Megapixels...do they mean better photo quality?

Do megapixels matter? It really depends on how you are going to use your images.

Computer monitor and online viewing only needs 1 to 3 megapixels to allow for a quality photo to share online. For a 4x6 inch print a 2 megapixel camera is required. 10x8 inch prints require at least 5 megapixels and 14x22 inch prints (or larger) only need 7 megapixels.

So why do you need a camera with more megapixels? One of the reasons is cropping. The extra megapixels gives you a little wiggle room to crop the image. The other reason is if you want a really large print to show on your wall or at a gallery.

Camera makers keep making cameras with more and more megapixels every year. They do this to convince buyers that they need the big upgrade. Also there may be other features on the big megapixels cameras that you may want. The lower megapixel cameras may have limitations. When considering a new camera you may want to consider improvements other than more megapixels.

The following are photos by Wallace Rollins taken with a Fujifilm Finepix 3800 3.2 mp camera. These pictures were his first opportunity to use digital...












all photos by Wallace Rollins

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