the trick-or-treat of megapixels

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)
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Published at circuitcity.com on Saturday, October 18, 2008
Syndicated at reuters.com and computershopper.com
Written by ScottyWhy?

Halloween is almost here. Before you know it, lines of costumed young-ones will be parading around your neighborhood in search of bite-size Snickers bars and candy corn. Those who keep track of such things are predicting a lot of Kung Fu Panda, Joker and Hannah Montana outfits this season.





Obviously, you're gonna need a good camera!

It's scaaarrrryyy how many people ask us questions about "megapixels" around holidays like Halloween. Holidays (except perhaps "Fat Man In A Speedo" Day) seem to bring out the photographer in all of us. Here's a quick "guide to megapixels" that should help clear up your Halloween camera concerns.

1. The more you crop a photo, the more megapixels you need. An Image taken with a low megapixel camera will appear "spotty" or "grainy" the more you crop it. More megapixels...less spots.


2. The more you want to enlarge a picture, the more megapixels you need. An image taken with a low megapixel camera won't produce as big a print as a camera with more megapixels.

A good way to understand how megapixels works is to look at a game I play on my mobile phone called BUBBLE BREAKER.


See the spaces between the dots when you crop or enlarge an image of the game. That's what happens when you crop or enlarge an image taken with your digital camera. More megapixels means more dots packed tighter together. That means less space in between the dots. That results is a less "spotty" or "grainy" final photo.

The good news is that most digital cameras on the market today are 6 megapixels or more, which is enough to fill most people's needs. The bad news is that megapixels are just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to getting clear, quality photos. Think of it like building a house. Better lumber results in a better house on the inside. Better paint results in a prettier house on the outside. In the same way, more megapixels results in a better quality image on the inside. But it's the camera's image sensor and anti-shake technology combine with general photographic technique that results in clear, crisp, pretty images.

There's a lot of education behind taking a good picture. That's where circuitcity.com comes in. We offer tons of tips in the "Related Links" below. Check 'em out! Maybe you'll become such a great photographer, you'll be able to make "Fat Man In A Speedo" Day as photo-friendly a holiday as Halloween.