megapixel:
Megapixel is a technical term for "million pixels", where a single pixel is the smallest unit of color that a camera's sensor is able to capture. The more pixels in the sensor, the sharper the image a camera can reproduce. Note that some camera specifications abbreviate megapixel as "MP".
Determine Image Use
Now then, how many of those pixels do we need? The first task in answering this question is to determine how we intend to use the images. We are mainly concerned about uses that require a high resolution digital photo. Putting a photo on the computer's screen requires a low resolution image, so any camera is sufficient, if this is our only intention. The most common need for high resolution photos is to print or develop pictures. Let us then focus on putting pictures on paper to answer our megapixel question.
Determine Largest Print Size
The second task is to determine the largest print size we would like of our photo. Sure, it would look cool to have poster-size images all over the house of our sweetheart, but are we really going to go through that expense? I assume for most of us, poster size prints fall into the "rarely or never" category. Having ruled out extreme sizes, we have the three most common photo sizes to consider. According to online photo labs, the following minimum resolutions are sufficient to produce high quality prints:
I know from personal experience that my 3 megapixel camera is as low as I want to go for an 8 x 10" print; any less would start showing pixilation at close examination. Based on this experience, I suggest doubling the above megapixel recommendations when buying a camera. This exercise has taught us that if we only want 4 x 6" prints, then 0.6 megapixels are sufficient. Most digital cameras start at 2 megapixels, which is sufficient to produce quality prints up to 5 x 7".
Focus On Other Camera Features
Now that we know the minimum megapixel requirements for our needs, we are free to focus on other important features of the camera such as lens quality, color reproduction, optical zoom, body size, etc.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Charles Kerekes is an amateur photographer and maintains the Flying Sam Digital Photo Guide (http://flyingsamphoto.com) web site to help others find fun and unique digital photo finishing products and services.
Once you have clicked photos through your digital camera, then... Read More
There are two sources for obtaining the moulding for making... Read More
I once heard a lady say to a photographer that... Read More
Wholesale disposable cameras are disposable cameras bought in quantity. Bulk... Read More
A photo buyer calls for a picture of pigs. It... Read More
When buying a digital camera there are many things you... Read More
It was widely reported in the press (15 September 1997)... Read More
Have you read the manual that came with your digital... Read More
With modern technology in the form of SLR digital cameras,... Read More
Disposable wedding cameras (also called single-use cameras) will never replace... Read More
Purchasing any gift item for your child is a mind-numbing... Read More
Sony was the first company to introduce digital cameras into... Read More
Dots Per Inch is a useful measure of relative resolution.... Read More
Choosing the right digital camera for general use can be... Read More
One of the main reasons people buy digital cameras is... Read More
Elephants in the Sky[1980s, Lee Evens in Mali, Timbuktu/Africa]Advance: Lee... Read More
The article given here was written for Adobe Photoshop 5,6,7,CS,... Read More
You will need an underwater camera housing to keep your... Read More
For years I wondered how big the bucks were that... Read More
Babies make the best and the worst subjects to photograph.... Read More
So, you have taken lots of pictures with your new... Read More
Tight BudgetsTight budgets are common these days. But the demand... Read More
A common problem with old photos is that they often... Read More
Think about Laurel and Hardy for a moment, or Charlie... Read More
Before you rush into buying your digital camera this holiday... Read More
scheduled maid service Park Ridge ..A picture is worth a thousand words, so goes a... Read More
Started in a single-room by three Japanese men in the... Read More
Your wedding day is without a doubt one of the... Read More
STAY CONNECTED WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.Making your own digital photo... Read More
Photography comes from the Greek words meaning "light writing" and... Read More
Sometimes, usual photographs look so common and boring. Converting your... Read More
What Is... Exposure BracketingExposure bracketing is a simple technique professional... Read More
Babies make the best and the worst subjects to photograph.... Read More
Every Mom wants to take great photos of their babies... Read More
Early cameras of the 16th and 17th century were able... Read More
How many of the birthday party pictures you've seen are... Read More
Almost all of us will have seen this particular photographic... Read More
Photos are a great way to share your travel experiences... Read More
There are also some excellent online courses available and some... Read More
Kids grow up so quickly and while we are often... Read More
Imagine taking your new digital camera on a vacation and... Read More
Sony was the first company to introduce digital cameras into... Read More
While analyzing any camera, one of the most important qualities... Read More
Photos are a great way to share your travel experiences... Read More
Several years ago, I met a fellow photographer - albeit,... Read More
Photography is a vast world. There are many different types... Read More
ContentEven if you feel that you already know what kind... Read More
What have you done with the photos you've taken with... Read More
Reality TV is experiencing an upsurge in popularity and its... Read More
Like many people who've made the switch from film cameras... Read More
Photography |