Digital cameras & resolution
By Jakob Jelling http://www.snapjunky.com
While analyzing any camera, one of the most important qualities
of a photograph that a person seeks, is resolution. This word
itself needs a brief discussion before progressing onto its
implication upon a digital camera. This is a word that seems to
almost every new photographer as a nightmare. With all the myths
and irrelevant information circulating all around, this is quite
common. This however is an effort to clear those misty myths and
provide good information for everyone. Without any complexity,
generally a photograph, either viewed on the screen or printed,
is composed of infinitesimal dots (called pixels). The greater
amount of these dots that can fit per inch of space, the smaller
the dots and the sharper the image. This is the basis of
understanding … resolution!
Considering an image at 100 dots per inch that is one square
inch in size. It is comprised of 100 X 100 pixels. Now changing
this image four-times to four square inches. This image is quite
clear. Now the same 100 X 100 dots exist, but with only 25 dots
per inch. The appearance becomes grainy. This is the factor know
as resolution that determines this quality of image. Hence it
can now be interpreted by any person what the importance of
resolution is and where it is required in the filed of
photography. While purchasing a digital camera, resolution is a
very important factor to take into account when settling upon
buying a particular one.
Digital camera resolution comes in as Mega pixels. A Mega pixel
is composed of one million pixels. The greater the number of
Mega pixels, the greater becomes the standard of quality of the
photograph or picture. As a standard, one mega pixel is the
minimum bottom line below which a digital camera must not be
usually purchased. This is a general decided value for any
amateur photographers also, and the exact value of higher mega
pixels is not a concern for people who do not intend to print
the photographs. In an effort to scrutinize the pixels in an
image out of sheer anxiety, a person can magnify the display in
a photo editor, like a little magnifying glass, and they become
very much visible!
The resolution decides the ultimate the future of the hard copy
of a photograph being taken, whether a digital camera or a
conventional camera. A print from a high-resolution photograph
challenges anything produced from a chemical film camera.
However a low-resolution image print of a photograph is quite
appalling with fine details and restrained color transitions
absent resulting from too few pixels. Thus the resolution can
spoil an entire effort to freeze a memorable moment. Thus it is
so vital. As a general rule a minimum of 200 pixels are required
for each linear inch of a print. However, some printers get
better results with 300 pixels per-inch of resolution.
The above discussion has brought into light a lot of relevant
information regarding resolution and its application in the
digital camera and photography. Also in the concluding lines it
can only be stated for digital camera … resolution is the real
soul!
About the author:
Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.snapjunky.com. Visit
his digital camera guide and learn how to take better pictures
with your digicam.