Question: how many people go into shopping frenzies hunting for cameras with the highest megapixel count, without actually knowing what a megapixel is or does?

Answer: lots and lots of people.

For some reason, it has become popular to equate more megapixels with better overall performance. In fact, while megapixels are critical to the function of a camera, they are only one of many elements that influence how well a camera works.

A megapixel refers to one million pixels. In the world of photography, the term relates to a camera’s resolution capability. A pixel is a very small square on a computerised display and it is actually so small that it appears as a dot. A display screen is a grid of these dots, all sitting alongside one another.

In general, the higher number of dots (pixels) leads to a more refined image, and ultimately to a better image replication.

When buying cameras, keep in mind that not everyone needs a super high megapixel count. Are you only going to look at the images on your computer? Don’t bother with more than a 1.5 megapixel camera.

Are you printing on a low DPI (dots per inch) printer? Your high megapixel camera won’t be worth it, because the printer can’t replicate the quality of image.

As you can see, there is more to image quality in cameras than just megapixels.

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Filed under: Camera Guide

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