Image resolution - it's all about megapixels

When you research digital cameras (like you're doing now), you'll quickly find that cameras are often referred to by how many megapixels (MP) they capture. To take a photo, digital cameras use image sensors, which consist of millions of light-sensitive photo elements (or dots of color) called pixels. One million pixels equal one megapixel.

Resolution refers to the number of pixels available to capture detail. The more pixels, the more sharpness and detail, especially when you want to create larger-sized prints. For example, a digital camera with 3.2 megapixels (3.2 million pixels) will capture enough detail to create a very sharp, detailed 8" x 10" print, good enough to be called photo-quality.

Which megapixel (MP) resolution is right for you?

Here are some usage guidelines for different camera resolutions:

· 1.0 - 1.9MP digital cameras - Ideal for basic usage, like e-mailing photos, posting photos on the Web and printing small, everyday shots.

· 2.0 - 2.9MP digital cameras - Ideal for general usage, like e-mailing photos, posting photos on the Web and printing everyday shots.

· 3.0 - 3.9MP digital cameras - Ideal for average photographers, like high-quality general use, both everyday and special occasions, and for printing a variety of sizes.

· 4.0MP and higher digital cameras - Ideal for avid photographers who want near-35mm quality results.