Light and Lens, 3rd Edition

CHAPTER 8Digital Studio: The Virtual and the Material Worlds

 

 

 

THE MEGAPIXEL MYTH

The megapixel myth, started as a marketing tool by camera manufacturers, implies that the more megapixels a camera sensor (a.k.a. the chip) has, the greater the picture quality. This is no longer the case, as existing technology has reached a point of diminishing megapixel returns (see Chapter 3, “Visual Acuity and 300 DPI”). Now, even ordinary smartphone cameras can generate a good-quality 8 × 10-inch print or larger. Megapixels are no longer the determining factor in an image, unless you intend to make very large prints.

The key factors you can control that affect image quality are (1) holding the camera still; (2) using a moderate ISO in the 100–400 ...