How Many Pixels Do I Need? Learning to Use the Resolution Setting

Reading the literature that came with a new camera is good, but many times people don’t find them easy to understand. Many don’t know what the words mean.

Resolution is the setting that gives different qualities of photograph; a picture has high resolution or low resolution. High resolution has a higher number of pixilation – a higher number of the colored ‘dots’ that make up the complete picture. We have many online degree programs if you are interested in learning more about photography and lets see more about pixels now..

How Many Pixels Should My Photos Have?

Pixels can be seen in photos that have been enlarged too much and the edges of images look like little squares of color.Those little squares are pixels. The more pixels, the more detail and clarity can result in the image. Fewer pixels mean less detail but not always less clarity; a photo can be of low resolution and still be a great, clear picture.

A person who enlarges photos requires a higher number of pixels. Fewer pixels on an enlarged photo doesn’t give good results. Similarly, a person who publishes photos would use a higher resolution to ensure clarity in the picture when in print, so the publisher can use it at any size they need.

Some Typical Resolutions for Your New Digital Camera Include:

  • 256×256 – If quality isn’t of utmost importance, the cheapest digital cameras can handle this resolution. Pictures are not always clear, as some of them are ‘grainy’ looking.
  • 640×480 – If you want to send the photos through email or post them on a personal web site, this is the ideal resolution as the image’s memory size is low with this resolution.
  • 1216×912 – This setting delivers more than 1 million pixels, producing crystal clear pictures. These resolutions are called ‘mega pixels.’
  • 1600×1200 – This resolution gives even more clarity and crispness.
  • 2240×1680 – This setting has more than 4 million pixels; not all cameras even have this setting, and it‘s rarely, if ever, required. You can print very large photos with this high resolution.