Tutorials: Resolution
Camera Resolution
Camera Resolution refers to the number of pixels that are captured within a digital image. As previously shown, digital cameras are rated in megapixel and the number of megapixels that a cameras sensor can capture has a direct relationship to the size of the image and print capabilities.
If you take a picture with a 1 megapixel camera, the print size of the image is limited. If you try to blow-up the image to a larger size, it "pixilates" or becomes somewhat distorted as seen below.
In the sample above, the original image is sharp and detailed. The larger image has been expanded to four times the size and is somewhat blurred as it has lost the sharpness and quality of the original. Based on resolution, the original was 200 x 150 which means it has 30,000 pixels. The larger version is 400 x 300 which has 120,000 pixels. When blowing-up the image, the process has to create 90,000 new pixels which did not exist in the original. It is this process that will cause an image to lose its definition and quality. If you want to simply print decent 4x6 pictures from your camera, then a 1 megapixel image can be used for that purpose. If you are wanting larger images, then a higher pixel count would be best. It is far easier to print a larger image as a small picture than it is to use a small image for a large picture. Shrinking an image down is always a better approach.
An alternative use for higher resolution cameras is the opportunity to adjust and rework the image in a program similar to Adobe Photoshop. As an example:
The image above was taken with a Canon EOS 10d SLR (6.3MP) from a distance of approximately 45 feet. The subject of the image was the squirrel itself. With 6.3 megapixel resolution I can easily crop the subject for printing purposes as seen on the right (which is actually 1:1 without having to zoom into the image, thus no additional pixilation). With a 1MP resolution camera, the image would have to be blown up in order to focus on the subject and would result in less detail and the loss of definition. Usually these pictures are simply ignored or the owner has to point out the little gray thing and convince the party that it actually was a squirrel.
Camera Resolution refers to the number of pixels that are captured within a digital image. As previously shown, digital cameras are rated in megapixel and the number of megapixels that a cameras sensor can capture has a direct relationship to the size of the image and print capabilities.
| The example to the right shows the difference between a 5 megapixel image and a 1 megapixel image. The 5 megapixel image is 2592 pixel wide by 1944 pixel tall (2592 x 1944). If we multiply those numbers together, you get 5,038,848 pixels, thus 5 megapixel. As a comparisson, if we take out a section that is 800 wide x 1300 tall and multiply, you get 1,040,000 pixels, or 1 megapixel. As you can see, the larger the megapixel size, the more image information may be captured by the camera. |  |
If you take a picture with a 1 megapixel camera, the print size of the image is limited. If you try to blow-up the image to a larger size, it "pixilates" or becomes somewhat distorted as seen below.
In the sample above, the original image is sharp and detailed. The larger image has been expanded to four times the size and is somewhat blurred as it has lost the sharpness and quality of the original. Based on resolution, the original was 200 x 150 which means it has 30,000 pixels. The larger version is 400 x 300 which has 120,000 pixels. When blowing-up the image, the process has to create 90,000 new pixels which did not exist in the original. It is this process that will cause an image to lose its definition and quality. If you want to simply print decent 4x6 pictures from your camera, then a 1 megapixel image can be used for that purpose. If you are wanting larger images, then a higher pixel count would be best. It is far easier to print a larger image as a small picture than it is to use a small image for a large picture. Shrinking an image down is always a better approach.
An alternative use for higher resolution cameras is the opportunity to adjust and rework the image in a program similar to Adobe Photoshop. As an example:
;) |
;) |
The image above was taken with a Canon EOS 10d SLR (6.3MP) from a distance of approximately 45 feet. The subject of the image was the squirrel itself. With 6.3 megapixel resolution I can easily crop the subject for printing purposes as seen on the right (which is actually 1:1 without having to zoom into the image, thus no additional pixilation). With a 1MP resolution camera, the image would have to be blown up in order to focus on the subject and would result in less detail and the loss of definition. Usually these pictures are simply ignored or the owner has to point out the little gray thing and convince the party that it actually was a squirrel.