Digital Cameras: How Many Pixels Do I Need?

With the bewildering number of digital cameras on the market, it's increasing difficult to know where to start for your first purchase. One of the major determining factors of the price of a digital camera is the number of pixels. Nowadays, even 5.0 megapixel cameras are affordable, even for casual snapshots.

But is bigger always better?

Higher megapixel cameras do have some drawback. The first, and most obvious, is price. A basic 5.0 megapixel camera currently runs between $200 and $300. A 1.2 megapixel camera can be had for less than $50. Storage for those large pictures will also cost you more. A 32 MByte memory card will hold around a hundred 1.2 megapixel pictures. This drops right down to around 60 pictures for 2.0 megapixels and to around 40 pictures for a 3.0 megapixel model. One other consideration, not often mentioned, is that a higher megapixel camera has to do more work to compress and store images, leading to longer waits between picture shots and viewing.

Before you rush off and spend $300 for a camera, consider what you will be doing with the pictures. Are you viewing them just on your computer? Sending them as email attachments? Printing them on an existing inkjet printer? Having them professionally printed?

The larger the number of pixels, the larger the file size. An important consideration if you are emailing them as attachments. The following chart shows sample file sizes, typical resolution and maximum print size for different pixel counts stored as high-quality JPEG files:

Pixels - - - File Size - - - Resolution - - - Print Size

1.2 - - - - - 480k - - - - - 1152 x 864 - - - - - 4 x 6 inches
2.0 - - - - - 980k - - - - - 1600 x 1200 - - - - 5 x 7 inches
3.0 - - - - - 1.2M - - - - - 2048 x 1536 - - - - 10 x 8 inches
5.0 - - - - - 2.3M - - - - - 2592 x 1944 - - - - 11 x 14 inches

Most computers will only display the 2.0 megapixel image (at most) without scrolling, so you may find yourself resizing all your pictures - or not using the maximum resolution of your camera - if you have a 5.0 megapixel camera.

Only ever print pictures at 5 x 7, or only view them on a computer? Then a 2 megapixel may be enough for now. The prices will be lower next year if you want to upgrade later.

Obviously, the higher pixel cameras do have some advantages, especially when it comes to cropping and editing - and you know the salesman will want to sell you the best camera in the store - but I hope this information will help in making an informed decision.

Marty is the editor of a number of websites including http://1PhotoProducts.com and http://discountgolfequipment.us

---

Flash Memory, Part I: MMC and SD

MMC and SDFlash memory is available in so many formats... Read More

Help, I Need a New HDTV! (Part 3 of 5)

Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More

Desktop Security Software Risks - Part 2

This is the third in a series of articles highlighting... Read More

Gain Control Over Your Screensavers With These Simple Steps

We all enjoy our favorite screensavers but in the same... Read More

Home Electronics: The Facts About Plasma TV

Not so many years ago, homes across the country watched... Read More

Put Order and Information into File Names

Unless you place your faith in internal search engine software... Read More

Portable DVD Players - Things To Know

In my humble opinion nothing makes a long trip easier... Read More

Computer Performance Tips

Introduction In this article I will clearly spell out the... Read More

Three Things You Can Do to Keep Your Computer Running at Maximum Performance

Although there are many things that can affect the performance... Read More

Image Formats: GIF, JPEG, BMP

When browsing the internet you are likely to come across... Read More

How Does My PC Get Hot

There are many sources of heat that can raise the... Read More

Computer Viruses are Bad Luck

OK, so you caught a computer virus and your system... Read More

CCNA 640-801 Certification Primer

The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Certification is meant for... Read More

Image Conversion In Computers

JPEG, GIFF/JIFF, BMP, and TIFF are the most commonly used... Read More

How To Remove One Operating System from a Dual Boot Windows XP Computer

In Windows Xp, you can install two operating systems on... Read More

Upgrading Your PC for Non-experts

IntroOne of the big advantages of PCs over earlier types... Read More

Favorite Things To Do With Home Technology

Save money. Save 10-15% on utility bills per month. Work... Read More

COOKIES - What Are They!!

Cookies, not the kind that Mom makes, but the computer... Read More

Dont Let the Internet Overstimulate Your Mind

The Internet is an awesome tool, but be careful and... Read More

Digital Cameras + Photo Printers = Quality Instant Photographs

In the 1950's and 1960's Polaroid's instant cameras were all... Read More

Mail-merging: The Principles

About mail-mergingMail-merging is the process of merging variable data and... Read More

Anti-Skip Protection on Mp3 Players

There have been some questions on anti-skip protection on mp3... Read More

5 Ways to Speed Up Your PC

No matter how fast your processor and regardless of how... Read More

Review of Rio MP3 Players

Below you will find some useful information and comments about... Read More

The Advantages of Portable MP3 Players

With their solid-state technology, compact size, and abundant memory, portable... Read More

Repairing A Corrupt .RAR/.ZIP Archive

Step 1:Open WinRAR and browse to the folder with your... Read More

Plasma TV vs LCD TV

For those seeking to buy their first flat panel TV... Read More

Buying a Personal Computer (PC)

For many people the computer industry is a seeming unsolvable... Read More

Computer Geeks and Garden Gnomes

First and foremost before I begin my ranting it is... Read More

Windows PDA Medical Software Benefits

PDA Medical BenefitsIf you are concerned about your medical history,... Read More

Do Higher Digital Camera Prices Mean Better Cameras?

Understanding digital camera prices makes finding the best camera value... Read More

Seven Things to Consider When Choosing a PDA

In the early days, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) were not... Read More

Ergonomics and Healthy Computing - Positioning Your Body For Maximum Comfort At Your Computer

Do you remember the old saw about how computers would... Read More