Megapixels are a strong bullet point for salespeople, but more doesn't always equal better. After reading this guide, you will be able to protect yourself from megapixel manipulation. I'm going to show you what megapixels are all about, why they are important, and what the numbers mean. I hope it will give you more confidence when you go out looking for cameras and help you choose a camera based on your needs and preferences, not just megapixel hype.

I admit I get off on bragging about the megapixels on my Nikon D200. It's got 10.2. That's a beefy number and probably more than any consumer camera. But why is it good number? The quality of the pixels matters just as much as the quantity. If you remember nothing else, remember that.

What are megapixels? If a picture is a puzzle, megapixels are the pieces. If a camera has 8 megapixels, that means the pictures will be made up of 8 million pieces. A camera with 10.2 megapixels makes an image with 10.2 million pieces. In cameras of the same class, the frame that contains those pieces is the same size. So, for example, you could have a 4x6 image with either 8 million pieces or 10.2 million pieces. Which would make a better enlargement? It would be the picture with the most pieces because if you want to enlarge a digital image, you have to stretch the pixels a little bit.

So, the number of megapixels is important when considering what size prints you want to make from your photos, but the myth 'the more the better' is not necessarily true. Here's why: while technically more megapixels may yield a larger print size, the quality of that print may not be worth enlarging. That's where the quality of the pixels comes into play.

What do I mean by the quality of pixels? Here's an example. A camera like the Nikon D100, with 6.1 megapixels, will beat a camera like the Coolpix 8800, with 8 megapixels, in both print size and quality. Why? The quality of the pixels is better in the D100. Even though it doesn’t have as many pixels, the information stored in those pixels is more detailed, and they are not crammed into as small a frame, so when enlarged they are not stretched as much. Higher quality pixels provide better color, sharpness, greater tonality, and less noise (film equivalent of grain). Because the image quality of the D100 is technically better, prints of the same size from the D100 will be better than the Coolpix 8800, even though the D100 has fewer pixels.

I can put this another way. Imagine taking a photo with a cell phone camera that has 3 megapixels. Now, imagine a photo from my Nikon D200 (which has 10.2 megapixels) and cutting out a 3-megapixel portion. If you compared the whole cell phone image with a 3-megapixel portion of the D200 image, which image do you think would be better quality overall? I can tell you the cropped D200 image would be better because the image processing engine in a phone can't hold a candle to the high powered, smarter, larger sensor of the D200. So there you go. Even matching 3 megapixels with 3 megapixels won't yield the same image quality.

Ok, so how do I get quality pixels? It comes down to the chip and the lens. The lens is what filters the light--sub quality lens, subquality image. The better the chip, the better that light is recorded. Nikon and Canon are the best in total image quality, including lenses and sensors; you'll have to trust me there. They pioneered digital advances and continue to set the bar for other companies. But other companies have made great leaps in the last couple of years. Now Sigma, Fuji, Sony, and other well-known brands make a fine image as well. For better image processing chips, you will pay more.

How does this apply to buying a camera? First of all, most top brand consumer cameras will produce a likeable image. But there will be differences, if only subtle. The best way to see the image quality of a camera is to ask for sample prints from it, not 4x6 prints, but big prints, at least 8x12. Look closely for the appearance of noise, jagged edges in details, or halos (purple/white edges around bright objects as a result of lens limitations). Changes in tone should be clean, with no color halos on hard lines and no recognizable patterns. For example, the tonal transition of a clear blue sky going from dark blue to light blue or a sunset going from dark orange to light yellow should happen smoothly, with no patterns showing. Some noise in an image is ok, but too much is distracting. An image taken at ISO 400 or under should have very little noise.

So how many pixels do you need? If you will never be making a print in your life, 2-3 megapixels will suffice. If you plan to make anything from wallet size to 8x12, 5-6 megapixels should get you there. For larger prints, you want at least 7 megapixels. Keep in mind that if you are serious about photography, a professional 8 megapixel camera will be better than a consumer 8 megapixel camera from the same maker. Why? Again, the professional model will have a larger and more advanced sensor and image processing engine.

Finally, good image quality depends on your brains more than the camera's. No camera can save a poorly exposed image, and no camera can think up an award winning image on its own. The larger your print will be, the better image quality you must have to begin with. Imperfections in focus, exposure, lens technique, and smaller, less advanced sensors will be more apparent the larger they are reproduced. Balance megapixels with the brand of camera and all the other features that will make a difference in the final image. For photographers, total image quality is the ultimate objective, and we take the best route we know. Be satisfied with your assessment of the camera, not the salesperson's.

If you like this guide, please vote, and stay tuned for the complete digital camera buying guide. For my nature/wildlife photography and more information, look up Light Fantasies Photoraphy on the web.