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How many megapixels?
Buying a digital camera with features you want is as important as how many megapixels it has. Don't get caught up in advertising hype that leads many to believe that more megapixels is always better.
Megapixels, printing and cropping
Two factors come into play when deciding about megapixels: print size and the amount of cropping you do.
The more megapixels, the larger size prints can be made without images becoming pixelated or jagged looking. More megapixels also allows larger areas of images to be cropped and still have detailed prints.
This many megapixels
Most digital camera owners print 4x6," the most frequently used print size, and occasionally up to 8x10." If they crop, it is rarely more than a small percentage of an image. If you fit into this category, a camera with a resolution of about five or six megapixels should serve you well.
Slightly larger prints may show signs of pixelation but only when viewed close up. If you primarily send photos by email, or use them for online auctions, a three or four megapixel camera should suffice.
For the suggested number of megapixels for quality prints based on print size, see the related chart.
