In the era of DSLR cameras, a flagship model would boast a pixel count of 20 million, while many other models remained stuck at just over 10 million pixels.
However, with the advent of the mobile phone era, the value of pixels seems to be continuously depreciating, from 64 million to 100 million, and now to 200 million pixels.
It feels like we're falling behind if we don't have tens of millions of pixels.
Faced with mobile phones that often cost tens of millions or even billions, do cameras with only 10 to 20 million pixels still have an advantage in taking photos?
First, we need to understand what a pixel is?
A pixel is a small dot on the sensor, representing the smallest unit that senses light. A higher pixel count means these units are denser, theoretically resulting in photos with greater detail.
So, should we choose a high-pixel machine?
I think for ordinary people, a camera with 20 million pixels is more than sufficient.
Compared to pixels, the amount of light entering is actually a more important parameter. With a fixed sensor area, the more pixels there are, the less light enters each individual pixel. Therefore, under the same frame size, high-pixel cameras tend to have poorer high-sensitivity performance, making night photography less satisfactory.
Meanwhile, larger pixels also mean a larger file size for the photo, which can be more troublesome for our post-processing and put a strain on the computer's performance.
In addition, to feed a high-pixel camera, its accompanying lenses, memory cards, etc. are all relatively expensive, which is also a significant expense for enthusiasts.
Actually, for social media enthusiasts, a camera with over 20 million pixels is more than sufficient, and even after partial cropping, it still meets their needs.
We don't need to print it out to make posters or exhibition boards. We will only view it on a small screen. How many people would be so picky as to constantly zoom in to examine it closely.
Instead of focusing on the number of pixels, ordinary people should pursue the amount of light entering!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional technical advice or consulting. Always seek the advice of a qualified professional with any questions you may have regarding your technology decisions. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
