Steve'sDigicams

Morag2 · Jun 5, 2006, 4:46 PM

I'm a bit confused with this megapixel business, I'm looking for my first camera and I'm 15, so a fairly cheap one would be nice, but I also want good enough picture quality to take a picture and have it look flawless as a computer background (using 1280 x 1024 resolution)... so how many MP do I need to do that?

tmoreau · Jun 5, 2006, 4:51 PM

1280x1024=1,310,720 In other words, thats 1.3 megapixels (mega ~ million).

Pictures still look better on screen when you scale them down, so something a little larger than that would be best. At any rate, a good 3mp image would be a fine starting point for a desktop or even an 8x10 print.

Morag2 · Jun 5, 2006, 4:56 PM

Wow, so you mean one of those 1.3MP Camera-phones could make a decent background picture? I was under the impression that you would need a 5 or 6 MP... well I don't think my local Future Shop even sells camera's under 3MP so I guess I'll be fine.

Many thanks,
Keilan

ellover009 · Jun 5, 2006, 7:44 PM

Cell phones camera's are decent but don't expect to have a full 1.3MP DETAILED qualityl, a cell phone cam even newer will never beat a 1.3mp digital camera. You can find a nice 5mp camera on sale sometimes in circuit city or best buy.

ELDDJOC · Jun 6, 2006, 5:08 AM

4 to 5 MP will be a good bet.

Those cameras are cheap now as well - entry models like the Canon PowerShot A430 or the Nikon Coolpix L4 will serve your purposes well.

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Jun 5, 2006, 4:46 PM	#1
Morag2 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 820	I'm a bit confused with this megapixel business, I'm looking for my first camera and I'm 15, so a fairly cheap one would be nice, but I also want good enough picture quality to take a picture and have it look flawless as a computer background (using 1280 x 1024 resolution)... so how many MP do I need to do that?

Jun 5, 2006, 4:51 PM	#2
tmoreau Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 477	1280x1024=1,310,720 In other words, thats 1.3 megapixels (mega ~ million). Pictures still look better on screen when you scale them down, so something a little larger than that would be best. At any rate, a good 3mp image would be a fine starting point for a desktop or even an 8x10 print.

Jun 5, 2006, 4:56 PM	#3
Morag2 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 820	Wow, so you mean one of those 1.3MP Camera-phones could make a decent background picture? I was under the impression that you would need a 5 or 6 MP... well I don't think my local Future Shop even sells camera's under 3MP so I guess I'll be fine. Many thanks, Keilan

Jun 5, 2006, 7:44 PM	#4
ellover009 Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 48	Cell phones camera's are decent but don't expect to have a full 1.3MP DETAILED qualityl, a cell phone cam even newer will never beat a 1.3mp digital camera. You can find a nice 5mp camera on sale sometimes in circuit city or best buy.

Jun 6, 2006, 5:08 AM	#5
ELDDJOC Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 156	4 to 5 MP will be a good bet. Those cameras are cheap now as well - entry models like the Canon PowerShot A430 or the Nikon Coolpix L4 will serve your purposes well.