Questions tagged [megapixels]

A megapixel (MP or Mpx) is one million pixels, and is a term used not only for the number of pixels in an image, but to express the number of image sensor elements of digital cameras or the number of display elements of digital displays.

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Is resolution the same thing as active pixel count?

If you have a camera with resolution Y x X, then is active pixel count always the product of the resolution? Are they saying essentially the same thing?
user224579's user avatar
8 votes
6 answers
13k views

Is the camera sensor or the lens the limit to resolution?

I have a pretty high res sensor on my camera, but sometimes I have the feeling my lens doesn't even get to this resolution. How can I tell if my camera sensor has not enough resolution or if the lens ...
Benedikt's user avatar
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Which of these two metrics is a good measurement of sharpness?

I have seen two metrics used to measure the sharpness of a camera: Perceptual megapixels, used on Dxomark. Number of lines the camera can resolve in a resolution chart. However, these two sometimes ...
Kartick Vaddadi's user avatar
14 votes
5 answers
48k views

Camera lens or megapixel value: which defines the quality and clarity of the picture?

I have a 5MP camera in my phone. The pictures shows good clarity both in the phone screen and my computer screen. But one of my friends has a different camera with the same 5MP in his phone (brand is ...
Nemo's user avatar
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8 answers
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What is Snapsort's "true resolution" score?

On Snapsort I found this explanation: True resolution Manufacturers advertise high megapixels to sell their cameras, Snapsort calculates the true resolution of each camera based on the physical ...
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2 answers
862 views

Ming Thein's Ultraprint: the megapixel race reloaded?

I read with quite a bit of interest the new idea from Ming Thein: the Ultraprint(1). The idea (if I understand well) is to make a print that, independently from the viewing distance, is so dense ...
Rmano's user avatar
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Is the megapixel count setting on a P&S digital camera real or a gimmick? [duplicate]

Does downsizing the effective recording megapixel count setting on my P&S digital camera actually decrease the sensor-megapixel density, thereby increasing pixel size and culminating in better ...
Charlie Rankin's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
4k views

Are superzoom lenses really so bad?

I have read comments in multiple places, both on photo.SE and elsewhere, that superzoom lenses are not good and that most people will be better served by buying two zoom lenses, each spanning a ...
Kartick Vaddadi's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
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Am I correct that photos from the 16-50 lens won't be much better than cropping photos from the 35mm prime?

I own a Sony NEX-5R, with the Sony 35mm F1.8 prime and the Sigma 19mm F2.8 prime. I'm deciding whether to buy the Sony 16-50 power zoom. To make that decision, I need to decide whether cropping the ...
Kartick Vaddadi's user avatar
1 vote
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640 views

D3100 vs D3200 Image Quality both set to 12MP [duplicate]

Both D3100 AND D3200 have similar, almost identical, sensors. Which is going to give the best image quality if I set them both to, for example, 12MP? I also also placed the pixel sizes below. ...
PriceCheaperton's user avatar
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1 answer
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Does pixel size make a difference in image quality? [duplicate]

I am thinking of purchasing the Nikon D3200 its a 24.2MP camera but the pixel size is 14.8 µm² compared to the D3100 which is 14MP and a pixel size of 25.1 µm². Is this something that i should worry ...
PriceCheaperton's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
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5d mark 1 vs 5d mark 2

I never shoot video with my mk2. I only take portraits, no issue with slower shutter speeds etc. Pragmatically, what would be the main disadvantages of downgrading, in terms of output and image ...
polyglot's user avatar
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What is Nineteen Megapixels minus Sixteen Megapixels?

Recently I opted to buy a camera. I asked my brother a suggestion regarding my purchase, and suddenly he started to ask me number of questions. I was able to answer all the questions, except this one: ...
Billy's user avatar
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8 answers
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How many pixels in a megapixel?

I am trying to find out the definition of a megapixel? Some references on the web place it at 1 million pixels, and other places say it is equal to 2^20 = 1,048,576 pixels.
Gaurav Agarwal's user avatar
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2 answers
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For digital sensors and in terms of imaging medium, is the minimum CoC equal to the size of 1 sensor pixel or 2? And why?

For digital sensors and in terms of imaging medium, is the minimum CoC equal to the size of 1 sensor pixel or 2? And why? For example purposes using a 35mm Full Frame digital sensor where the pixel ...
DavyCrockett's user avatar
30 votes
10 answers
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How many "MegaPixels" can the human eye see?

There is obviously a limit to what the human body can process, such as frames per second. My question is how many MegaPixels would it take before the human eye can no longer differentiate it from ...
Spechal's user avatar
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Is "Ultrapixels" just marketing or is there a real benefit?

HTC has branded the sensor in its new phone (the HTC One) to be "Ultra pixels". For the same sensor size it only gives you 4MP where today's standard for top of the line smartphones is 8MP and up. Of ...
Beltrame's user avatar
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14 votes
4 answers
74k views

Are 2 megapixels enough for HD resolution pictures?

HD pictures has 1920x1080 = 2073600 pixels = 2025 kilopixel = 1.98 megapixel. Does this mean that we can take HD pictures with a 2 MP camera? If not, why not?
user2080105's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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What does pixel count suggest? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Do megapixels matter with modern sensor technology? Mobile phone manufactures now advertise their phones having camera with bigger megapixel count. Does it mean the quality of ...
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3 votes
2 answers
15k views

At how many megapixels should I render my image for a quality A1 print?

I'm rendering an image for an exhibition (the image is composed of multiple digital images, so I have control over the detail of the final render), but I'm getting conflicting opinions on how many ...
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1 vote
1 answer
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Image Quality of Shooting at 3MP then resizing to 1MP vs Shooting at 1MP [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Does it give higher quality to shoot in low-res mode in-camera, or to downsize high-res photos later? I want my final image to be stored at 1MP and I want it to be in the best ...
IMB's user avatar
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15 votes
8 answers
4k views

Megapixel race unnecessary?

Have we reached the point where where the megapixel race is more about the race, of having more then the other guy, than about image quality? Only a few years ago 6MP was touted as the optimum number ...
Taylor Huston's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
513 views

How many megapixels are needed on a smartphone to take above quality photos?

Just regular above quality photos for Facebook and normal things.
designparadise's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
781 views

Do compact and DSLR cameras have the same sensor size if they have the same number of megapixels?

In the analog camera, I understood the impact of using a 35mm film vs using a 70 mm film. However in digital world, I dont know if the sensor size is the same for compact and DSLRs. In other words, ...
Dheer's user avatar
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13 votes
6 answers
18k views

Does change of lens affect a camera's megapixels?

I have a Nikon D40. It has only 6.1 MP. I am planning to buy additional lens for it. Can changing the lens of the camera increase or decrease the megapixels of the camera?
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How does the megapixel-count and the aperture size affect the quality of the image from a given lens?

I have read that some lenses don't "support" high resolutions, so, for example, for some lenses (e.g. Nikkor 16-85 VR ), it's better to shoot at 9MP, instead of shooting at 16MP. Is this the case ...
Kiril Kirov's user avatar
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2 answers
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What features really matter in a point and shoot camera?

I am planning to buy my first new digital camera. Now I am too confused for more than 20 days about how I can choose a camera. I want to use the camera for domestic purpose. The Canon IXUS 220 HS ...
Kamal Deep Singh's user avatar
18 votes
5 answers
7k views

How does taking lower-resolution pictures with a higher-resolution sensor affect image quality?

Does taking a picture with 8 megapixel resolution with my Canon IXUS with a 1/2.3" sensor and 12M max resolution provides the same or worse image quality (particular, noise) as if the picture was ...
vyvas's user avatar
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4 answers
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Why do some DSLRs have fewer megapixels than some pocket cameras?

Some point and shoot cameras like the Olympus mju range have more megapixel capabilities than many DSLRs. Why is this? Is this because they have larger sensors or more dense ones? What are the trade-...
Vass's user avatar
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2 answers
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Is there any difference between the Sony A65 and A55 other than megapixels?

When I look at dpreview's side-by-side camera comparison page, there is no difference between two cameras except pixel count (24MP vs. 16MP). If that's the only difference then $200 isn't worth it ...
Mohsen's user avatar
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5 votes
3 answers
4k views

Is 2 megapixels enough for 4x6 prints?

My compact camera has a burst mode, which shoots 10 fps at 2 megapixels. I plan to use it at an upcoming company sporting event (basketball and tennis, outdoors) and plan to post memorable moments at ...
William C's user avatar
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53 votes
8 answers
11k views

Do megapixels matter with modern sensor technology?

Are more megapixels good? Are more megapixels bad? Do more megapixels increase detail? Do they make my images sharper? On the other side, is there a point that is too much? Do megapixels cause ...
mattdm's user avatar
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9 votes
3 answers
4k views

Is more megapixels better in macro photography?

I know there are a lot of common misconceptions about megapixels and their actual utility, but does more megapixels mean I can zoom into a macro shot of say an insect and see more details compared to ...
Snowman's user avatar
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8 votes
7 answers
6k views

Does noise in images depend upon "Megapixels" or "ISO"?

I have a question about image quality. Does noise in an image is depends upon "Megapixels" or on "ISO"?
subeer haldar's user avatar
25 votes
4 answers
4k views

Does it give higher quality to shoot in low-res mode in-camera, or to downsize high-res photos later?

Suppose you want to store your photos at some lower resolution, let's say about ~1 MB large. You own a camera able to make photos at 5 MPix and more. And, you want to have the maximum quality at the ...
theSpyCry's user avatar
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14 votes
6 answers
12k views

Is it true that '80s 35mm photofilm had quality corresponding to 24 megapixels?

Is it true that '80s 35mm photofilm had quality corresponding to 24 megapixels? Somebody told me so today, and I find it surprising.
Andrei's user avatar
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12 votes
8 answers
126k views

How does 18 megapixels compare to 12 megapixels? [duplicate]

I'm purchasing a digital camera & it says, "Effective pixels: Approx. 18.00 Megapixels". What is this compared to 12.00 megapixels?
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22 votes
7 answers
15k views

What megapixel value is equivalent to which ISO film?

Is there some kind of equivalency table or formula that expresses what kind of pixels you need in a digital camera to have roughly the same quality as a particular ISO graded film? What other ...
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