When buying a digital camera, should I look for a higher mega pixel?”
You would think that a 6MP camera would produce better images than a 5MP one but that is not always the case. Mega pixels are a measure of quantity (the amount of data captured), not quality. A digital camera’s image quality is not based solely on mega pixels, but on an entire system. More important than the number of pixels is the actual pixel size. The bigger the pixel size the better they can record detail in the shadows and highlights. Larger sensors generally produce greater dynamic range, higher sensitivity, and better signal-to-noise ratio, mostly because they have room for bigger, more light-sensitive pixels. So instead of just going for the largest mega pixel count when comparing cameras, ask about other important factors such as image quality. Image quality is a more useful measure than the number of mega pixels. Most digital cameras will produce good images, with color, sharpness, and dynamic range that will satisfy most people. If all you want to do is e-mail your photos or
