Camera resolution

Unveiling pixels - navigating camera resolution in photography...

What is camera resolution?

The camera resolution is the total amount of pixels captured.

It is also called the “Number of Recorded Pixels” by the CIPA DCG-001 (an organization based in Japan that handles photography-based technology).^[1]

In the context of cameras, the term resolution will be closely linked to spatial resolution.^[2] It describes the size of the image taken by the camera. We define it with the term megapixels (x million pixels) that can be recorded in a single shutter release.

The concept itself is built upon pixel information and megapixel count. Both of these aspects will determine the quality of your images.

To understand camera resolution better, refer to the chart below that outlines common resolutions, their pixel dimensions, and typical uses:

Camera resolution is one of the foundations of creating a sharp image.

Pixel size will also influence the camera's ability to handle noise at high ISO. Images that contain small amounts of pixels will look jaggy and square-ish. They will also become less flexible for photographers who want to crop their images for a better composition.

Cameras with higher resolutions are always sought after, and manufacturers race to produce them.

Here is an example macro image I took of a flower. The image on the left retains the original high-resolution from the camera at 2028 x 2535 and the image on the right was lowered to have a lower-resolution of 540 x 675, and it is a lot more blurry:

How important is resolution in a camera?

Well, in the world of photography, resolution is everything, but only to a certain point.

Photographers who have their images zoomed in for the many details and are closely observed will surely need a high-resolution image. But sometimes, you can get away with blowing up a 12MP iPhone photo into a 38ft x 21ft image without making it look pixelated.^[3]

In reality, high-definition images shot on a 100mp camera aren’t for everyone. Even if you shoot a high-resolution image but print it in a small image, you will miss out on its qualities.

Your resolution will determine how sharp your images can be and how far you can zoom in on your image before it becomes pixelated.

What does camera resolution affect?

Camera resolution is well known to be associated with a couple of factors.

Starting from the various print sizes that they can dish out (in high quality), the various cropping options that you are given access to, the ease of up-sizing and down-sizing, display size, and finally, the sharpness.

Let's go through them one by one, shall we?

1. Print size

Print size is one of the most critical factors that come to mind when thinking about resolution.

When printing digital images, the concept of PPI (pixels per inch) comes into play. PPI determines how many pixels are used per inch of print, which directly influences the quality and sharpness of the printed image.^[4] To calculate the maximum print size, you can divide the width and height of your image (in pixels) by the chosen PPI. For example, an image that is 3000 x 2400 pixels printed at 300 PPI will yield a print size of 10 x 8 inches.^[5]

While you can use an image's native resolution for larger print sizes, doing so may lead to a decrease in quality if the PPI is reduced too much. Lowering the PPI can cause visible pixelation and loss of detail.

To maintain quality when printing larger images, you can either decrease the PPI to an acceptable level or use specialized software to up-sample or upscale the image.^[6] These tools can enhance the image resolution by adding pixels in a way that attempts to preserve detail.

Higher resolutions enable larger prints that retain sharpness and detail, ensuring the final product looks clear and professional.

2. Cropping options

Higher-resolution images give you more room to crop images. While it is true that most photographers will avoid heavy cropping, some images need a little cropping to re-establish focus on their subjects.

Wildlife and sports photographers opt for heavy cropping to get the viewer closer to the subject. They will also crop to reduce unnecessary details that clutter the subject's surroundings. Since this action reduces the overall resolution, it becomes their main reason to go for cameras with high resolution.^[7] It helps them at their job, and it is also convenient.

3. Down sampling

Down-sampling is basically resizing or resampling high-resolution images to reduce needless image clutters and reduce visible focus errors. This process is often done to reduce file size, simplify images for web use, or remove minor artifacts and imperfections.^[8] However, while down-sampling can help reduce visual clutter or focus errors by making them less prominent, it is not primarily done for that purpose. Instead, it’s typically used to optimize images for specific outputs like smaller file sizes or web display.

The higher your resolution, the better options for your down-sizing or resizing needs. When you start with a high-resolution image, you have more pixels to work with, allowing for higher-quality down-sampled images. This can result in an image that retains detail and sharpness even after being resized.

Modern high-resolution cameras often have more pixels, which can lead to more detailed images and better flexibility for down-sampling. High-resolution cameras generally excel at capturing more detail, which can be useful for large prints and allows for more flexibility in post-processing, including cropping and down-sampling. Their performance at low ISO can be excellent, but this isn't exclusive to high-resolution cameras—it's often more related to the sensor's overall quality and technology.

4. Display size

The increased resolution and space on technologies such as monitors, TVs, phones, billboards, and many others have led to the demand for higher-resolution images.

You can now see that 4K monitors and TVs are becoming increasingly popular these days. Forcing photographers and media to produce high-quality images with astonishing detail.

The popularity of 4K and even higher resolution displays like 8K has compelled photographers and media creators to produce content with higher detail to match these displays' capabilities. Higher-resolution images ensure that media shown on these devices appears crisp and detailed, enhancing the viewing experience.

With the increasing availability of high-resolution screens, there is more pressure on content creators, including photographers and videographers, to provide images and videos that meet these higher standards. The visual quality of media needs to match the capabilities of the hardware to maintain viewer satisfaction and engagement.

What is megapixel resolution?

As mentioned earlier, a megapixel is one million pixels. This is often used to categorize how many pixels a camera can capture. The more pixels, the better. To put it into perspective, a camera that can capture 1200 x 1600 pixels will present you with an image of 1.92 million pixels. Such a camera is referred to as a 2 Megapixel camera.

The 1.92 million pixels result from multiplying horizontal and vertical dimensions and will be rounded into two for marketing reasons. Have you ever wondered what 72 PPI means? It's short for pixel per inch. If it's 72, then there are 72 pixels for every inch of screen space.

For example, an image that is 720 pixels wide displayed at 72 PPI will span 10 inches of screen space (720 pixels / 72 PPI = 10 inches). High-quality prints often require images with a resolution of 300 PPI or higher to avoid a pixelated appearance. Flattering photos are commonly printed at 300 PPI; this will make the result significantly smaller. The number of pixels needed to produce a high-quality print depends on the pixel resolution, print size, and camera specifications. Here is a little table to help you when printing:

In this day and age, modern digital displays do not require the same pixel density as printed images.

Websites often use images optimized for fast loading, typically around 2 megapixels or less, even though full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) and 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) images can be uploaded.

HD resolution (1280 x 720) amounts to about 1 megapixel, Full HD to approximately 2 megapixels, and 4K resolution is around 8 megapixels. Although 4K is becoming more common, resolutions higher than 4K are still relatively rare in consumer media.

Do more megapixels mean better photo quality?

In a nutshell, yes, it does translate into better photo quality.

However, megapixels aren’t the sole factor behind high photo quality. You could say that having a high-pixel camera without knowledge or skills in photography is a waste. It’s like buying an expensive crayon set without knowing how to use it.

Gear and equipment can only bring you so far. Those who have the knowledge and technical skills will always thrive over those who heavily rely on equipment. In addition to establishing optimal exposure and composing the scene, you will always need your technical skills to produce razor-sharp images.

With high-resolution cameras magnifying your every mistake, viewers (yourself included) will start to notice the shortcomings. The more detail a camera captures, the more visible any imperfections—such as camera shake, poor focusing, or motion blur—become. This is why it’s crucial for photographers to develop solid techniques and use appropriate supporting gear when necessary.

Starting with camera shake because your hands are wobbly, you have poor focusing, motion blur, and many more. I highly recommend you perfect your techniques and take your time practicing them. Evaluate your mistakes, get better supporting gear (remote shutter release, tripods, etc), and know the technical details that make images work.

In conclusion, camera resolution is the total amount of pixels that you capture. It is affected by both megapixel amount and pixel information. It’s very important since it basically affects how sharp your photo will become. This applies to the quality of your photos on digital displays or on their printed form.

Camera resolution affects a few things:

• Print Size: Larger-resolution images can be printed in larger frames while still looking perfectly sharp. Lower-resolution images will quickly become blurry when printed on large surfaces
• Cropping options: Photographers will eventually encounter problems with composition or unwanted distractions surrounding the subject. Photographers fix this by cropping them out despite reducing image quality. But they aren’t bothered since they capture with high-resolution cameras.
• Down-sampling: Cameras with high resolution allow you to reduce clutter, noise, and focus problems.
• Display size: You can display larger pictures without making it look blurry with high-resolution images.
• More sharpness since there are more pixels.

More megapixels can significantly improve your image as it becomes sharper than before. But, you will still need knowledge and technical skills in photography to use high-megapixel cameras to their full potential.

Camera resolution is very important in determining the quality of your images, but you will also need the skills to correctly use it. I hope that this little knowledge will help you in your future decisions when deciding to print your photos.