More Mp
By kojinick90
@kojinick90 (70)
Canada
October 26, 2008 3:43pm CST
What is the point of more mega pixels if you are only taking pictures to save memories? I currently use a 4 mega pixel Canon Powershot a520 which works fine people keep telling me its way to old and that I should buy a new camera because I am missing out on a clear picture. Is it really worth the extra money for more Mega pixels? Do you see a difference between picture quality from cameras with higher mega pixels(6mp+) compared to cameras with lower mega pixels(5mp-)?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
26 Oct 08
Pixels means PICture ELement. A "megapixel" is simply a unit of a million pixels. If you require a certain resolution of detail (PPI), then there is a maximum print size you can achieve for a given number of mega pixels.
With 4 mega you can have nice images printed on 4*6 paper or simple store it in your computer. The only problem you may have if you want to make larger print.
For larger images you may need bigger mega pixels.
To feel the different you may have to buy at least 8 MP.
1 person likes this
@SeishiroX (1093)
• Philippines
28 Oct 08
Higher megapixels mean higher quality of pictures. As far as I understand it makes details clearer that is why SLRs have extremely megapixel-count. If I'm taking pictures for memories, I wouldn't mind staying with a 6-megapixel or 5-megapixel camera. In fact, I'm using a 4-MP camera myself.
However, if I want to take pictures with a more artistic inclination, I'd go for the higher megapixel cameras like the SLRs.
@Davidarich (985)
• Australia
31 Oct 08
Once you get to about 3 megapixels, the improvements only come if you print the pictures above about 8x10. The human eye cannot distinguish smaller details. In many cases, packing in more pixels degrades the photograph by producing interference between the light sensetive cellsoblems. This results in "noise". Higher pixel density also requires changes in the design of the microlenses for individual pixels and the image is further compromised by heat dispersion issues..
The larger pixels in cameras with bigger sensors like SLRs lets them take sharper, clearer pictures with fewer pixels than small sensor units, like compact digital cameras and phone cams. The next step up, full-frame slrs have an even bigger advantage, and when you get up to medium format, the difference is extreme. Again, this is less due to pixel count and more because of sensor size.
Larger sensors also allow more sophisticated lens design, which leads to better resolution in the final image.
A side effect of this is that larger sensors lead to bigger cameras, which give dsigners opportunities to incorporate more powerful processors, another reason SLRs out-perform smaller cameras.
Don't get over-excited about pixel count alone; without a bell designed camera with good processing ability and quality optics, it is only a sales ploy!
@Davidarich (985)
• Australia
28 Oct 08
A 4 megapixel will produce a photo quality print up to A3. It will also let you crop part of a photo to print up to a smaller size. On anything but a high definition screen, you will see no difference between a photo produced by a 4MP and a 15Mp camera... unless it was produ=ced by a phone cam or taken by a digital video cam. The same number of pixels crammed onto the tiny sensors these use, with lenses that do not have the resolving power of a "real" camera produce much less detailed pictures, and the colour aberations and distortions inherent in the designs severly limit their usefulness.
the only other thing to be said is... don't put down "taking pictures to save memmories": aren't memories THE most important reason for taking pictures?
@Davidarich (985)
• Australia
31 Oct 08
Actually, the original camera obscura had no lens. "Camera obscura" means "dark room", and that's all that they were. Any darkened room with a single pin-point opening in one wall will project an inverted image of the outside world on the wall opposite tyhe hole. To get a sharp image you need to have the rays converge at the wall, which is what a lens is used for, but it is not essential.
