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Megapixels vs. Image Quality
In digital photos, images are made
out of many small squares called
“pixels”. The term “image
resolution” describes both pixel
count and pixel density. It is
measured in pixels per inch (ppi),
and refers to the amount of
information that is captured in a
digital image.
We use the term “megapixel” to refer
to a density of one million pixels.
A 4-megapixel camera can capture an
image with a maximum resolution of
2272x1704 pixels; a 2-megapixel
camera can capture an image with a
maximum resolution of 1600x1200
pixels. For a photograph of any
given size, the image taken by a
4-megapixel camera will be of better
quality than the image taken by a
2-megapixel camera. The following
pictures, taken by a 2-megapixel
camera and a 4-megapixel camera
respectively, will give you an
illustration of the difference in
image quality:
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picture taken by a
2-megapixel camera |
picture taken by a
4-megapixel camera |
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The 4-megapixel image is sharper,
has brighter color, and more details
in both the shadows and highlights.
As a general rule, a higher
megapixel camera has a higher
density of pixels, contains more
information and is of better
quality. However, the cost of the
camera will also be higher. In
addition, larger files require more
storage space and more time to work
with. Therefore, it’s advisable to
purchase a camera that serves your
purpose and will take the kind of
photos you want to take. For
example, a lower resolution camera
is good enough to shoot images for
internet and email purposes. |
