Megapixels Explained

Higher megapixel photographs means biggerand buildings with a 12 megapixel camera it will be
prints, for instance, the max print size you canapproximately 7 megabytes whereas if you take
get from a 6 megapixel image is approximatelya picture of a blank wall with the same camera on
A4 whereas a 12 megapixel photograph will lookthe same setting it will probably be around 4
good printed up to A3 size. If you are consideringmegapixels.
selling photographs or become a professionalPhotography Techniques, Megapixel or MP is
photographer it is advisable that you spendsimply a shorthand way of saying one million
money on getting a 10+ megapixel Digital Singlepixels, therefore a 6 megapixel image is made up
Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera, as this will give youof six millions pixels, or six millions different blocks
the flexibility to create reasonably large, goodof colour. The average digital camera today takes
quality prints.pictures of 5-8 Megapixels although cheaper
Now onto file size, generally pictures with morecameras, such as mobile phones cameras are only
pixels are bigger in file size, for instance the1-5 megapixels, more expensive cameras have
average picture taken with a 6 megapixel camera8+ megapixels, of the cameras that are currently
will be approximately 3 megabytes, whereas theon sale right now, the king of the megapixel world
same image taken with a 12 megapixel camerais the Canon EOS 1DS Mark III, as it has a
will be approximately 6 megabytes, because itwhopping 21 Megapixel sensor, so images taken
contains twice as many pixels. Although the filewith this camera will contain 21,000,000 pixels.
size of your photograph will differ betweenPixels are what makes up every digital image we
photographs depending on how much varyingsee, they can be described simply as a single
detail is in the image, for example if I take ablock or square of colour, every block of colour is
picture of a busy city scene with lots of peopleknown as 1 pixel.